Liverpool Boss Arnie Slot refused to be drawn on why he was sent off following the Merseyside Derby midweek but admitted that “emotions got the better” of him.
James Tarkowski sealed Everton’s last-gasp leveller when he lashed a strike into the roof of the net, sparking jubilation among Toffees supporters witnessing their final clash with the Reds at Goodison Park.
Curtis Jones and Abdoulaye Doucoure both received second yellow cards after the former decided to confront the Everton midfielder for celebrating his team’s late equaliser in front of the travelling Liverpool fans. A mass brawl then ensued, which saw Slot and his assistant brandished straight reds by referee Michael Oliver for a forceful handshake.
Speaking for the first time on the Everton chaos before the league leaders face off against Wolves on Saturday, the Liverpool boss remained tight-lipped on his version of events: “That is an ongoing process now, and we have to respect that. So I can’t go into the details.”
On whether it was due to the handshake or his choice of words: “What happened was that, during the stoppage time, there was a lot that happened, and the emotions got the better of me.
“I would have loved to do it differently if I could go back. I hope to do it differently the next time as well.
“But on what happened and what was said, I told you it was an ongoing process, and I don’t want to disturb that.”
The Reds had the opportunity to go nine points clear of second-place Arsenal with victory over their bitter rivals; however, the stalemate means that the gap between the two sides was reduced to just six.
Reflecting on the crunch match, Slot said: “It felt immediately after the referee blew his whistle that we lost two points.
“But during the 98 minutes, I didn’t feel constantly that we were going to win the game. It felt like an equal game, and the draw would’ve been a fair result.
“But with us leading after 96 minutes, we felt we were close to winning the game.”
Liverpool host Wolves at mid-day on Sunday and will have hopes of solidifying their position at the top of the table as they enter the business end of the season.