Arne Slot summed it up perfectly. When asked about his dismissal after the full-time whistle at Goodison Park on Wednesday night, the Liverpool manager replied, “My emotions got the better of me.” Which was understandable, of course. He wasn’t the only person to lose their head after a chaotic conclusion to a “mental” Merseyside derby – Slot’s assistant Sipke Hulshoff and midfielder Curtis Jones also saw red.
However, the Dutchman was understandably disappointed with himself because of the way in which he expressed his frustration with Michael Oliver’s horribly inept handling of the 2-2 draw with Everton. “I should have acted differently,” Slot told reporters on Friday. “It is an emotional sport and sometimes individuals with emotions make the wrong decisions. That is definitely what I did. I would have loved to do it differently if I could go back. I hope to do it differently next time as well.”
Of course, Liverpool’s legion supporters will be hoping that there won’t be anymore flash points involving Slot or his players between now and the end of the Premier League season. The Reds let their emotions get the better of them last year and that played a big role in the mental and physical fatigue which led to their late collapse. This, then, is a time for cool heads – and some serious thought on what Slot should do to ensure Liverpool maintain their seven-point lead at the top of the table.