Arne Slot allegedly told referee Michael Oliver “I’ll f***ing blame you” if Liverpool don’t win the Premier League this season following last month’s 2-2 draw with Everton.
The Reds head coach was shown a red card and subsequently received a two-match touchline ban and £70,000 fine for his furious tirade after the final whistle at Goodison Park.
There were heated scenes at the end of the Merseyside Derby, in which James Tarkowski scored a 98th-minute equaliser, as Abdoulaye Doucouré and Curtis Jone were both sent off for scrapping on the pitch.
Arne Slot’s foul-mouthed rant at Michael Oliver revealed
The FA published the written reasons for Slot‘s punishment on Tuesday. It read: “It was reported by the Referee that following the full-time whistle, he was approached by LFC’s Arne Slot (“AS”) who had entered the field of play to confront the Referee and the Match Officials team. Tensions were running high.
“It was alleged that AS’ 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’.
“As a result of AS’ conduct, he was shown a red card by the Referee.”
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Slot admitted the charge, but the Liverpool boss disputed the language used, suggesting “there may have been confusion between what AS and SH [Sipke Hulshoff, Liverpool assistant head coach] said to the Referee.
“It was alleged that AS said whilst shaking the Referee’s hand, ‘if we don’t win the league, I’ll f****** blame you’.
“Instead, AS asserts that he in fact said, ‘if we don’t win the league, I will have you to thank for that’.
“The FA maintained that AS’ language and words were as reported by the Match Officials. However, the FA argued that this discrepancy didn’t make a material difference to the sanction, in any event, given the words used still constituted AS acting in an improper manner, and AS accepts the same.
“It should be noted that AS does not dispute stating ‘f****** disgrace” to the Assistant Referee.”
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