Arne Slot’s Liverpool suffered their fourth consecutive defeat across all competitions after falling 2-1 to Manchester United at Anfield over the weekend. To make matters worse, reports suggest the Premier League will contact the club following multiple breaches of the multi-ball system during the match.
The reigning champions returned from the international break eager to bounce back but got off to a nightmare start, conceding inside two minutes when Bryan Mbeumo slipped past Virgil van Dijk and beat Giorgi Mamardashvili. Although Cody Gakpo levelled the score in the 78th minute, Harry Maguire restored United’s lead with a late header, sealing a memorable win for the visitors and extending Liverpool’s slump to four straight losses.
However, the Reds’ problems may not end there. According to reports, the Premier League is preparing to remind Liverpool of competition regulations after several multi-ball violations were observed during Sunday’s game. The incidents occurred as Liverpool pushed for an equaliser, with ball attendants repeatedly throwing balls to players in an effort to keep play moving—something the rules explicitly prohibit.
Under the system introduced in 2022, multiple balls are positioned around the pitch on designated tees to prevent time-wasting, but ball boys and girls are not allowed to hand them directly to players. The same restriction applies to coaching staff, though Slot himself was seen throwing the ball to a Liverpool player late in the game.
There were also moments when two balls were on the pitch simultaneously, which further drew attention to the breaches. The Premier League’s stance is that the multi-ball system exists to speed up the game fairly, not to provide any advantage to one team.
While it’s unlikely Liverpool will face a fine, the club is expected to receive a formal reminder of the rules. This contrasts with Aston Villa’s case earlier in the season, when they were fined £125,000 for repeated offences of the same rule.
Despite the controversy, Manchester United did not file an official complaint, though sources indicate the incidents raised a few eyebrows within their camp. Both Liverpool and the Premier League have declined to comment on the matter.
Liverpool now face a crucial run of fixtures, starting with Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League on Tuesday, before taking on Brentford, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, and Real Madrid in what could prove a defining stretch for Arne Slot’s struggling side.
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