Liverpool manager Arne Slot refused to add to the discussion around North East referee Michael Oliver following the release of the FA report into the incident which saw the Reds head coach banned from the touchline for two games.
Slot was also fined £70,000 fine after being charged over his behaviour following the 2-2 draw with Everton at Goodison Park in February. Ashington-born referee OIiver sent Slot off after the final whistle for comments he was said to have made to the officials.
Oliver was in the headlines again this weekend after he initially didn’t send off Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts for a challenge on Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta which left the Eagles frontman hospital, although VAR intervened on the day.
It came just days before the FA released full details of their report into the Merseyside derby incident, which revealed Slot and Oliver had different accounts of the post-match comments. However, the Liverpool boss opted not to fan any flames with a dignified response to questions before their Champions League game with Paris St-Germain.
“What I said also in the written report and I can say it one more time, the moment it happened I was quite emotional for everything that happened in the last seven or eight minutes and maybe during the whole game,” Slot said. “I chose to go on pitch instead of staying calm staying inside and then talking to Michael. Now I don’t have the same emotions anymore so I think I should set a better example than I set back then and don’t go into the situation again.
“It’s clear what I’ve written and what Michael has written. Michael has been in the news quite a lot recently and I don’t think it helps if I add something to that now I have my emotions under control.”
Oliver has not been handed a Premier League match this weekend following the Palace-MIllwall controversy in the FA Cup last weekend and will also not act as a fourth official or VAR.
Slot was forced to watch the Premier League win over Newcastle United from the stands, and will again be missing from the touchline when his side face Southampton next weekend, although he will be able to take his usual place against PSG tonight, and in the Carabao Cup final with the Magpies on March 16.
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