Liverpool boss Arne Slot criticised Hugo Ekitike’s ‘stupid’ red card against Southampton – but it has nothing on these bizarre dismissals.Ekitike was handed his second caution for removing his shirt in celebration of his 84th-minute winner against Southampton.Ekitike was shown a red card immediately after scoring Liverpool’s winnerGettyThe 23-year-old, who had already been booked for punching the ball away, emulated Lionel Messi’s iconic gesture in the Carabao Cup.However, his punishment will be to serve a suspension for Saturday’s trip to Crystal Palace, leading Liverpool boss Slot branding it ‘stupid’.Fortunately for Ekitike, it won’t be a sending off that will live long in the memory – unlike some of the most bizarre red cards ever.talkSPORT.com has broken down a list of the top 10 most stupid red cards players have received – in no particular order.The only ruling being that it has to be silly on the part of the footballers themselves – not the officials.Events such as Diego Carlos’ 2018 sending-off against Paris Saint-Germain, the infamous Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain/Kieran Gibbs mix-up, and Graham Poll’s horror 2006 World Cup moment are all excluded. Liverpool target removed his shirt… while being subbedEkitike’s red card has nothing on Samuel Inkoom, who ironically was linked with a transfer to Anfield, in a Ukrainian Premier League clash.The Ghanaian was already on a yellow in Dnipro’s 2-0 win over Karpaty in 2011 when his number was put up and he took his shirt off as he jogged towards the sideline.By the letter of the law, Inkoom was sent off before he reached the bench – meaning his replacement, Yevhen Shakhov, couldn’t come on!Dnipro’s Inkoom is shown his second yellow card mere metres from being subbed offPaulao wears the same shirt as his teammateIn July 2015, the Brazilian was playing for Rivaldo‘s club Mogi Mirim, with the World Cup winner on the bench for a 3-2 loss to Bragantino.Rivaldo, whose antics against Turkey in 2002 show he’s no stranger to a bizarre red card, could scarcely believe why his team had to play almost the entire second half with 10 men on the pitch.Paulao started the match wearing the No.4 shirt on his back, but as is customary, donned a fresh jersey at half-time for the second 45.Unfortunately, the defender pulled on Fabio Sanches’ spare kit by mistake, meaning Mogi Mirim restarted play with two number threes.Six minutes into the second half, the referee booked Paulao for wearing the wrong shirt digits – which was his second of the match…Paulao was referenced wearing the No.4 when his red card was confirmedYouTubeBut the defender started the second half in the wrong shirtYouTubeYoav Ziv kicks his boot at linesmanTony Pulis said it all after Stoke City‘s 3-0 win over Maccabi Tel-Aviv during their historic 2011–12 Europa League campaign.He said: “I watched the game in the rugby union World Cup semi-final being spoiled by a red card, and we’ve seen two tonight here.”One was for his side, as Cameron Jerome received a second yellow card for a challenge on Yoan Ziv, who then followed him off the pitch.The latter was aggrieved that he hadn’t received a foul after his boot had come off in a collision with Potters defender Ryan Shotton.In his anger at the linesman for not waving his flag, Ziv kicked his boot in anger and struck the official and was instantly red-carded.He was sent off immediately despite his protestationsKieron Dyer v Lee BowyerThe former Newcastle teammates celebrated their 20-year anniversary of their infamous bust-up in April.The midfield duo were at the heart of one of the Premier League’s most iconic moments when they fought each other on the pitch.During the latter stages of a 3-0 loss to Aston Villa, which saw Dyer and Bowyer trade punches before both were sent off.Ex-England international memorably broke down the events surrounding the fight live on talkSPORT in 2022.What’s even more incredible is that the same game had a separate entry for this list, thanks to Steven Taylor’s ridiculous play-acting to try and fail to avoid a red card himself for a blatant handball.Despite being teammates, Bowyer and Dyer had a fightGetty Images - GettyStoke City star slaps his captainDyer and Bowyer may be the most famous example of teammates fighting on the pitch – but they’re far from the exception.In December 2008, Ricardo Fuller was shown a red card for slapping his captain, Andy Griffin, during a 2-1 defeat at West Ham.The Jamaican striker was left fuming after Carlton Cole had netted for the Irons and laid the blame for conceding at his skipper’s door.The pair came together and Fuller slapped his stunned team-mate and earned himself a three-game ban and a £20,000 fine.Fuller later said that Griffin, who only made three more league appearances for Stoke, had been ‘very rude and disrespectful’.Then-Stoke boss Pulis got the pair into the training ground the next day to sort it outZidane’s headbuttCompleting the trifecta of football fighting is, of course, Zinedine Zidane’s headbutt on Marco Materazzi at the 2006 World Cup final.The pair’s altercation 17 years ago is still remembered as one of the most iconic moments in football history.Zidane, in what was the final game before bringing the curtain down on his iconic career, forfeited the perfect chance to finish on a high.The Real Madrid legend, who won the World Cup in 1998, scored an audacious Panenka penalty to put France ahead against Italy in 2006.Yet he then received a straight red for headbutting Materazzi, who had bagged Italy’s equaliser, with the Azurri winning on penalties.“He provoked me by talking about my sister Lila,” Zidane said to French publication L’Equipe.“I’m not proud of it, but it’s part of my career. At that time, I was more fragile. He didn’t insult my mother, but he did insult my sister.”Zidane was sent off in the 2006 World Cup finalHand of CookSteve Cook’s red card for Bournemouth at Norwich in 2020 is a contender for the easiest decision a referee has ever had to make.The Queens Park Rangers star was keen to show his goalkeeper, Aaron Ramsdale, his skills in the net to deny Teemu Pukki.To be fair to the 34-year-old, it was quite a spectacular flying save – but with the scores level 30 minutes in, only he knows why he resorted to such drastic measures.To make matters worse, not only was Cook sent off, but Pukki scored from the resulting penalty en route to sealing a 1-0 win for Norwich.View Tweet: https://t.co/aWCbr0ADeOCesc Fabregas finds the targetThe former Arsenal and Chelsea star’s trademark accuracy proved to be his unlikely downfall in a shock 3-0 away defeat to West Brom.The Spaniard was sent off for violent conduct after a bizarre incident where he kicked the ball at Chris Brunt’s head from 20 yards away.In the 29th minute, referee Mike Jones was breaking up a confrontation between Diego Costa and Gareth McAuley.Several other West Brom players arrived on the scene, including Brunt, who took a stray ball from Fabregas to the back of the head.The Como manager was shown a straight red card, but had his ban reduced to one match after Chelsea successfully argued that a three-match suspension for violent conduct would be ‘excessive’.Fabregas’ stray ping drew a furious reaction from West Brom captain Darren FletcherAFPThen-Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho described the red card as ‘bizarre’ and ‘harsh’GettyWayne Rooney claps refereeThe Man United and England legend was renowned for receiving several avoidable red cards early in his career before he matured.While his 2006 World Cup sending off remains his most famous, that stray boot on Ricardo Carvalho was as much accidental as it was silly.The same cannot be said for his dismissal in a 0-0 Champions League draw with Villarreal in the season building up to the tournament.Rooney was booked by referee Kim Milton Nielsen in the 64th minute, but received another yellow for clapping in the official’s face.The petulant antics meant the Three Lions legend was banned for two European matches, which ultimately proved highly costly as Man United crashed out of the group stages.Rooney later said of the incident: “I was really annoyed with myself. It was a stupid sending off.”Rooney was sent off by Nielsen in September 2005 for his sarcastic applauseGettyThe official saw the funny side when they reunited for England vs Poland a month laterAFPStriker sent off after two secondsThis final entry may prove to be apocryphal, having widely been circulated, but should it prove true, it’s a no-brainer inclusion.According to the Times, the fastest red card shown to any player ever came in October 2000 via non-league sensation Lee Todd.The Cross Farm Park Celtic striker was sent off just two seconds into his Sunday League match with Taunton East Reach Wanderers.The referee signalled kick-off by forcefully blowing his whistle right beside Todd, who exclaimed: “F*** me, that was loud!”As such, the ref instantly blew for a second time and then dismissed him on the spot for foul and abusive language.“I wasn’t swearing at the ref or anyone else,” said Todd later. “Anyone else would have done the same—he nearly blew my ear off.”