Alexander Isak nets first Liverpool goal and Hugo Ekitike sees red after winner

Alexander Isak started making repayments on his British transfer record fee with his first goal for Liverpool but it required a late effort from centre-forward rival Hugo Ekitike to beat Southampton 2-1 in the Carabao Cup.

However, the young Frenchman’s insistence in over-celebrating by removing his shirt to show his name on the back to the cameras was a costly mistake as, having already been booked, he was subsequently sent off.

His pending suspension means Isak will almost certainly start at Crystal Palace on Saturday, although that may have been head coach Arne Slot’s plan anyway as he continues to build up his fitness.

The £125million deadline-day signing from Newcastle’s smart near-post finish lit up an otherwise disjointed first half for a team registering two debutants and 11 changes from Saturday’s Merseyside derby win.

However, Isak has been brought in to achieve more than safe passage to the fourth round of the League Cup against a lowly Championship side.

With Palace followed by a trip to Istanbul to face Galatasaray, his half-time substitution was understandable for a player who had no pre-season and had reported being sore after an hour against Atletico Madrid last week.

He did, though, look taken aback when he headed for the tunnel at half-time only to be told by one of Liverpool’s conditioning staff he had to remain on the pitch to do a cool down during the interval.

Isak, whose last appearance in this competition saw him score the decisive goal to beat his new employers in the final, must have been slightly disappointed as three goals and four assists in five appearances suggests he has a liking for the Saints’ defence.

But his inclusion from the start served to show the gulf in quality with Southampton’s