Will Referee Rage Lead to Points Pains?…
Football fans, hold onto your scarves! In the dizzying world of football penalties, Liverpool may soon need to worry about more than just putting the ball in the net. As Manchester City braces for a potential points loss over some financial hoop-jumping, the spotlight now shines on Liverpool’s Arne Slot. His chatty chats with the ref during the Merseyside drama derby against Everton were not taken lightly, leading to two matches watching from his couch and a hefty £70,000 dent in his wallet.
Keith Hackett, the former overlord of referees, is advocating for stricter measures. His grand plan? Have refs sprint off to the tunnel post-whistle, dodging handshake enthusiasts faster than Virgil van Dijk in defense. “Less chat, more fair play,” hopes Hackett. Liverpool’s Sipke Hulshoff also joins the touchline holiday brigade, armed with a fine that could buy a new pair of football boots.
With on-field smackdowns being rare point-takers since the ’90s Arsenal vs. United showdown, the big question remains: Are these spicy side-line scuffles worthy of relegation points? The current rules say nah – no points docked for on-field tantrums. Such thrills are usually saves for breaches of financial wizardry and administrative shenanigans. Who’s ready to place bets?