Liverpool set for unexpected boost for Aston Villa clash because of FA rule

Arne Slot is braced for a touchline ban after Liverpool's Merseyside derby draw against Everton.

The head coach was given a red card following the dramatic 2-2 stalemate in the final meeting at Goodison Park. James Tarkowski scored the Toffees' equaliser in the 98th minute and a melee was sparked after the full-time whistle.

Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones and Everton counterpart Abdoulaye Doucoure were given second yellow cards. Jones will miss Sunday's Premier League encounter against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield.

But Slot and his assistant Sipke Hulshoff were also issued their marching orders. Slot has already had to serve a one-match touchline ban this season for accruing three yellow cards. The Premier League initially released a statement that Slot cold have to serve a two-game suspension against Wolves and for the tough trip to Aston Villa on Wednesday 19 February.

Premier League statement

A Premier League statement said: “Abdoulaye Doucoure and Curtis Jones were both sent off for two bookable offences in Everton's 2-2 draw with Liverpool. The pair will each serve one-match bans.

"Doucoure will sit out Everton's upcoming Premier League encounter with Crystal Palace, while Jones is suspended for the first of Liverpool's Matchweek 25 games, versus Wolverhampton Wanderers. Liverpool head coach Arne Slot was dismissed at the end of the Merseyside derby for using offensive, insulting, or abusive language. He is handed a two-match touchline ban as a result.”

FA protocol

However, the Premier League has since removed the face that Slot will serve a two-match ban and he could be in charge against Wolves. The Football Association states that a charge must be issued within three business days of the incident - meaning they have until Monday. If Slot is charged, Liverpool will then have three business days to appeal. The FA can retort within another three business days and a hearing could take place ‘at the earliest opportunity but no later than 10 business days after the FA’s response to the club’s reply’.

Therefore, if the process takes as long as possible, Slot could be in the dugout for Liverpool’s next four league games.

Along with Jones, Liverpool look set be without Joe Gomez for the Wolves clash because of a hamstring issue. Gomez suffered a recurrence of a previous problem in the shock 1-0 loss to Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup.

Slot’s backroom

With Hulshoff also having to serve a one-match touchline ban, it means that assistant coach Johnny Heitinga is set to be in the dugout for the visit of Wolves. Heitinga joined Slot’s coach staff in the summer after departing West Ham United at the end of last season.

Hulshoff moved to Merseyside with Slot after working together at Feyenoord. The pair guided the Rotterdam-based outfit to the Eredivisie title and KNVB Cup. Hulshoff will likely take the reins for the Villa encounter - as he did for a 2-1 Carabao Cup win over Southampton when Slot was banned.

Before the game, Slot said on the backroom duo: "Sipke I worked with for a long time so we knew each other in and out, especially football-wise. It's one of the reasons we work together because we have so much in common if it's about playing style, game model or the changes we make during the game.

"John Heitinga is here with me for the first half of the season and I couldn't have wished for more. A very, if I say talented I don't rate him high enough because he's more than that. "We talk about the technical staff but we can see how much of a compliment our performance and medical staff should have if you look at how our players come back when you look at Allison [Becker] and Diogo [Jota].

"But also when we have 10 but the opponent says it felt like we had 11 - that tells you about the technical staff but also the players - I give them enough compliments so let's stay with performance and medical staff in my backroom staff."