Following Liverpool’s 2-1 victory over Chelsea in the Premier League, both Liverpool manager Arne Slot and Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca had differing views on the impact of the Anfield crowd on referee decisions.
After a tense match, Slot received his first yellow card as Liverpool’s manager, and emotions were running high. Both managers suggested that the Anfield atmosphere may have influenced referee John Brooks, but their interpretations varied.
Maresca told Sky Sports: “Sometimes in this stadium, decisions can be influenced by the crowd’s noise. Referees are there to make the calls, and sometimes they get it right, sometimes wrong, but overall they did okay.”
On the other hand, Slot argued that referees may be overly cautious in favor of neutrality, leading to harsher decisions against Liverpool in such high-pressure environments. He referenced his previous experience at Feyenoord’s De Kuip, a similarly intimidating stadium.
Slot stated: “Today, even with the loud crowd, the referee seemed determined not to give Liverpool favorable decisions, which is the opposite of what people often believe about playing at Anfield.”
This debate ties into a larger issue, as Liverpool went until April of the 2022/23 season without receiving a single penalty at Anfield, despite leading the league in box touches during that period.
An example from Sunday’s match was Darwin Nunez being penalized in a 50-50 challenge with Renato Veiga, a decision that frustrated both Nunez and Slot.
Slot also raised concerns about the consistency of added time, pointing out that Liverpool faced delays in a previous match against Nottingham Forest but didn’t receive adequate stoppage time, while Sunday's game had questionable time-keeping as well.
Despite these frustrations, Slot acknowledged that some decisions going against Liverpool may have actually motivated the players, pushing them to work harder in front of their home crowd.
“It definitely helped our players, especially when the fans cheered for every hard tackle or sprint. That gave them a mental boost,” Slot concluded.