Liverpool boss Arne Slot has admitted that he sometimes tries to influence referees in his team’s favour, following a touchline ban that will see him watch Wednesday’s Carabao Cup quarter-final against Southampton from the stands.
The authorities handed Slot a one-match ban after he received a third yellow card of the season during Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Fulham. He received a booking for protesting a yellow card shown to Curtis Jones, and Liverpool felt frustrated by referee Tony Harrington’s decision not to send off Fulham’s Issa Diop early in the match. Andreas Pereira also avoided a dismissal after a poor challenge on Ryan Gravenberch, further adding to the Reds’ frustration.
Known for being a more reserved figure compared to his predecessor, Jurgen Klopp, Slot nonetheless demonstrates his passion in defending his team’s interests. Ahead of Liverpool’s trip to St Mary’s, Slot spoke candidly about his approach to refereeing decisions.
“I think, in general, I am calm,” Slot said. “I don’t know if it’s smart to say this, but there is a limit for me. I can get emotional, and unfortunately, that limit is only reached by refereeing decisions or the decisions my players make.”
Slot reflected on recent matches, including the controversial 1-1 draw against Chelsea, where he felt his team should have had a second penalty, only for VAR to overturn the decision. The Dutchman admitted that such emotional moments sometimes push him to express his frustration, especially when he believes his team is on the receiving end of unfair decisions.
“The Chelsea game was emotional. We should have had a second penalty, but VAR changed it, and there were a lot of controversial decisions. When you’re down to 10 men, that works out even harder,” he explained. “The Chelsea game and the Fulham game were emotional, and maybe I should have stayed just underneath instead of going above.”
Despite his passion, Slot acknowledged that his attempts to sway referees have not proven effective. He admitted that creating an atmosphere of perceived victimhood in hopes of influencing decisions has not led to positive outcomes.
“You try to influence as much as you can,” Slot said. “The mistake I’ve made twice here, and once or twice in Holland, is thinking that creating an atmosphere where the whole world is against you can lead to positive decisions. But in the Chelsea and Fulham games, the referee kept the game the same for 90 minutes. It didn’t work.”
With Slot banned from the touchline for the Southampton match, assistant coach Sipke Hulshoff will take charge. Meanwhile, Southampton, who recently sacked manager Russell Martin after a heavy 5-0 defeat to Tottenham, will be led by interim manager Simon Rusk.
Liverpool fans will be hoping for a more favorable outcome on Wednesday, with Slot looking to make adjustments after his team’s recent challenges with refereeing decisions.
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