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Liverpool manager Arne Slot says he has tried to influence referees during matches this season, but admitted his efforts have yielded no results.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Slot explained his approach to creating a siege mentality at Anfield, hoping that can influence officials to favor his team in certain situations.
“You try to influence as much as you can,” Slot said.
“The mistake that I have already made twice here, and once or twice in Holland, is that sometimes you think that creating an atmosphere where everyone is against you can lead to some positive decisions at the end of the game.
“But here, until now, in the Chelsea and Fulham game, during the 90 minutes everything remained the same.
“It wasn’t that after trying to influence things a little bit, the referee suddenly gave us one or two free kicks.
“No, he just kept the whole game the same. I know it doesn’t work, but sometimes you think, ‘Can I influence that a little bit?’ But it didn’t help at all.”
“They make more good decisions than referees” 😂
Arne Slot admits that the referees make him lose his cool more than the Liverpool players 😂#LFC pic.twitter.com/XAuFoPlDUJ
– BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 17, 2024
Slot, who succeeded Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager in the summer, will serve a wing ban during Liverpool’s Carabao Cup clash against Southampton on Wednesday.
The suspension comes after Slot racked up three yellow cards in his first 17 games in English football.
The Dutchman reflected on his disciplinary history and noted that it is unusual for him, although he admitted that sometimes emotions can get the better of him during matches.
“You always reflect, but I think that, in general, I am calm,” Slot added.
“I don’t know if it’s smart to say this, but for me there is a limit too, let’s put it that way.
“And then I can get emotional and, unfortunately, that limit is only reached with refereeing decisions or decisions made by my players.”
In Slot’s absence, his assistant Sipke Hulshoff will take charge of the bench when Liverpool take on Southampton.
The Saints are coming off a 5-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, a loss that also saw them part ways with head coach Russell Martin.
