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What Brighton fans did to tearful Hugo Ekitike as he exited Liverpool match with injury was vile

Originally posted on Empire of the Kop
By Farrell Keeling | Last updated Mar 21, 2026 9:34 AM ET

Brighton fans were heard jeering Hugo Ekitike even as the Liverpool striker walked off the field of play with an injury.

The Frenchman was initially floored after contact with James Milner, with the ex-Red having only recently left one on Dominik Szoboszlai.

After attempting to run off the concern, however, Arne Slot was forced into making an early substitution, bringing on Curtis Jones in the attacker’s place.

Brighton fans jeer tearful Hugo Ekitike despite injury exit

Brighton’s home support initially voiced their displeasure at what they perceived to be gamemanship from Liverpool’s No.22.

However, the jeers continued even as a ‘devastated’ Ekitike was escorted off the field of play by the club doctor.

“Hugo Ekitike looks devastated and is consoled by a few of his teammates as he walks off,” Aadam Patel reported for BBC Sport.

“The Brighton fans are jeering as Ekitike walks straight down the tunnel with the doctor.”

This viewpoint was concurred by Lewis Steele on X (formerly Twitter), with Seagulls fans referencing Arsenal’s dark arts as the former Eintracht Frankfurt star attempted to run off his injury.

Hugo Ekitike looked in tears as he limped off, Curtis Jones is on in his place. Probably the last player Arne Slot would want to get injured given the lack of depth in attack https://t.co/V3NT0lyJsY

— Lewis Steele (@LewisSteele_) March 21, 2026

Has Hugo Ekitike been injured often in 2025/26?

It has to be said that the 23-year-old’s injury record has been pretty exemplary since his summer switch to Anfield.

Season	Days out with injury
2025/26	2 (thigh problems)
2024/25	3 (knock & inner ligament stretch of the knee)

A considerable shame for Liverpool and Arne Slot given what an impressive first season it’s been from Ekitike.

Unsavoury scenes in Brighton vs Liverpool

Look, we’re not naive; we can understand why fans across the spectrum of Premier League football are naturally inclined to begin eye-rolling at the sight of a footballer rolling around on the turf.

Having recently been unfairly denied the prospect of a point against Arsenal, some disgruntlement is perfectly understandable.

That said, we do take issue with the continued jeers even when it became clear that Hugo Ekitike was not faking his injury concern.

Whatever way you cut it, it’s just really poor form to ridicule a footballer whose injury has brought him to tears.

But that’s just our two cents on the matter.

This article first appeared on Empire of the Kop and was syndicated with permission.

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