Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool, looks on after the team's victory in the Premier League match between Burnley and Liverpool at Turf Moor on September 14, 2025 in Burnley, England. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)placeholder image
Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool, looks on after the team's victory in the Premier League match between Burnley and Liverpool at Turf Moor on September 14, 2025 in Burnley, England. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) | Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Arne Slot had to substitute Milos Kerkez before half-time in Liverpool’s 1-0 victory over Burnley in the Premier League.
Arne Slot admitted that Milos Kerkez’s attempt to win Liverpool a penalty in their victory over Burnley was ‘not smart’.
The left-back picked up a booking in the first half when he was deemed to have dived inside the Clarets’ penalty area. Moments later, Kerkez gave away a foul and was subsequently withdrawn by Reds head coach Arne Slot in the 37th minute.
What’s been said
While the £40 million summer signing from Bournemouth claimed to Slot that he felt contact from Burnley’s Josh Laurent, Slot believes it was not a penalty. The Liverpool boss said: “Yeah, I said already it wasn’t smart. He replied to me that he felt an arm in his back. But let’s be clear, it wasn’t a penalty. If there was contact, I cannot tell you but it is never smart.
“If this was a dive, we have made in the one year and few months I’ve been here, both have led to a yellow card. One led to the suspension of Ryan Gravenberch in the last game of last season. We are not really good at it! I see it happening a lot without referees giving yellow but the moment we do it, if it was a dive. He told me he felt something but it wasn’t a foul then it’s not smart.”
On the decision to take off Kerkez for Andy Robertson, Slot added: “Not only the yellow card but also that afterwards he played the ball, no foul at all, but the referee blew his whistle, which can always happen because this happens in football. But the reaction of the fans and I also saw players of them also trying to go to the referee [saying], ‘If you think this is a foul, maybe you should give a yellow for it.’
“Which would have been ridiculous of course, but then it is a risk. The only way we could lose this game is if we are down to 10 because with 11 v 11 we could have drawn it, but we could never have lost it because they have never been… in our 18-yard box. So, then the only way you can lose it is if we go down to 10 and I didn’t want to take that risk, which was hard for Milos because normally you don’t have to take a player off if he has a yellow before, but I felt this was the best choice to make.”
Liverpool endured a frustrating afternoon at Turf Moor and it appeared that they were going to be held to a goalless draw. However, in stoppage-time, the Reds were awarded a penalty when Clarets midfielder Hannibal committed handball and Mo Salah stepped up to score. It ensured that Liverpool continued a perfect start to their Premier League title defence.
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