Liverpool and Arne Slot have until February 19 to respond after being charged by the FA for their conduct following the conclusion of Wednesday’s intense Merseyside derby.
After the dramatic clash at Goodison Park, tensions flared as Liverpool’s players engaged in a mass confrontation. The melee was triggered when Curtis Jones pushed Abdoulaye Doucoure in reaction to the Everton midfielder celebrating in front of Liverpool’s fans.
Both Slot and his assistant, Sipke Hulshoff, were dismissed in the moments post-match due to their protests against the officials.
An FA statement clarifies: “Everton, Liverpool, Arne Slot, and Sipke Hulshoff have been charged in relation to the Premier League fixture between the clubs on Wednesday, 12 February. It’s alleged that both clubs failed to ensure that their players and staff behaved in an appropriate manner after the final whistle.”
The statement further indicates that Slot allegedly acted improperly and used insulting or abusive language towards both the match referee and an assistant referee after the match concluded. It also notes the assistant manager’s dismissal stemmed from similar behavior, which continued even after he had been sent off.
All parties involved must provide their responses by next Wednesday, 19 February.
In a press conference addressing his dismissal against Everton, Slot stated, “Emotions got the best of me, and looking back, I would definitely handle it differently next time.” He chose not to disclose specific details regarding the incident but acknowledged the ongoing process.
“I should have acted differently after the game, but in this emotional sport, individuals sometimes make choices in the heat of the moment. That’s exactly what happened in my case.”