Liverpool manager Arne Slot has admitted that “emotions got the better of him” as he addressed the media for the first time since being sent off following Wednesday’s Merseyside derby.
The Reds boss received one of four total red cards shown by referee Michael Oliver during chaotic scenes after the full-time whistle in the last-ever showdown between the two rivals to take place at Goodison Park, which ended in a 2-2 draw after James Tarkowski’s dramatic 98th-minute equaliser for Everton.
Both Slot and his assistant Sipke Hulshoff were shown red for their protests to Oliver, with Liverpool querying why so much additional stoppage time had been played and also feeling that the last-gasp leveller should have been disallowed for an alleged push on defender Ibrahima Konate by Toffees striker Beto inside the box.
Curtis Jones and Abdoulaye Doucoure had already been shown second yellow cards by Oliver after an angry bust-up between the midfielders - which saw Jones angrily sprint over to confront Doucoure for celebrating Everton’s equaliser in front of the Liverpool fans - sparked a major melee involving both sets of players as police and stadium security intervened to try and restore order.
Premier League rules surrounding manager dismissals mean that Slot was unable to conduct any post-match media duties after the game, though he was back in front of the press as usual to look ahead to Sunday’s top-flight visit of Wolves to Anfield.
With no automatic touchline suspensions enforced for red cards to managers, the Dutchman is currently expected to be on the sidelines for that game - alongside Hulshoff - as he waits to find out if the Football Association (FA) plan to charge him for misconduct for his protests after the Everton clash.
The FA were waiting to receive Oliver’s report before deciding on any action, with Slot potentially facing an extended ban if he is charged having already served a one-match suspension against Southampton in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals in December after receiving three yellow cards.
Jones will be suspended against Wolves however, while Doucoure will also miss Everton’s trip to Crystal Palace on Saturday.
“That is an ongoing process now and we have to respect that,” Slot said of the situation during his pre-Wolves press conference held at Liverpool’s Kirkby training centre on Friday morning. “So I can't go into the details.”
Pressed on the specifics of his sending off at Goodison amid confusion over whether it was as a result of his handshake with Oliver or rather something he had said, Slot replied: “What happened was that, during the stoppage time, there was a lot that happened and the emotions got the better of me.
“I would have loved to do it differently if I could go back. I hope to do it differently the next time as well. But on what happened and what was said, I told you it was an ongoing process and I don't want to disturb that.”
