‘I could have five yellow cards in one game!’ Liverpool boss Slot to serve touchline ban | OneFootball

Arne Slot has joked that he could have had five yellow cards in the Chelsea game alone, as he prepares for his first Liverpool game absent from the touchline.

The Dutchman will watch Wednesday’s Carabao Cup quarter-final against Southampton from afar after receiving his third Premier League yellow card of the season during the Reds’ 2-2 draw with Fulham.

Under Premier League rules, managers face an automatic one-match touchline suspension after accumulating three bookings, while players are only punished after five.

Slot’s frustration with referee Tony Harrington’s decision to book Curtis Jones for a tackle prompted the Dutchman’s latest caution.

Reflecting on the incident, Slot admitted, “I probably deserved the yellow card. It happens. Of the three I’ve received, maybe one wasn’t deserved. In this game alone, I could have had five.”

In Slot’s absence, assistant manager Sipke Hulshoff will lead the team, supported by John Heitinga.

Slot remains confident in his team’s preparation, “We know each other inside and out, especially when it comes to football.

“John Heitinga has been here for half a season, and I couldn’t have asked for more. He adapted to our staff brilliantly from the start.”

Although Slot will not be in the dugout, he plans to stay involved during the match, likely communicating with the coaching staff via phone.

“When you work at a top club, you have that fire inside. You want to win every match. Sometimes, I make the mistake of creating an atmosphere where it feels like the whole world is against us, but you can learn to channel that.”

Liverpool take on a Southampton side without, Russell Martin who was sacked after the 5-0 defeat to Tottenham left them rock bottom of the Premier League table.