Arne Slot reacts to FA charge, Liverpool manager to face touchline ban

Liverpool manager Arne Slot and his assistant Spike Hulshoff have both accepted FA charges following their red cards after the 2-2 draw against Everton earlier this month.

Slot and his assistant were both charged with “[acting] in an improper manner and/or used insulting and/or abusive words and/or behaviour towards a match official” after being seen having tense words with referee Michael Oliver following the frantic final Merseyside Derby at Goodison Park.

Things got heated in the dying minutes of the match when James Tarkowski volleyed in a dramatic equaliser. After the final whistle, tensions spilled as Curtis Jones accused Everton’s Abdoulaye Doucoure of provoking the travelling Liverpool fans by celebrating the result.

Both players were sent off before Slot and Hulschoff were also shown a red card. Their dismissals made it four red cards in the game and the FA will now conduct a hearing in the next 10 days to decide on their punishment, with a touchline ban likely.

Slot has been on the touchline for the team’s last two games against Wolves and Aston Villa. His side face a huge trip to rivals Manchester City on Sunday before welcoming Newcastle to Anfield – a game he could be forced to watch from the stands.

With both of Liverpool’s most senior coaches set to be missing, is it believed John Heitinga would take charge should a touchline ban for the pair be confirmed.

While Slot finds a solution during his time off the sideline, the Dutchman will also be eager to see the improvement of Darwin Nunez for his “behaviour” following a shocking miss against Villa on Wednesday.

The Liverpool striker fired wide with 21 minutes to go despite the goal being at his mercy following a pass from Dominik Szoboszlai.

Reds boss Slot had no issues with Nunez missing the chance but he was not impressed about how the player performed for the rest of the game and will “not accept” the drop off in work rate.

He said: “I can accept every miss, especially from a player that has scored two very important goals against Brentford, that scores for us in the home game against Villa.

“I would prefer him to score, but the word ‘chance’ says it all. It’s a chance, so it’s not 100 per cent sure that the ball goes in and players miss chances. That I that I can accept but what was a bit harder for me to accept was his behavior after that chance. With behavior, I mean, I think it got too much in his head, where he wasn’t the usual Darwin that works his a** off and makes sure he helps the team.

“I think he was too disappointed after missing that chance and maybe – we will never know, we will never find out – that’s why he was just a fraction short the moment afterwards.”