Arne Slot, the Liverpool manager, faced disciplinary action following his dismissal after the dramatic 2-2 draw with Everton at Goodison Park last month. The Football Association (FA) has now made public the explicit nature of Slot's tirade, which led to a red card from referee Michael Oliver after the match concluded. Slot served the first match of his two-game touchline ban during Liverpool's recent 2-0 victory over Newcastle, and he will also miss the upcoming clash against Southampton.
The FA's report detailed that Slot entered the field post-match to confront the referee and his team. According to the written reasons, "AS" (Arne Slot) disputed the language attributed to him, suggesting possible confusion between his words and those of Sipke Hulshoff, Liverpool's assistant head coach. It was alleged that Hulshoff had aggressively entered the field and used foul language towards the referee, calling him a "fg s" and a "f***g disgrace."
Despite Slot's contention over the precise language used, the FA upheld the account provided by the match officials. Slot later issued a heartfelt apology both privately and publicly. During a press conference, he stated:
"I think what happened was that the extra time, that additional five minutes that ended up being eight, a lot happened, and the emotions got the better of me."
Slot's assistant, Sipke Hulshoff, received a similar punishment—a two-match touchline suspension and a £7,000 fine—after also being shown a straight red card post-match. The incident began when Oliver initially chose not to penalize a challenge from Roberts but later reversed his decision upon VAR's advice, sending off the goalkeeper. Reports suggest that Slot voiced his discontent by shouting at an assistant referee:
"if we don't win the league, I'll f*****g blame you."
"I chose to go on the pitch instead of staying calm and talking to the referee, Michael Oliver. Now I don't have the same emotions anymore, I should now set a better example than I did and not go into this situation again."
Slot expressed remorse for his actions, acknowledging that emotions from the match's final moments influenced his behavior. He remarked:
"I think what I've said in the written report and I can say it one more time, I was quite emotional for everything that happened in the last seven or eight minutes and maybe during the whole game."
He further reflected on his conduct, noting:
"I think it's clear what I said and what Michael has written. Michael has been in the news a lot recently. I don't think it helps if I add something to that."
The FA's decision not only impacts Slot's immediate presence on the touchline but also brings attention to officiating decisions in high-stakes matches. Michael Oliver, who was central to this controversy, will not officiate any fixtures in matchweek 28 of the Premier League.
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