Former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett has suggested that the Premier League could consider introducing points deductions for managerial misconduct following Arne Slot’s dispute with referee Michael Oliver.
Slot confronted Oliver over his decision to allow James Tarkowski’s late equalizer in February’s Merseyside Derby, leading to his dismissal after the match. As a result, the Dutch manager received a two-match ban, which will end after Liverpool’s upcoming league game against Southampton. Reflecting on the incident, Slot admitted that emotions got the better of him, saying, “It happened a lot, and emotions took over. If I could go back, I’d handle it differently, and I certainly will in the future.”
Slot is not the only Premier League manager to have had run-ins with officials this season. Brighton’s Fabian Hürzeler and Nottingham Forest’s Nuno Espírito Santo were also sent off during a tense match in September. Hackett warned that repeated confrontations between managers and referees could lead to stricter penalties, including potential points deductions.
“I believe referees should go straight to the tunnel at full-time instead of staying for handshakes or discussions,” Hackett told Football Insider. “This could help defuse tensions. If financial fines don’t curb these incidents, points deductions might be introduced, similar to what happened in the Manchester United vs. Arsenal clash in the 1990s.”
While Arsenal and United previously faced point deductions after a heated altercation, there is currently no sign that the Premier League is considering similar measures for managerial misconduct.
Slot wasn’t the only one affected by the Everton match—Liverpool’s Curtis Jones and Everton’s Abdoulaye Doucouré each served one-match bans for red cards, while Slot’s assistant, Sipke Hulshoff, also missed Liverpool’s last league fixture.
Despite their manager’s absence, Liverpool secured a 2-0 victory over Newcastle under interim boss John Heitinga, with goals from Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister providing a boost ahead of their Carabao Cup final against the same opponents.
Slot’s suspension only applies to domestic competitions, meaning he will return to the sidelines for Liverpool’s Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain before sitting out the Southampton match.
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