Liverpool Manager Slot Addresses Red Card in Merseyside Derby: ‘Emotions Got the Better of Me’

Liverpool manager Arne Slot greet their supporters after the English Premier League match between Everton FC and Liverpool FC, in Liverpool, Britain, 12 February 2025. (EPA)
Liverpool manager Arne Slot greet their supporters after the English Premier League match between Everton FC and Liverpool FC, in Liverpool, Britain, 12 February 2025. (EPA)
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Liverpool Manager Slot Addresses Red Card in Merseyside Derby: ‘Emotions Got the Better of Me’

Liverpool manager Arne Slot greet their supporters after the English Premier League match between Everton FC and Liverpool FC, in Liverpool, Britain, 12 February 2025. (EPA)
Liverpool manager Arne Slot greet their supporters after the English Premier League match between Everton FC and Liverpool FC, in Liverpool, Britain, 12 February 2025. (EPA)

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has regrets about his conduct that earned him a red card in the wild scenes after the Merseyside derby during the week.

Slot appeared to aggressively shake the hand of referee Michael Oliver and make some comments to the official amid the post-match chaos at the 2-2 draw with Everton, which equalized in the eighth minute of stoppage time on Wednesday.

He was one of four people to receive red cards after the game, along with his assistant, Sipke Hulshoff, and two players — Liverpool's Curtis Jones and Everton's Abdoulaye Doucoure — following their confrontation.

The Dutch coach wasn’t allowed to speak to media after the game, as per Premier League rules regarding managers who receive red cards, so he addressed the events for the first time Friday, saying “many things in extra time happened that led to me being quite emotional.”

“The emotions got the better of me and if I look back, I would love to do it differently,” Slot said. “I'm hoping to do it differently next time.”

He would not comment on the precise reason why he was red-carded, however.

“What has exactly been said and what has happened, there's an ongoing process and I don't want to disturb that,” Slot said.

“I should have acted differently after the game,” he added, “but it's an emotional sport and sometimes individuals, out of emotion, make the wrong decision and that's what I did.”

Slot was speaking ahead of Liverpool's home match against Wolverhampton on Sunday, and said forward Cody Gakpo was a doubt because of an injury that forced him to be substituted in the second half against Everton.

Liverpool leads the league by seven points from Arsenal.



Suns Star Kevin Durant Helped off Court after Injuring Left Leg

 Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) gestures toward a referee during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Friday, March 28, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP)
Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) gestures toward a referee during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Friday, March 28, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP)
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Suns Star Kevin Durant Helped off Court after Injuring Left Leg

 Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) gestures toward a referee during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Friday, March 28, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP)
Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) gestures toward a referee during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Friday, March 28, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP)

Phoenix Suns All-Star Kevin Durant was helped to the locker room with 6:57 left in the third quarter against Houston on Sunday night after falling to the floor in a collision with the Rockets' Jabari Smith Jr.

Smith was called for a foul under the Phoenix basket as Durant fell to the floor. The 6-foot-10 forward eventually got to his feet, but could not put any weight on his left leg. He appeared to step on Smith's foot when he fell.

After Houston's 148-109 victory, Suns coach Mike Budenholzer said Durant will have an MRI on his left ankle Monday and will not accompany the team to Milwaukee for a game Tuesday night. The Suns also have games at Boston and New York in the next seven days.

With just two weeks remaining, and six games in all, the Suns were already facing an uphill battle to qualify for the final Western Conference play-in berth. Phoenix trails Dallas by two games.

Durant played 23 minutes, scoring 11 points and grabbing eight rebounds. Earlier this season, he moved into eighth place on the NBA career scoring list.