Liverpool boss Arne Slot has been charged with being abusive to match officials during Wednesday’s stormy Merseyside derby at Everton. Slot was shown a red card after approaching referee Michael Oliver in a heated scene on the pitch at the final whistle after the 2-2 draw. Liverpool were furious that James Tarkowski‘s stoppage-time equaliser was not disallowed because of an alleged push by Toffees striker Beto on Reds defender Ibrahima Konate.

Slot’s assistant Sipke Hulshoff was also dismissed during the row with Oliver in the last Merseyside derby at Goodison Park before Everton move to a new stadium next season.

According to the Football Association, Slot allegedly acted in “an improper manner and/or used insulting and/or abusive words and/or behaviour towards both the match referee and an assistant referee after the match had finished”.

Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones and Everton’s Abdoulaye Doucoure were also sent off after the final whistle, with Jones angrily pushing Doucoure after he celebrated in front of Reds fans.

Both clubs have also been charged with “their players and/or technical area occupants behaving in an improper and/or provocative way following the final whistle”.

Slot, Hulshoff, Liverpool and Everton have until Wednesday to provide their respective responses, which means the Reds boss will be available to sit on the bench for the Premier League leaders’ game against Wolves at Anfield on Sunday.

Earlier on Friday, Slot accepted he made a mistake with his behaviour because he got caught up in the hostile atmosphere at Goodison Park.

“Emotions got the better of me. If I could do that differently, if I look back I would love to do that differently and I hope to do that differently next time,” he told reporters.

“I should have acted differently after the game but it’s an emotional sport and sometimes individuals make wrong decisions and that’s definitely what I did.”

Everton manager David Moyes said on Friday he had respect for Slot’s fiery actions as he was fighting to protect his team.

“I feel a bit for Arne Slot. When I was a younger manager I was always getting involved in heated things,” he said.

“And it also tells me that he cares a lot about his club and he’s fighting for his players. I think when you get a bit older you stand back and you say, ‘What was I doing there?’

“I’ve had plenty of moments and lots that I’m not proud of. But we all have to fight our own corner.”

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou says he welcomes scrutiny but that some of the criticism directed at him is “offensive”. Injury-hit Spurs took a big step towards a first trophy since 2008 on Thursday with a thrilling 4-3 victory over Manchester United in the quarter-finals of the League Cup. Tottenham led 3-0 before two howlers from goalkeeper Fraser Forster let United into the game, but the home side held on for a precious win. Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher, a former Liverpool defender, said Spurs should be more flexible in their approach rather than sticking to all-out attack.

Ahead of Sunday’s visit of Liverpool, Postecoglou found an ally on Friday in opposite number Arne Slot, who said he was a big fan of the Spurs manager’s style.

Postecoglou discussed in detail the analysis of Carragher and others when asked at his pre-match press conference on Friday if he would listen more to someone like Slot than the ex-Reds defender 

“Jamie Carragher, mate. You can name him. He’ll enjoy that,” Postecoglou laughed.

He added: “I love the fact people are talking about our games and analysing our games. I think that is important as well for this football club and I’d rather that than us be anonymous and no one talk about us, or we’re just grinding out an existence.

“As I’ve always said, you have to be prepared for scrutiny, you have to be prepared for criticism and it’s how you react to that that is more important.

“What I am saying is I don’t need validity and it won’t change what I believe because what I believe (comes from) a lifetime of experiences and values that I won’t let anyone tamper with from the outside.”

But the Australian said he did not understand “some of the other stuff”, believing it was about getting headlines.

Asked to expand, Postecoglou replied: “There is some stuff out there and I find — and at the appropriate time I’ll call it out – just offensive towards me.

“I just think you know what, I don’t know. I’m up here with a silly accent and maybe I don’t take things as seriously as people want me to and I’m fairly dismissive of them, but that’s all right. I love my life and I’ll keep doing what I’m doing.”