Arne Slot banned for abusing referee Michael Oliver after Liverpool’s chaotic derby draw with Everton
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Liverpool manager Arne Slot has been banned for two games after being sent off at the end of the Merseyside derby.
Amid chaotic scenes at the end of Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at Everton on 12 February, Slot confronted referee Michael Oliver and could be seen saying a few words before exchanging an aggressive handshake. Oliver immediately produced a red card, having also sent off Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones, Everton’s Abdoulaye Doucoure and Slot’s assistant Sipke Hulshoff in the fallout after the final whistle.
Jones and Doucoure served one-match bans after the derby, while both Slot and Hulshoff were charged by the FA and referred to an independent regulatory commission.
Both Liverpool’s manager and assistant manager admitted the charges against them and have received two-game touchline suspensions. Slot has also been fined £70,000, while Hulshoff has been fined £7,000.
The Football Association explained in a statement: “It was alleged that the Liverpool head coach acted in an improper manner and/or used insulting and/or abusive words and/or behaviour towards both the match referee and an assistant referee after the match had finished. Arne Slot admitted the charge, and the Regulatory Commission imposed a two-match touchline suspension and £70,000 fine.”
Both clubs were also fined for failing to control their players in the full-time melee, which was sparked by Doucoure’s inflammatory celebrations in front of the travelling Liverpool fans moments after Everton had grabbed a late point through James Tarkowski’s stunning 97th-minute volley.
At the end of an emotionally charged night – the final derby at Goodison Park before Everton’s move to their newly built stadium on Bramley-Moore Dock – the Merseyside-born Jones took umbrage with Doucoure’s goading of the visiting fans and aggressively grabbed his opposing midfielder before more players, stewards and police piled into the melee.
The FA added: “It was alleged that both clubs failed to ensure their players and/or technical area occupants did not behave in an improper and/or provocative way following the final whistle. Everton and Liverpool admitted the charges, and the Regulatory Commission imposed £65,000 and £50,000 fines on them respectively following a hearing.”
