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Liverpool manager Arne Slot knows he must set a better example after the details of his exchange with referee Michael Oliver following the Merseyside derby were revealed by the Football Association.
Slot was handed a two-game touchline ban and a £70,000 fine after he was sent off by Oliver following a dramatic conclusion to the final meeting with neighbours Everton to be held at Goodison Park.
The Dutchman was furious after James Tarkowski thrashed home a last-gasp equaliser to secure a 2-2 draw, sparking wild celebrations among the Everton fans. Oliver’s decision not to award a foul against Everton in the build-up to the goal was upheld by VAR, which also adjudged Tarkowski to have been onside.
Following the final whistle, Abdoulaye Doucoure’s celebrations in front of the Liverpool fans resulted in a melee involving him and Curtis Jones, with both seeing red before Slot was then dismissed for his remonstrations with Oliver.
A written report from the FA revealed Slot had said Oliver had given Everton “f****** everything”. After shaking Oliver’s hand for a second time, Slot said: “If we don’t win the league, I’ll f****** blame you.”
Asked about the exchange in a press conference ahead of Liverpool’s Champions League last-16 tie with Paris Saint-Germain, Slot said: “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
“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.”
Liverpool are chasing a treble having progressed to the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United on March 16 and built a 13-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
But it is not clear yet whether they will have striker Cody Gakpo available as the Reds look to boost their Champions League hopes in the first leg against PSG at the Parc des Princes.
“He was close to being ready to play again but unfortunately yesterday he had to block a shot and he felt a bit of pain again,” Slot said of Gakpo.
“We brought him with us to judge how if he can be part of the squad but it will be a close call.”
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