Arne Slot was accused of telling match officials, “If we don’t win the league, I’ll f*****g blame you” as tempers flared after the chaotic 2-2 draw with Everton last month.
Slot was shown a red card following a last-minute equaliser by Everton in the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park after approaching the officials in a “confrontational and aggressive” manner, a report by an independent commission said.
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Details of what Slot said to Oliver have now been released by the FA. The commission’s report states that as Slot was shaking Oliver’s hand on the pitch at the end of the game, he told the referee that he “f*****g gave them everything” and that he hoped he “was proud of that performance”.
The report claims Slot then approached Oliver again around a minute later and said: “If we don’t win the league, I’ll fucking blame you,” before twice shouting it was “a f*****g disgrace” at the assistant referee.
Slot questioned the exact wording in his reply by insisting that he said, “If we don’t win the league, I will have you to thank for that,” but accepted the charges. The report noted Slot did not dispute the “f*****g disgrace” comment.
He was handed a two-game touchline ban and fined £70,000.
Slot’s actions followed an intense, action-packed clash between the Merseyside rivals. Liverpool felt that decisions went against them, particularly in the closing stages, when they believed a foul should have been awarded for a challenge on Ibrahima Konate in the build-up to James Tarkowski’s equaliser.
The added frustration of an extended stoppage-time period resulted in Slot and his assistant Sipke Hulshoff losing their cool on the final whistle.
Hulshoff was also handed a red card after confronting Oliver in an “extremely aggressive manner”.
The report says that he told the referee he was “f*****g s**t” and “gave them everything” and he was a “f*****g disgrace”. Hulshoff also received a two-game touchline ban and a £7,000 fine. Hulshoff accepted the charges and apologised for his behaviour, but stated he had not intended to personally insult Oliver and had instead said the full-time melee was because of the “s*** decisions” during the game.
In a press conference the following day, Slot admitted that he wished he had handled the situation better and went on to make a “sincere apology privately” the report stated.
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He was in line to be banned for three games which would have seen him miss the Carabao Cup Final, but the FA panel determined that he ‘went over and above’ to apologise which reduced his punishment.
A separate incident that took place at the end of the game involving Everton’s Abdoulaye Doucoure and Curtis Jones also resulted in both players picking up red cards.
Doucoure ran 20 yards to celebrate in front of the Liverpool supporters and Jones reacted angrily causing both players to “act in an aggressive confrontation”.
Manager David Moyes said he was unhappy with Doucoure’s behaviour and the report states that the midfielder will be disciplined by his club as a result.
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(Carl Recine/Getty Images)
