HUGO DROSS

Ekitike's bizarre miss as Slot slackers blow it

- BY ANDY DUNN

HUGO EKITIKE'S miss of the season contender had to be seen to be believed, summing up another lame Liverpool display.

But Reds boss Arne Slot believes his players are victims of their own honesty after another disappointing staging post in their title defence.

After a match almost bereft of talking points, bar Ekitike's staggering open-goal miss from close range, Slot spoke at length about the French striker remaining upright despite some close attention from Jaka Bijol early in the first half.

Referee Chris Kavanagh saw no offence, VAR man Darren England felt no need to intervene.

"If he [Ekitike] would have fallen down, it would probably have been a penalty, but this season, so many times, when we were fouled, we did not get a penalty," said Slot.