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 where charged by the FA and referred to an independent regulatory commission. Both Liverpool’s manager and assistant manager admitted the charges against them and 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.”.
