News ahead of Burnley vs Liverpool as the Premier League confirmed match officials for the coming weekend
Arne Slot, Manger of Liverpool, shakes hands with Match Referee Michael Oliver
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot was sent off by referee Michael Oliver the last time they met
(Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Liverpool's Premier League meeting with Burnley this weekend will be refereed by Michael Oliver, it has been confirmed. This makes it the official's first experience in charge of a Reds game since last season's Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.
After the international break, Liverpool return as the Premier League's reigning champions and as the current season's outright leaders, having been left as the only team standing with a 100 per cent winning record. Their next test will be against newly-promoted Burnley, who are undefeated at Turf Moor so far this campaign.
On Monday the top-flight confirmed which officials had been appointed to the 10 fixtures taking place across game week four, and it has reconnected the Reds with a referee who caused them a night of frustration earlier this year.
Oliver will be the man in the middle for Sunday's meeting with Burnley. Over his career he has officiated 64 Liverpool matches - the most recent being the last-ever Merseyside derby against Everton at Goodison Park, which took place in February.
That night Slot's side had battled back from conceding early to lead 2-1 heading into injury time. Oliver had allocated seven minutes more to be played but did not signal the end before James Tarkowski drew the Blues level with a 98th-minute volley.
Arne Slot reacts
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot reacts during Everton vs Liverpool at Goodison Park
Combining the title race and the scale of the occasion, emotions boiled over as Slot and his assistant, Sipke Hulshoff, were both sent off after the final whistle after confronting the referee. So too was Reds midfielder Curtis Jones and Everton's Abdoulaye Doucoure, who had clashed in front of the travelling supporters.
In the aftermath Liverpool were fined £50,000 whilst Everton were fined £65,000 after both clubs admitted to the Football Association's charges of 'failing to ensure their players and/or technical area occupants did not behave in an improper and/or provocative way following the final whistle'.
Slot was fined £70,000 personally, Hulshoff was fined £7,000, and both received a two-game touchline ban each for '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'.
"The best thing I could have done was just walk inside, but unfortunately I didn't," Slot admitted afterwards.
When asked if he will do that in future as a lesson, the Reds head coach added: "I hope, but I can't promise because I'm a human being. The way I am now, I would react the way I reacted after the game."
Oliver's assistants for Burnley vs Liverpool this Sunday are Stuart Burt and James Mainwaring, whilst the fourth official is Chris Kavanagh.
On video assistant referee (VAR) duty will be Paul Tierney - his first time reviewing on-field decisions in a Liverpool match since April's Merseyside derby at Anfield, after which PGMOL confirmed he incorrectly missed a challenge by Tarkowski on Alexis Mac Allister that was worthy of a sending off. Finally, Tierney's VAR assistant for Sunday will be Eddie Smart.
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