Liverpool finished their title-winning season with a 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace at Anfield on Sunday afternoon. After falling behind to an early goal from Ismaila Sarr, Mohamed Salah equalised late on for the Reds, and they celebrated their Premier League victory by holding the trophy in front of their fans for the first time.
However, that was not the only event that occurred after the full-time whistle was blown. Fans also witnessed Salah, some of his teammates, and Arne Slot approaching the assistant referee who was officiating the game and embracing. Rival fans commented on social media about the event, joking that it proved Liverpool had the authorities on their side.
However, there is now an explanation for why the Reds stars hugged the emotional-looking Derek Eaton just after the full-time whistle blew.
The Game Marked Eaton’s Final Ever Match
The official is retiring after the season
Salah and his teammates embraced Eaton after the game, which has now been revealed to be because the assistant referee is retiring this year and this was his final game officiating. He has been working in football for more than a decade, beginning as an assistant referee in the football league during the 2010/11 season.
He was promoted to the Premier League during the 2013/14 season and has since worked as an assistant referee in the top tier 218 times. He has also worked 25 FA Cup games, dating back to the 2012/13 season. After 15 years on the job, he’s chosen to retire this summer. The Liverpool players certainly wanted to pay tribute to him with the moment at the end of their match against Palace, and it made for a great scene.
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