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Arne Slot has denied telling referee Michael Oliver that 'he'd f***ing blame him' if Liverpool didn't win the Premier League title following last month's explosive Merseyside derby, but agrees that what he did say was still worthy of punishment.
Slot lost his cool with Oliver after local rivals Everton scored a controversial 98th-minute equaliser to snatch a 2-2 draw.
Oliver didn't give a foul on Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate after being challenged by Beto in the build-up to James Tarkowski's late strike, which came three minutes after the five minutes of stoppage time which had been added as a minimum.
Oliver and the FA's version of events claim that the Dutchman had told him: "If we don't win the league, I'll f****** blame you."
Slot denied using those words, stating in a submission that he'd instead told the referee: "If we don't win the league, I will have you to thank for that." However, a three-person commission concluded that it was 'more likely than not that Slot used the language alleged by the referee and the FA'.
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In a statement, the commission said: "Arne Slot, as the manager of LFC, is a role model and should be exercising good discipline both on and off the pitch, and setting an example to his players." It added that his actions 'did not provide the positive image of the game that the governing bodies strive for'.
Had that been the case, Slot would've been in the stands for Liverpool's Carabao Cup final against Newcastle at Wembley on March 16.
He'll serve the second and final game of his touchline ban during Saturday's Premier League match at home to Southampton at Anfield.
Michael Oliver and Arne Slot have different recollections of the incident.
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