Arne Slot will surely be furious with Premier League announcement for Man United clash
Liverpool return from the international break with a huge clash against Manchester United in the Premier League.
A break from domestic action came at the perfect time for Liverpool, who were beaten 2-1 by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge to make it three defeats in a row.
The Reds are expected to challenge for the Premier League title alongside Arsenal and Manchester City, with Arne Slot’s men targeting four matches unbeaten against Man United this weekend.
As it stands, the Dutchman is facing a few problems ahead of the showdown after Ryan Gravenberch picked up an injury during the Netherlands’ 4-0 win over Finland.
Meanwhile, Slot won’t be happy with a decision the Premier League have made ahead of the clash against United.
Michael Oliver selected to referee Liverpool vs Man United
Michael Oliver is one of the Premier League’s most divisive referees, and on Sunday, he could divide opinion once more.
The 40-year-old has been selected to officiate the clash at Anfield on October 19, something that won’t please Slot, who was on the wrong end of a call Oliver made previously.
During Liverpool’s 2-2 draw against Everton at Goodison Park in February, Slot wasn’t happy with how James Tarkowski’s late equaliser played out.
The Dutchman felt his side should have been awarded a free kick after VAR spent over three minutes reviewing the goal before ultimately awarding it, having checked a razor-thin offside call and a possible foul on Ibrahima Konate.
According to expert lip reader Jeremy Freeman, via the Liverpool Echo, Slot said ‘great game’ to the official, who seemingly interpreted the comment as sarcasm before promptly going to his pocket.
Liverpool’s record with Oliver officiating
Slot got on Oliver’s wrong side with that sarcastic remark during the Merseyside Derby, and he will be hoping for less controversy this weekend.
| Liverpool’s record with Michael Oliver as referee |
| 66 games |
| 31 wins |
| 21 draws |
| 14 losses |
The Reds have won almost half of their games with Oliver officiating, and that is much better than Man United, who have secured victory in 18 of their 47 matches.
Hopefully, the experienced official has a solid game on Sunday, with Liverpool aiming to continue their strong run against the Red Devils.