New Delhi: Liverpool manager Arne Slot has acknowledged that his emotions took over during Wednesday’s fiery Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, leading to his dismissal after the final whistle. The Dutchman admitted he regret his behaviour and would “do it differently” next time.
“What happened was the additional five minutes of extra time turned into eight, and the emotions got the better of me,” Slot said in a press conference on Friday. “If I could do that differently, I am hoping to do it differently next time as well.”
This was the first time Slot publicly addressed the incident as Premier League regulations prevented him from speaking post-match due to his suspension.
“If I could go back I would have loved to do it differently. I’ll hope to do it differently next time as well” 💬
Arne Slot reacts to receiving a red card in Liverpool’s draw with Everton 🔵 pic.twitter.com/Tuko6sjyNz
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) February 14, 2025
Frustration over extra time and VAR decisions
Slot admitted that his frustration stemmed from multiple incidents during stoppage time. “Many things in extra time left me quite emotional,” he explained. “There was a VAR check that took two minutes—I thought maybe there was a foul, maybe offside. A lot happened, but it wouldn’t be smart to go into every detail.”
Slot on Curtis Jones’ reaction
The heated encounter also saw Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones get involved in an altercation with Everton’s Abdoulaye Doucoure after the latter appeared to engage with travelling Liverpool fans. Jones’ actions resulted in a red card which further added to the chaos.
Slot expressed admiration for Jones’ passion but acknowledged there were better ways to handle such situations. “I like that he stands up for the team but there are other ways to do that,” he said. “I will talk with him about it.”
The Dutchman also admitted he himself should have shown more restraint. “The same applies to me—I should have acted differently after the game. But football is an emotional sport, and sometimes individuals make the wrong decision. That’s exactly what I did.”
👊 “I like a lot that he stands up for the team.”
Arne Slot reacts to Curtis Jones’ red card… pic.twitter.com/NPgJcCPrP5
— This Is Anfield (@thisisanfield) February 14, 2025
Fallout and club stance on racist abuse
The fiery clash saw three red cards—one for Slot, one for Jones, and another for Liverpool assistant coach Sipke Hulshoff. Later on, Doucoure was also dismissed after the altercation with Jones.
Following the match, both clubs Liverpool and Everton released a joint statement addressing the racist abuse directed at Doucoure, labelling it “reprehensible” and stating that such behaviour “will not be tolerated.”
While Slot aims to learn from this experience, the incident underscores the intense emotions that can boil over even for managers in heated rivalries.
Arne Slot reflects on his red card in the Merseyside derby, admitting his emotions got the better of him. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
