While some football fans speculated of an upset for the near faultless Reds in the final Merseyside Derby at Goodison Park, there was also perhaps an underlying expectation that the league leaders would overpower their 14th placed Premier League rivals.
Salah had proven to be the difference maker on many occasions this season for the Reds, saving Slot from perhaps replicating Pep Guardiola’s now trademark scratches which he regularly bares during the post-capitulation conferences.
However, Slot’s growing frustration and wild gesticulations throughout the Merseyside derby certainly reflected those routinely performed by his Manchester City counterpart. The Liverpool boss was seen conferring with the fourth official Tony Harrington on numerous occasions. However, with no greater exasperation than following the VAR confirmation of James Tarkowski’s last gasp equaliser.
The same can be said for Slot's reaction to Darwin Nunez's miraculous miss at Villa Park a week later.
Once again, Mo Salah had put the Reds in front, but their capitulation at the end of the first half combined with Nunez's open goal miss in the second half meant the most they could take was a point.
The physical nature of the Merseyside Derby encounters appears to be born, it should be noted, from the expectation placed upon players’ shoulders to embody the demands and characteristics of such a match. This too seems to be married with the intense importance of proving the triumphant outfit, demonstrated by the stories of glory etched into the now yellow stained history books.
While the hotly contested match offered neither side a promising chance of scoring late on to send the atmosphere into an even higher level of hostility, the Toffees were treated to the sweetest of strikes in additional time from James Tarkowski.
The centre-back’s screamer of a volley past Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson provided a sickly blow to the heart of Arne Slot’s side and the 3,000 travelling fans. Those of whom grasped at their red and white shirts in a frustrated demonstration, while the previous night would have dreamt of brushing aside their bitter derby rivals.
A similar story followed at Villa Park this week, where another 2 - 2 draw meant that the league leaders have won just two of their past eight away games, an undesirable sign for a title race outfit up against an Arsenal side who are 15 games unbeaten in the Premier League.
The moment of pure magic was, however, to be suspended in the minds of the Everton fans for minutes which may have felt like hours, as they anxiously awaited the eventual confirmation of the goal by VAR.
VAR's decision that Abdoulaye Doucouré was indeed onside in the build-up was not the piece of play which caught the attention of the Liverpool manager most: rather it was the debatable push on Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konaté from Everton’s Beto.
The apparent absence of a VAR examination for the striker’s soft shove evidently struck a definitive nerve in Slot, who immediately engaged in a fiery exchange with fourth official Harrington.
However, the outburst to steal the limelight away from the Dutchman came just after the full-time whistle from the young Liverpudlian, Curtis Jones.
Evidently provoked by Doucouré’s mocking acts of celebration aimed at the away supporters, Jones ran over and charged into the Mali international. Everton’s Ashley Young and Carlos Alcaraz ran after Jones, engaging in the tussle before further players too involved themselves in the brawl.
Numerous police officers and stewards tried to break up what had become an unsavoury sight, while referee Michael Oliver soon intervened and brandished a second yellow and subsequent red for Jones.
Doucouré was seen further taunting the Reds as he headed to soak up the celebrations with the fans, this time in blue.
The apparent pantomime villain mimicked blabbering mouths with his hands and held his finger to his lips in the direction of Liverpool Captain Virgil Van Dijk, causing a stir as the curtains closed on Goodison Park’s final Merseyside Derby.
As most plays go however, the villain didn’t escape unscathed with Doucouré soon becoming victim to the well-established trope, as Oliver produced a second yellow card and then a conclusive red for the player.
Van Dijk did well not to react to the menacing Doucouré, however his manager was soon the third to be dismissed, as Slot received a straight red following his sarcastic language and handshake with the referee.
Amongst the chaos, Liverpool assistant manager, Sipke Hulshoff was additionally dealt a red card. The reason for the dismissals of the Liverpool coaching staff has since been clarified by the FA.
Both Slot and Hulshoff acted in an improper manner or using insulting and/or abusive words, or behaviour, toward several match officials. While Slot’s frustration was aimed at the match referee and an assistant referee, Hulshoff acted in this way toward a match official before and then following his dismissal.
While Slot is yet to respond to his ban, the likelihood of either himself or assistant Hulshoff winning a potential appeal is incredibly remote given that they acted in accordance to the FA's charges.
In the potential absence of their manager and assistant manager, the crucial task of instructing the Liverpool players from the sidelines for the two fixtures could fall to assistant-coach John Heitinga.
Heitinga has impressed with his hands-on approach in training since joining Liverpool in the summer. Heitinga was in fact on a list of candidates to be appointed the new West Brom manager at the end of 2024, but the 41-year-old opted to remain at Anfield.
For Liverpool fans, they will hope their coaching staff and players have learnt a valuable lesson about controlling their emotions, a message arguably handed to them in the form of a self-destructive version of pass the parcel by their derby rivals.
Arguably the microcosm for the game’s wider frenetic proceedings was the manner of which Liverpool conceded the late equaliser.
In injury time following the five additional minutes, Liverpool defenders were drawn to the incoming Tim Iroegbunam, leaving Tarkowski to drift into the box and produce a peach of a volley, all while unchallenged.
Everton’s blueprint of frustrating the Reds with intensity and inviting them into a physical battle is something of which other sides could look to replicate in the coming weeks.
Already, Wolves have frustrated Liverpool, taking complete control of the second half of their narrow defeat to the Reds at Anfield. Liverpool had enjoyed a two-goal lead at the break but just about held on for an uncomfortable 2 - 1 win.
Aston Villa were far more effective in troubling the Liverpool defence, scoring twice in quick succession at the end of a first-half where the Reds were lucky to escape just a single goal down.
The second half, although it brought a Liverpool equaliser through Trent Alexander-Arnold's deflected strike, was still largely dominated by the rampant Villains. It was as much down to poor finishing from the home side as it was any credible defending from the away side that Unai Emery's team didn't win the game.
Arsenal will hope to continue proving victorious against their unfavourable injury situation in forward areas, as to gain any ground Liverpool may relinquish.
The particularly sweet element of Liverpool's draw at Villa Park for the Gunners is that they have gained ground without having to kick a ball; they have a game in hand and should they win it, they'll be within touching distance.
What was therefore once seemingly a foregone conclusion, as Slot’s side set off at an insurmountable pace, is now very much an enticing title race.
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