Rooney defends Ekitike celebration despite red card suspension

Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has shared his thoughts on the contentious red card received by Hugo Ekitike during Liverpool’s Carabao Cup match against Southampton on Tuesday.

Ekitike received a dismissal shortly after netting a thrilling late winner, accompanied by a shirt removal celebration, which resulted in a second yellow card and an automatic suspension for the upcoming Premier League contest against Crystal Palace.

While certain individuals, including former forward Chris Sutton, harshly labeled the celebration as “pure foolishness,” Rooney displayed a more sympathetic outlook.

As reported by BBC Sport on Friday, Rooney discussed this matter during one of his recent BBC podcasts.

On BBC Radio 5 Live, Chris Sutton, a former Blackburn striker, denounced Ekitike’s celebration as “pure foolishness.” In contrast, Rooney offered a much more understanding perspective. “He got caught up in the thrill of scoring, and he will likely regret his actions,” Rooney explained.

“I’m not justifying it, because it is indeed foolish, but considering how VAR has influenced goal celebrations in recent years, I find it quite refreshing to witness a player celebrating a goal genuinely.

“He is performing exceptionally well, and this might be a competition for him and [new teammate] Alexander Isak to earn a starting spot [against Palace].

“He is creating an opportunity for Isak to step in and potentially take his position. Thus, I can only imagine how upset he must be.”