Livelipool manager Arne Slot was fined with £70,000 by an lndependent Football Association commission after accepting a charge of acting in an improper manner and using insulting and/or abusive words and/or behaviour towards both the match referee and an assistant referee.
Oliver alleged Slot, while shaking the official’s hand, said: “If we don’t win the league, I’ll expletive, blame you.”
Liverpool, who are 13 points clear at the top of the Premier League, host Everton at Anfield on 2 April.
Slot disputed the alleged language used, claiming he instead said “if we don’t win the league, I will have you to thank for that”.
But the commission decided it was “more likely than not that Arne Slot used the language alleged by the referee and the FA”.
The FA argued the discrepancy didn’t make a material difference to the sanction because the words used still constituted Slot acting in an improper manner.
Slot accepted that, and did not dispute stating “[expletive] disgrace” to the assistant referee as part of his angry outburst.
The FA also alleged the Reds boss said Oliver “[expletive] give them everything”, and hoped the referee “was proud of that performance”.
Slot acknowledged his actions were unacceptable and he let his frustrations get the better of him, because he felt certain decisions during the game went against his side.
The commission acknowledged he had since made a sincere apology both privately and in public.
Slot’s fine was reduced from £100,000 due to mitigating factors, including his apology, admitting the charge at the earliest opportunity and because he had no previous record of misconduct.
Slot’s assistant coach Sipke Hulshoff was also given a two-match touchline ban and fined £7,000 after the FA alleged he approached Oliver in an “extremely aggressive manner”, and said he was a “[expletive] disgrace”.
Liverpool and Everton were both charged with failing to ensure their players did not behave in a way which was improper or provocative.
