Liverpool boss Arne Slot accused of foul mouthed rant at referee

LONDON – Liverpool manager Arne Slot aimed an expletive-filled rant at referee Michael Oliver, claiming the official would be to blame if the English Premier League leaders did not win the title, according to the official report.

Slot and his assistant Sipke Hulshoff were both shown red cards after confronting Oliver on the pitch, following Liverpool’s stormy 2-2 draw at Merseyside rivals Everton on Feb 12.

James Tarkowski scored the Toffees’ equaliser deep into stoppage time, with Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones and Everton’s Abdoulaye Doucoure also sent off for scuffling after the final whistle.

Slot and Hulshoff were given two-match touchline suspensions and fined for their behaviour by an independent regulatory commission.

The panel received a copy of Oliver’s match report, in which he alleged a “confrontational and aggressive” Slot had told the official he had “given them (Everton) everything” and the Reds boss hoped he “was proud of that performance”.

Oliver claimed Slot returned to continue the X-rated blast, saying: “If we don’t win the league, I’ll blame you.”

Slot admitted the charges but insisted that he said: “If we don’t win the league, I will have you to thank for that.”

The Football Association maintained Slot’s language and words were as reported by Oliver and that the discrepancy did not make a material difference to the sanction.

Following the incident, Slot had accepted that his behaviour was unacceptable and that he had allowed frustration to get the better of him, as he believed key decisions had not gone Liverpool’s way at Goodison Park.

The 46-year-old Dutchman, who served the first game of his ban in last week’s win over Newcastle United, has since apologised to Oliver in private and public.

“Arne Slot is a role model and should be exercising good discipline both on and off the pitch,