Arne Slot on Daniel Munoz’s goal: I blame the referee

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Image Credits: Imago ImagesLiverpool secured a 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace at Anfield on Saturday, but the match was also marked by refereeing controversy after Arne Slot delivered a frustrated critique of Andy Madley’s handling of Daniel Muñoz’s goal.The incident occurred midway through the second half with Liverpool leading 2-0.Freddie Woodman, starting for the Reds due to the ongoing absences of both Alisson Becker and Giorgi Mamardashvili, made a crucial stop to deny Ismaila Sarr but remained down on the turf after appearing to catch his studs in the ground during the save.With Woodman visibly struggling and stranded well off his line, Munoz played on and clipped the ball into an empty net from distance.Liverpool’s players immediately surrounded referee Madley in furious protest, the home crowd responded with sustained booing, and tensions escalated further when an object was thrown from the stands toward Munoz as he prepared to take a throw-in.Slot himself confronted both Madley and Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner on the touchline, arguing that play should have been stopped the moment his goalkeeper went down injured.Woodman was ultimately able to continue after receiving treatment, going on to produce several more important stops, including a remarkable claw off the line to deny Maxence Lacroix from a corner, before Florian Wirtz settled the contest late on with a superb strike to restore Liverpool’s two-goal cushion and seal the three points.Mohamed Salah was also forced off with an injury in the match, adding to Liverpool’s concerns despite the win.Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner defended the decision to allow play to continue when speaking to Sky Sports after the game.“It was a difficult situation because he made a big save but the ball goes to Munoz,” he said.“Everything goes so quickly.”“He could continue the game until the end and that’s why we think it was the right decision. I think it was OK.”“When you watch it on TV, it’s on the edge, to be honest.”“He makes the save, then tries to get up, then he raises his arm but Munoz is already taking the finish.”“If he hits his head then the game has to be stopped.”“It was the right decision I think.”Slot saw it very differently.Speaking to BBC Sport’s Match of the Day, the Liverpool manager was direct and unsparing in his criticism of how Madley handled the situation.“It was a lot more nervy because of the goal,” he said.“I don’t think we deserved to concede it in that fashion.”“Palace were much more in the game than the 2-0 showed.”“Is there a game we play where there isn’t a talking point about the referee?”He then went further, drawing on a previous incident to reinforce his argument about the referee’s responsibility in these situations.“The number of times I’ve played against a team and then a player is on the floor and the referee blows the whistle.”“It happened against Man Utd when Mac Allister was on the floor, they played on and Macca needed five stitches afterwards.”“I don’t blame them, by the way, the referee should stop the game.”“It’s going to become a tactic to pretend you’re injured so the referee stops the play.”“He did it about four times today.”“Munoz, I think it’s 50-50 because some players wouldn’t have taken the shot.”“Some players would stop and some would score.”“I don’t blame him as much as I blame the referee.” Arne Slot