Ex-Everton hero likely to manage Liverpool in next game after Arne Slot and assistant Sipke Hulshoff receive red cards after Merseyside derby: Reports
Former Everton center-back John Heitinga could take charge of Liverpool this weekend following Arne Slot and Sipke Hulshoff's red card at the Merseyside Derby, according to The Daily Mail. The Reds played out an intense 2-2 draw against their Merseyside rivals at Goodison Park on February 12, but it came at a price.
Everton went ahead in the 11th minute through Beto, before Alexis Mac-Allister drew the away side level five minutes later. Mohamed Salah sent Liverpool ahead in the 73rd minute, but James Tarkowski's injury-time equalizer sparked a frantic end to the game.
Abdoulaye Doucoure and Curtis Jones clashed before the rest of the players joined in. Both Doucoure and Jones were shown their second yellow card of the game by referee Michael Oliver.
Meanwhile, Slot and his assistant Hulshoff were also shown straight reds for dissent after the game. The former Feyenoord manager is likely to miss Liverpool's game against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Sunday, February 16, at Anfield.
As such, Heitinga, who joined Slot's coaching team last summer, could be thrust into action. The former Dutch defender, incidentally, appeared 140 times for Everton during his career.
Meanwhile, Slot couldn't carry out his post-match duties due to his red card and failed to shed light on his conversation with Michael Oliver. However, Virgil van Dijk has since stated that Curtis Jones clashed with Doucoure because the latter was trying to rile the away fans.
What is Liverpool's record in the Merseyside Derby?
Liverpool first faced Everton in an official match in 1894, and the two teams have faced each other 245 times to date. The Reds have an upper hand in the Merseyside Derby, with 99 wins to their name, while the Toffees have won 68 times.
Initially dubbed the 'Friendly Derby', the rivalry took a fierce turn in the late 20th century. Since the creation of the Premier League, this game has seen more red cards than any other match in the division.
Liverpool also have the edge over their rivals in the Premier League, winning 28 and losing 11 of the 65 games since the inception of the league. Last season, the Reds secured a 2-0 win at Anfield but lost 2-0 away to Goodison Park.
Interestingly, Mohamed Salah has scored eight goals in the Merseyside Derby to date. Only Ian Rush and Steven Gerrard have more goals for the club against Everton than the Egyptian superstar.