Arne Slot’s Heated History with Referees and Belief That Table is ‘Strongly Influenced’
Liverpool manager Arne Slot received a red card following his team’s 1-1 draw against Everton on Wednesday, after the Toffees secured a late equaliser at Goodison Park.
Slot has a well-documented history with referees and strongly believes that their decisions can have a significant impact on the final league standings.
Currently at the helm of Premier League leaders Liverpool, Slot was dismissed by Michael Oliver on Wednesday after protesting Everton’s controversial equaliser in the 98th minute.
Despite later apologising and acknowledging that his emotions got the better of him, the 46-year-old has consistently maintained that key refereeing decisions can influence the outcome of an entire season.
During his time managing in the Netherlands, Slot frequently expressed his views on officiating and reminded referees of their responsibilities. While guiding Feyenoord to the Eredivisie title, he stated:
“Referees have influence on the final ranking of the league. Refereeing remains a job of humans. I don’t blame anyone for anything. But we should acknowledge that refereeing does influence the table.”
Slot further reinforced his stance, suggesting that referees should be held accountable for their decisions. He remarked: “There are too many referees (in the Eredivisie) who have absolutely no idea what the impact and consequences of their decisions have on a team. And the VAR has made the impact even bigger. The league table is still very strongly influenced by the referees – despite the introduction of the VAR!”
How Arne Slot’s Time in the Netherlands Unfolded
Reflecting on April 2020, it’s clear why Slot might feel aggrieved whenever he perceives an injustice. When the COVID-19 pandemic brought the Eredivisie to a standstill, his AZ Alkmaar side were level on points with Ajax, trailing only on goal difference—despite having defeated them both home and away.
Rather than allowing the abrupt end to the season to hinder his progress, Slot pressed on, securing the prestigious Rinus Michels Award (Manager of the Year) twice. His continued success solidified his reputation and ultimately set the stage for his high-profile move to Liverpool.
By April 2023, the Dutch tactician—renowned for implementing some of the most captivating football in Feyenoord’s history—addressed the way the media portrayed his interactions with referees.
Frustrated by instances where clear penalty decisions went unawarded in the Netherlands, Slot eventually refrained from debating such calls. He believed attacking teams should naturally earn more penalties through their style of play. Reflecting on this, he later stated:
“As manager of Feyenoord I kind of counted on more penalties in the advantage of my team. Purely because of the fact that my teams enter the penalty box more than other teams but the outcome in that season was disappointing.”
Nevertheless, Slot has openly admitted that he does not hesitate to voice his candid opinions to referees when the situation demands it. After serving a one-match touchline suspension in December for accumulating three cautions, he admitted to attempting to influence officiating decisions in order to cultivate a siege mentality.
“You try to influence as much as you can,” Slot said before admitting his advances had been unsuccessful. The mistake I’ve made two times already here, and one or two times in Holland, is sometimes you think that creating an atmosphere that the whole world is against you can lead to some positive decisions at the end of the game.”
This is a tactic Slot learned from Jose Mourinho, having previously revealed during his time at Feyenoord: “I saw from very close up how Mourinho was able to influence the referee and his team. In the final of the Conference League, AS Roma got everything going their way.”
Slot always strives to remain composed, but Oliver seemed to test his patience.
In other news, Man City Suffer ‘Major’ Injury Scare Eight Days Before Premier League Clash with Liverpool
