Liverpool manager breaks silence after Everton chaos, red card controversy

Liverpool first assistant coach Sipke Hulshoff has broken his silence after being sent off in the aftermath of the dramatic 2-2 draw with Everton on Tuesday night.

The Reds looked like they will be taking away all three points but Everton equalised through James Tarkowski’s strike in the dying minutes of the game. After the final whistle, melee ensued with players from both team clashing.

Liverpool’s Curtis Jones and Everton’s Abdoulaye Doucoure were both shown second yellow cards for their part in the melee that ensued after the full-time whistle, in front of the away end.

Hulshoff was also shown a red card by referee Michael Oliver, as well as head coach Arne Slot.

As a result of the double dismissal, both the head coach and assistant couldn’t complete their post-match media duties following the decision from the match official.

While Jones will not be part of the team that face Wolverhampton Wanderers this Sunday both Slot and Hulshoff will be in the dugout for the visit of Vitor Pereira’s side.

Ashley Young and Carlos Alcaraz of Everton attempt to intervene as tempers flare between Curtis Jones of Liverpool and Abdoulaye Doucoure of Everton (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Taking to Instagram, Hulshoff wrote a simple message as preparation switches to the Midlands club following the fallout of the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.

“Learn and move on…. Focus for the next game,” he wrote.

Slot on Friday was quizzed on the chaotic scenes that ensued at Everton. The 46-year-old said: “There’s process now. I think I have to respect it. So I can’t go into details.

“I think what happened was that the extra-time five minutes ended up being eight. It happened a lot and the emotions got the better of me.

“If I could do it differently, if I look back at it, I would love to do it differently. I would do it (differently) next time as well. What has exactly been said or what has happened, there is an ongoing process and I don’t want to disturb that.

“It felt immediately after the referee blew that we lost two points. But in the other 98 minutes I didn’t feel constantly like we were going to win the game.

“It felt like an equal game and a draw would have been a fair result. But with us leading after 97 minutes, we were quite close to winning, so it felt as if we lost two points.

“But I think we won a lot on Wednesday as well. What I mean by that is if look at the togetherness of the team, with the fans, how they fought to get over the line.

“We’ve been praised so many times this season about how well these players can play, but they showed a different side of themselves. Much better than the year before. The were so mentally strong to play in a game played in difficult circumstances.”