Liverpool fans were left fuming after Hugo Ekitike swapped shirts with Manchester City's Rayan Cherki during the Reds' 4-0 FA Cup quarter-final defeat at the Etihad Stadium. The incident occurred shortly after the French striker was substituted, with many supporters criticising the timing given the nature of the loss.
Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick, while Antoine Semenyo also found the net for City. Mohamed Salah missed a penalty, compounding a miserable afternoon for Arne Slot's side, who have now lost three times to City this season.
As Ekitike was replaced by Cody Gakpo in the 70th minute, Cherki—who had set up Semenyo's goal—was also substituted soon after. The pair promptly exchanged shirts, with Cherki briefly wearing the Liverpool top before being told to remove it by furious City supporters.
However, it was Ekitike's eagerness to swap shirts that particularly irked Liverpool fans. One wrote on social media: 'Ekitike swapping his shirt before full time at 4-0 down tells you all you need to know about the mentality of this squad.' Another added: 'Heads in the clouds.'
The defeat piles further pressure on manager Arne Slot, whose side must now regroup ahead of their Champions League trip to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday—the club where Ekitike began his career.
