Liverpool manager Arne Slot was sent off and handed a two-match touchline ban for his brutal rant at referee Michael Oliver at the end of the Merseyside derby last month
Arne Slot told referee Michael Oliver he would ‘f****** blame’ him if Liverpool failed to secure the title following their draw with Everton last month.
The Dutchman confronted Oliver after witnessing James Tarkowski’s last-minute equaliser, which Liverpool argued should have been disallowed. Despite the rage from the Reds’ bench, the goal was allowed and saw Liverpool momentarily slip up in the title race.
Slot received a two-match ban and a £70,000 fine from an independent FA commission, with the written reasons for his punishment now made public, revealing precisely what the Dutchman said.
The report alleges that Slot initially used abusive language while shaking Oliver’s hand, including accusing the Referee of having “f****** give them everything” and questioning whether the referee “was proud of that performance.”
Approximately one minute later, Slot approached Oliver again. During this encounter, Slot once more shook Oliver’s hand and stated, “If we don’t win the league, I’ll f****** blame you.” It is also alleged that the Liverpool boss then turned to the assistant referee and twice shouted that it was “a f****** disgrace.”.
Slot admitted to two breaches of FA rule E3, which mandates that “A Participant shall at all times act in the best interests of the game and shall not act in any manner which is improper or brings the game into disrepute or use any one, or a combination of, violent conduct, serious foul play, threatening, abusive, indecent or insulting words or behaviour.”
Slot refuted the claim about the language he’s alleged to have used, asserting that what he actually said to Oliver was “If we don’t win the league, I will have you to thank for that.”
Regardless, the FA stood firm that the statement recounted by the officials was correct, stressing that even if there were discrepancies, it wouldn’t alter the sanctions since Slot’s behaviour was still deemed improper. The Liverpool manager did not contest his use of the words “f****** disgrace” directed at the Assistant Referee, but he emphasized that any of his words during the interaction were not meant as personal attacks.
The Commission acknowledged the language as emotional and done out of frustration rather than being a personal indignity towards the officials. Accepting this view, Slot agreed that he should have waited until returning to the tunnel or dressing room before addressing the officials.
Slot’s assistant manager, Sipke Hulshoff, was also sent off, leading Slot to propose a staggered ban to prevent them both from being absent simultaneously—an appeal which the Commission rejected.
The Commission took into account three mitigating factors in their decision. These included Slot’s immediate admission of the charge and his clean disciplinary record. Without these mitigating factors, Slot would have faced a three-match ban.