Arne Slot claims he was given a yellow card in Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal because his complaints about time-wasting tactics from Mikel Arteta’s side were misheard by officials.
Liverpool came from behind twice at the Emirates Stadium to earn a point as Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah cancelled out goals from Bukayo Saka and Mikel Merino.
Slot, meanwhile, is on the brink of a touchline ban in the Premier League after picking up his second yellow card of the season in the second half of Liverpool’s draw with Arsenal.
One more yellow card this season would mean that Slot would be forced to watch Liverpool’s following domestic match from the stands.
However, the Liverpool manager has revealed that the fourth official, Sam Barrott, misheard his complaint to Ibrahima Konate about Arsenal slowing the game down in the second half.
‘Last time I said I completely deserved the yellow card, this time I don’t think I did it,’ Slot said.
‘Because after so many times they were on the floor, which can happen in football I don’t blame them for that, but they always fell down after they had ball possession.
‘That took the energy out of the game in my opinion, and I said to Ibou, ‘this is a f***ing joke’ and the fourth official thought that I said to him, ‘you are a f***ing joke’, that’s definitely not that I said.
‘But I got a yellow for that, so now I’m on two and I have to be careful now.’
Speaking during his post-match analysis for Sky Sports, former Manchester United captain Roy Keane also accused Arsenal of time wasting in the second half and questioned whether Arteta’s side are credible challengers to Manchester City in the Premier League title race.
‘I still look at the mentality of this Arsenal side… today, when you’re watching them live, 2-1 up, whatever the circumstances with injury. Can you go on and, not take silly gambles, but can you take the initiative?’ Keane said.
‘Today, they were 2-1 up, and they just stepped back. They were time wasting, they were trying to kill the game, I get it.
‘But if you’re the home team and you’re 2-1 up, use the initiative, use the fans behind you, and I just worry about that belief, that mentality.
‘Do they really have that belief and conviction that they’re a top team and they can really challenge Manchester City? I still don’t see it.
‘They’ve made great progress, and it seems really critical, but you have to look at it comparing them to Man City and where they’ve got to in the last few years.’
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