Arne Slot allegedly told Michael Oliver “if we don’t win the league I’ll f------ blame you” as he and his assistant clashed with the referee after Everton’s dramatic late equaliser in the last ever Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.
The Football Association has also published claims the Liverpool manager shouted “f------ disgrace” and “f------ give them everything” as he confronted officials during chaotic scenes after full-time.
Both Liverpool and Everton faced action after police and stewards were forced to break up a potential mass brawl at the conclusion of a game moments after James Tarkowski’s equaliser had been approved by VAR.
Abdoulaye Doucouré had initially celebrated wildly in front of the away fans prompting an ugly clash with Liverpool players led by Curtis Jones.
Later, Slot was seen angrily remonstrating in the face of Oliver, alongside Virgil Van Dijk. and his assistant Sipke Hulshoff.
Slot was subsequently handed a two-game ban and fined £70,000 and now the FA explained in written reasons that the Dutchman had launched into an expletive-laden rant while shaking Oliver’s hand.
Credit: X/@FootballonTNT
“Tensions were running high,” the FA report says. “It was alleged that AS’ [Slot’s] manner was confrontational and aggressive. It was alleged that he initially used abusive words whilst shaking the Referee’s hand including that the Referee had ‘f------ give them everything’ and that AS hoped that the referee ‘was proud of that performance.’
The Referee thereafter confirms [having reviewed the video footage to clarify] that he was approached again by AS around one minute later. In this exchange, AS once again shook the Referee’s hand and said ‘if we don’t win the league, I’ll f------ blame you.’ It is then further alleged that AS turned to the Assistant Referee and shouted twice that it was ‘a f------ disgrace’.”
Both Slot and Hulshoff were shown red cards, with the latter alleged to have acted in an “extremely aggressive manner.”
Dutchman disputes alleged language
Slot admitted the charges, but disputed the language alleged to have been used, claiming instead that he said: “If we don’t win the league, I will have you to thank for that.”
However, the FA argued that this discrepancy didn’t make a material difference to the sanction. Slot has since apologised in public and private, the report acknowledges.
However, the commission also had criticism for Everton and in particularly Doucouré.
“Firstly, AD instead of celebrating with his teammates or indeed his own supporters, chooses to run 20-25 yards and goad the LFC support,” the report states. “We consider that that was inflammatory in itself and but for that action, the Mass Confrontation may have been avoided.”
Jones’ actions, meanwhile, were also “aggressive and disproportionate”.
Credit: X/@FootballonTNT
As the confrontation then erupts between multiple players, “in one frame, we see a female police officer attempting to push [with force] one player away from the melee [with another female police officer coming in to assist her]”, the commission say. “We don’t consider that the mass confrontation quickly dissipates either,” the FA regulatory commission panel add.
“Indeed, the after effects appear to continue towards and down the tunnel with numerous angry words being exchanged.” The scenes, the panel recognised, played a part in prompting a fan to throw a plastic bottle on the pitch. “Likewise, we are of the view that whilst AD’s initial goading of the LFC support is not dangerously close to the support, once the Mass Confrontation spirals, it does spill into the track of the pitch and may have had the impact of enflaming the LFC support given the throwing of objects from the stand housing the LFC support [one player appears to be hit by a plastic bottle during the confrontation itself],” the panel add.
Slot and Hulshoff were issued with touchline bans while Everton were fined £65,000 and Liverpool £50,000 for failing to ensure their players and/or staff did not behave in an improper way.
