Liverpool boss Arne Slot got some big decisions right as his side drew 2-2 with Fulham. But he also showed a different side on the touchline thanks to the referee.
For just the second time since he has been in charge of Liverpool, Arne Slot returned home from Anfield having failed to win. When Andy Robertson was sent off early on, though, he might have wondered if this was going to be his second home defeat.
Instead, Liverpool stood up strong and battled admirably. More convincing with 10 men than with 11, the Reds actually controlled things in the main — though they needed Diogo Jota to pop up with some late magic to earn a point.
And in a game that was near-impossible to analyze because of the sending off and the circumstances that created — Fulham having an advantage but defending in a set-up that suggested it was the team who referee Tony Harrington had reduced to 10 men — it was Slot on the touchline who changed the most.
The Dutchman has a reputation for being calm and serene, but that was tested here. Indeed, he picked up a booking — his third of the campaign — that means he will serve a one-match touchline ban against Southampton midweek.
That Slot has already been cautioned three times this season proves that he and his coaching team do sometimes have things to say and are not always cool, calm and collected, but he was much more animated than usual on the sidelines. Like his team on the field, he was kicking every ball and taking a full participation in the game.
At one point, he flung his head so far back in disgust at a refereeing decision that he almost fell backward, with the officials — often understandably — far from the most popular inside Anfield. When Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno was taking his time with a goal kick, a despairing Slot counted out the number of seconds with his hands outstretched.
He was desperate to win, and even though Liverpool has a cushion at the summit of the Premier League (and, as it transpired, Arsenal couldn’t beat Everton and close the gap anyway), the Reds had no intention of sitting back. Tellingly, Slot didn’t bring on a defender when Robertson went off, instead choosing to go with a couple of different configurations that involved Ryan Gravenberch filling in at center-back.
The Reds went on the offensive and were rewarded for that bravery. Slot’s team largely dominated and barely gave up a chance for Fulham aside from Jarell Quansah allowing Antonee Robinson to get in behind and tee up Rodrigo Muniz.
And yet all the while, he was jumping up and down on the touchline, in the ear of fourth official Tim Robinson and the assistant on the near side, Darren Cann. On several occasions, he had a point.
Liverpool could have no complaints at all about the Robertson red card, but prior to that, Andreas Pereira should have seen that color card, and Issa Diop was fortunate not to as well. The margins are fine, but those are just two major calls that didn’t go the host’s way.
Far from feeling the pressure at the top of the table, this was simply Slot and his coaching team becoming more frustrated when Liverpool was chasing a game Fulham should never have allowed it back into so easily. And as much as Slot was annoyed by some of the decisions from the officials, he would have equally have wanted to see his players start much more quickly.
Fulham’s lead and numerical advantage could have been avoided with a more convincing opening to the match, and Liverpool needs to rectify that in the future. For all of his frustration at the referee boiling over, a faster start from his side would have rendered that irrelevant.
For all that the match officials caused plenty of angst, Liverpool didn’t help itself by going a goal a behind and allowing Fulham to grow in confidence — even if when the Robertson red came, the teams swapped roles.
Slot won’t be seen on the touchline at all next time Liverpool plays. When he returns against Spurs next weekend, the Reds boss will hope his players come out of the traps much more quickly — avoiding the need to let the referee’s decisions have such an influence.
