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Liverpool boss Arne Slot praised referee Anthony Taylor for his performance during the Reds Premier League opener.
While the Reds came away with the win against Bournemouth, the game was clouded with an alleged racism incident. Play was halted in the 28th minute after Antoine Semenyo reported a racist remark from the stands, prompting Taylor to temporarily pause the match.
Slot was full of praise for Taylor post-match, saying: "It was a great game to watch. This is what makes football so great, all three parties involved wanted a good game: Us, Bournemouth and the referee. High tempo, no stoppages or time wasting.
"Well done to them, they went 2-0 down and kept on fighting, and so did we when they came back."
Speaking to the BBC after the game, the Dutchman added: "The referee today kept the game going, it was a very high and intense game. Both teams were at it, trying to attack, trying to go through transition and not timewasting."
Slot's opinion on Taylor is completely different to that of his predecessor Jurgen Klopp. The German manager was not one to shy away from publicly criticizing referees, especially Taylor.
Klopp has previously clashed with Taylor while managing Liverpool, notably criticizing the referee for sending off Ibrahima Konate in the defeat to Arsenal during the 2023/24 season.
He told Sky Sports: "A lot of things were against of us today. This referee gave me a red card against Man City for wrestling situation between Bernardo Silva and Mo Salah.
"Today same situation with (Diogo) Jota, but didn't get a red card. It is unbelievable, then the of holding Havertz on Konate for the first yellow card. Then Havertz goes down and the referee gives Konate a yellow card.
"Gabriel does the same to Nunez and no yellow card."
Taylor, as the man in the middle, often sparks outrage among Liverpool supporters, especially when he's appointed as the referee when the Reds face Manchester United, having officiated the high-stakes game five times so far.
Despite Liverpool’s strong record under Taylor, some fans question the decision, noting he was born in Greater Manchester.
However, Taylor has no ties to United or City and actually supports non-league Altrincham FC.
Liverpool.com says: Arne Slot’s praise for Anthony Taylor highlights his respect for fair officiating, showing that even when they have to deal with difficult situations, Slot values consistency and professionalism on the pitch and allowing the game to flow which is often rare in the Premier League nowadays.
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