Liverpool manager Arne Slott said he had tried to influence referees during matches this season, but admitted his efforts had yielded no results.
Speaking in a press conference on Tuesday, Slott explained his approach to creating a siege mentality at Anfield, in the hope that it will influence officials in his team's favor in certain situations.
“You try to influence as much as you can,” Slott said.
“The mistake I made twice here, and once or twice in Holland, is that you sometimes think that creating an atmosphere where the whole world is against you can lead to some positive decisions at the end of the match.
“But here, so far, in the Chelsea-Fulham match for the whole 90 minutes, it has remained the same.
“It wasn't like after I tried to influence things a little bit, the referee suddenly gave us a free kick or two.
“No, he kept the whole game the same. I know that doesn't work, but sometimes you think: 'Can I influence that a little bit?' But it didn't help at all.”
“They make better decisions than referees do.”
Arne Slott admits that referees make him lose his temper more than Liverpool players do 😂#Liverpool pic.twitter.com/XAuFoPlDUJ
– BBC Sport (@BBC Sport) December 17, 2024
Slott, who succeeded Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool coach in the summer, will be suspended for Liverpool's Carabao Cup match against Southampton on Wednesday.
The suspension comes after Slott received three yellow cards in his first 17 matches in English football.
The Dutchman spoke about his disciplinary record, noting that it is unusual for him, although he admitted that emotions can sometimes get the better of him during matches.
“You're always thinking, but I think overall I'm calm,” Slott added.
“I don't know if it's smart to say this, but there are also limits for me – let's put it that way.
He added: “And then I can feel the emotion, and unfortunately, this point is only reached through refereeing decisions or decisions made by my players.”
In Slott's absence, his assistant, Sepke Hulchov, will take over on the bench for Liverpool's match against Southampton.
The Saints are coming off a 5-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, a loss that also saw them part ways with manager Russell Martin.
