During the Newcastle 3 Liverpool 3 match on Wednesday night, Amazon Prime presenter Dan Walker implied that Arne Slot had visited the match officials in their dressing room during the half-time break.
This was widely reported in the media following the match, seen as very unusual for this to have happened at half-time, whereas it is often the case where managers will go and speak to the referee after full-time, following a 30 minutes gap to ‘cool down’ after the final whistle.
When hearing the reports of Arne Slot having allegedly gone to see the match officials in their dressing room during the break, many Newcastle United fans and neutrals raising the point that this could be seen as a manager potentially trying to unduly influence a referee and other officials in the middle of a game.
Now though The Times have said that this didn’t actually happen, that Arne Slot didn’t go into the match officials’ dressing room at the break, instead the Liverpool manager spoke to referee Andy Madley in the tunnel in what was described as a “normal way.”
The Times saying that Amazon Prime have apologised to Arne Slot and Liverpool, plus have explained that a ‘production misunderstanding’ was responsible for Dan Walker having been fed this false information.
The Times report – 5 December 2024:
Amazon Prime has apologised to Arne Slot and Liverpool after wrongly implying that the Dutchman sought to influence the performance of referee Andy Madley at half-time of Wednesday’s draw with Newcastle United.
During the broadcaster’s coverage of the 3-3 draw at St James’ Park, presenter Dan Walker implied that Slot, the Liverpool head coach, had spoken to the match official in his dressing room during the interval, when Liverpool were trailing 1-0.
The suggestion was that Slot was raising concerns over the performance of Madley, who had booked three Liverpool players in the opening 45 minutes including Alexis Mac Allister.
When the matter was subsequently put to Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe, he said: “I don’t think I’ll go there. I think that’s a can of worms. I tend to focus on my team.”
However, it has been confirmed that Slot did not in fact enter the referees’ room and that he merely spoke to Madley in the tunnel in what was described as a “normal way”.
Amazon Prime blamed the mistake on a production misunderstanding and contacted Slot and Liverpool to express their regret. The apology has been accepted and Liverpool believe the matter to now be closed.’
Newcastle 3 Liverpool 3 – Wednesday 4 December 7.30pm
(Stats via BBC Sport)
Goals:
Newcastle United :
Isak 35, Gordon 62, Schar 90
Liverpool:
Jones 50, Salah 68, 83
Possession was Newcastle 41% Liverpool 59%
Total shots were Newcastle 17 Liverpool 16
Shots on target were Newcastle 6 Liverpool 5
Corners were Newcastle 5 Liverpool 6
Touches in the box Newcastle 21 Liverpool 35
Newcastle United team v Liverpool :
Pope, Livramento, Schar, Burn, Hall, Tonali (Longstaff 87), Bruno, Joelinton (Willock 88), Gordon (Wilson 87), Isak, Jacob Murphy (Barnes 74)
Unused subs:
Dubravka, Targett, Osula, Almiron, Kelly
(BBC Sport comments from ‘neutrals’ – Very interesting on Newcastle United after Liverpool draw – Read HERE)
(Newcastle 3 Liverpool 3 – Instant Newcastle United fan/writer reaction – Read HERE)
(WOW! Newcastle 3 Liverpool 3 – Read HERE)
Newcastle United upcoming matches confirmed to end of January 2025:
Saturday 7 December – Brentford v Newcastle (3pm)
Saturday 14 December – Newcastle v Leicester (3pm)
Wednesday 18 December – Newcastle v Brentford (7.45pm) Sky Sports+ (Carabao Cup)
Saturday 21 December – Ipswich v Newcastle (3pm)
Thursday 26 December – Newcastle v Villa (3pm) Amazon
Monday 30 December – Man U v Newcastle (8pm) Sky Sports
Saturday 4 January – Tottenham v Newcastle (12.30pm) TNT Sports
Weekend of Saturday 11 January – Newcastle v Bromley TBC
Wednesday 15 January – Newcastle v Wolves (7.30pm) TNT Sports
Saturday 18 January – Newcastle v Bournemouth (12.30pm) TNT Sports
Saturday 25 January – Southampton v Newcastle (3pm)