Liverpool manager Arne Slot has dodged the full brunt of the FA’s hammer, with the governing body revealing the mitigating factors that spared him a harsher punishment following the fiery Merseyside derby last month.
The Dutchman found himself in boiling water after confronting referee Michael Oliver on the pitch. He was fuming over contentious decisions during Liverpool’s chaotic 2-2 draw with Everton.
Slot, in a moment of raw emotion, told referee Michael Oliver: “If we don’t win the league, I’ll [expletive] blame you.”
Although the Reds’ boss disputed the exact wording. Slot claimed that he said, “If we don’t win the league, I will have you to thank for that.”
The FA commission found Oliver’s version “more likely than not.”
Slot did not stop there. He allegedly called assistant referee a “[expletive] disgrace” and accused Oliver of “[expletive] giving them everything” before sarcastically hoping the referee was “proud of that performance.”
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Slot’s fury costs less than expected thanks to FA
Such incendiary remarks could have earned Slot a three-match touchline ban and a stinging £100,000 fine.
Yet, the FA, after acknowledging Slot’s early admission of guilt, sincere public and private apologies, and his clean disciplinary record since joining Liverpool in summer 2024, decided to soften the blow.
The final verdict: a two-match ban and a reduced fine of £70,000.
In their official statement, FA said:
“Had it not been for the mitigating factors, the Commission would have imposed a 3-match suspension as well as a fine commensurate with AS’ salary.
However, given the mitigating factors, the Commission was minded to reduce the sanction.”
Slot accepted the ruling of FA, admitting he let his emotions override his judgment. “The moment it happened, I was quite emotional [about] everything that happened in the game.
I chose to go on the pitch instead of staying calm and staying inside to talk to Michael [Oliver].
I don’t have these emotions now so I should set a better example,” he confessed before Liverpool’s Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain.
Adding fuel to the fire, Slot’s assistant, Sipke Hulshoff, was also slapped with a two-match touchline ban and a £7,000 fine for aggressively confronting Oliver.
With Liverpool leading the Premier League by 13 points, Slot will miss the upcoming domestic fixtures. But he will be back on the touchline for the high-stakes Carabao Cup final against Newcastle on March 16.
For now, Slot must watch from the stands, his fiery passion momentarily cooled. But the title race, and the tension, are far from over.
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