Regrets and injuries were the main talking points heading into the Premier League weekend.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot’s admission he overreacted in the Merseyside derby was not enough to prevent a Football Association misconduct charge, while title rivals Arsenal and Manchester City are counting the cost of the heavy workload on their players.
City were at least able to celebrate a victory off the pitch after a tribunal decision on associated party transaction rules went in their favour.
Slot admits ’emotional’ error
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot accepted he made a mistake with his actions in Wednesday’s Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.
The Dutchman, who was shown a red card by referee Michael Oliver after James Tarkowski scored an equaliser in the eighth minute of added time, has been charged with behaving in an improper manner and being abusive to the match official.
His assistant Sipke Hulshoff also faces a similar charge, while it is also alleged he continued his improper behaviour after being shown a red card.
Both clubs have also been charged for the behaviour of their players and technical area occupants after the final whistle after a scuffle broke out between Liverpool’s Curtis Jones and Everton’s Abdoulaye Doucoure, who were both sent off.
“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,” said Slot.
“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.”
City arbitration victory
The Premier League’s rules on commercial deals – prior to their amendment last November – have been declared “void and unenforceable” by an arbitration panel after a challenge by Manchester City.
The four-time champions sued the league over its associated party transaction (APT) rules last year with a panel declaring three aspects of them unlawful last October.
The APT rules seek to ensure deals done between clubs and entities linked to their owners are for fair market value.
The Premier League felt the October ruling required only discrete elements of the APT rules to be amended, which clubs duly voted to do a month later.
Both parties sought clarification and in its concluding remarks the panel stated: “The three respects in which the APT rules and amended APT rules were unlawful cannot be severed with the result that the APT rules as a whole are void and unenforceable.”
Arteta workload concern
Mikel Arteta said long-term injuries are “an accident waiting to happen” due to the workload players face after Kai Havertz this week joined Arsenal’s lengthy list of absentees.
Havertz’s season has ended prematurely after it was confirmed he needs surgery to repair the hamstring injury sustained during last week’s Dubai training camp.
The Gunners are now without a recognised striker after Gabriel Jesus ruptured his ACL last month, while Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Takehiro Tomiyasu are also missing for the trip to Leicester.
“We’ve had players who are injured who’ve played 130 games in the last two seasons so it’s an accident waiting to happen when you continue to load, load and load,” said Arteta.
Akanji blow for City
Manchester City centre-back Manuel Akanji is facing up to 10 weeks on the sidelines with a groin injury.
The Switzerland international requires surgery after being forced off at half-time of City’s Champions League loss to Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.
Manager Pep Guardiola expects the 29-year-old to be out for “eight to 10 weeks”, which would mean him missing most of the rest of the season.
“Surgery on Saturday – his abductor is ‘broken’,” he said.
“He and Nathan (Ake) have played in difficult conditions, not being on top, to help the team in emergency conditions due to the lack of players in those positions. In the end, the body said ‘enough is enough’.”
What’s on today?
Arsenal have a chance to close the gap to leaders Liverpool to four points in the lunchtime kick-off at struggling Leicester, who also need the points as they are two points from safety.
In the Sky Bet Championship, Sheffield United could take over at the top with a win at bottom side Luton as Leeds are not in action until Monday.