Liverpool manager Arne Slot and assistant Sipke Hulshoff have been charged with misconduct by the Football Association (FA) after after they were sent off amid fractious scenes at the end of Wednesday’s Merseyside derby.
Everton and Liverpool have both also been charged for allegedly failing to ensure players and staff behaved in a proper manner after the final whistle.
Slot approached referee Michael Oliver after a melee between the two sets of players following the full-time whistle had seen Everton’s Abdoulaye Doucouré and Liverpool’s Curtis Jones sent off for second bookable offences.
In a statement released by the FA on Friday, it was confirmed Slot has been charged with allegedly acting “in an improper manner and/or used insulting and/or abusive words and/or behaviour towards both the match referee and an assistant referee after the match had finished.”
The FA also confirmed Hulshoff has been charged with allegedly acting “in an improper manner and/or used insulting and/or abusive words and/or behaviour towards a match official, which led to his dismissal,” the statement said.
“It is further alleged that he acted in an improper manner and/or used insulting and/or abusive words and/or behaviour towards a match official after being sent off.”
Doucouré appeared to celebrate in front of Liverpool supporters after James Tarkowski’s goal in the eighth minute of stoppage time earned Everton a 2-2 draw in the last-ever Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.
Jones reacted angrily and ran over to confront Doucouré, which led to the melee.
Slot shook Oliver’s hand and appeared to say something to the referee, who then immediately produced another red card.
There is no automatic suspension for a manager who has been dismissed, and any sanction has to come via a Football Association charge, which had to be communicated to Liverpool no later than Monday.
The charge also does not necessarily mean Slot will be banned, it could be that he is fined or merely reprimanded if it is proved by the Regulatory Commission.
Liverpool have three business days to submit a response, with the FA allowed a further three days to issue a reply.
The extent of the disciplinary action for Slot will depend on what he said, and what is in Oliver’s report. An extended touchline ban can be imposed by a Regulatory Commission if misconduct is deemed serious enough to warrant further measures.
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