Arne Slot’s suspension for his interaction with referee Michael Oliver after Liverpool’s draw with Everton is a ‘disgrace’.
That’s at least according to former Liverpool goalkeeper Sander Westerveld [on Viaplay](https://x.com/viaplaysportnl/status/1899430107556745246), who believes there may have been some untruth to the referee’s statement.
Slot was handed a two-game ban at the end of February after his interaction with Oliver following the 2-2 draw with Everton at Goodison Park last month.
He approached Oliver on the pitch after the game and, after a brief handshake an exchange between the two parties, was shown a straight red card by the referee. His assistant Sipke Hulshoff was also sent off as tempers flared following James Tarkowski’s late leveller.
The FA have since released Oliver’s statement over the matter, with him accusing Slot of swearing at both him and his assistant. The Liverpool manager has apologised and shown remorse for his actions after accepting both his fine and suspension.
Fortunately for the Reds, the Dutchman’s absence has not affected Liverpool so far as they’ve continued their march towards the Premier League title despite Slot being sat in the stands.
They’ve quickly moved on from the incident, but it seems Westerveld remains unimpressed by the whole affair, questioning Oliver’s statement.
_“No, if you add in that he said to the linesman because, as you saw, it was two seconds that he shook that hand,”_ he responded when asked in the ban was justifiable.
_“It was quite a list. He can talk fast in that time. I think it is a ‘disgrace’ that he gets suspended for this at all.”_
_“Yeah, it is when see that footage,”_ he added when asked if he thinks the report is ‘nonsense’.
_“As a trainer he has a role model function, for the whole world. He is the trainer of Liverpool. If you see this, he walks over, gives him a shake, then whatever he says, he’s already walking away. If that referee doesn’t do anything, there was no problem.”_