Liverpool could face a Premier League fine and reprimand following their 2-1 loss to Manchester United.
Harry Maguire's late header sealed a first league win for the Red Devils at Anfield since 2016 and stretched Arne Slot's own losing streak to four straight games.
However, defeat to their fiercest rivals could be just one of the fallouts from last weekend, as reports from the Daily Mail indicate the club are being investigated by the Premier League over the multi-ball rule.
Under regulations introduced by the EPL in 2022, balls are positioned on cones around the perimeter of the pitch with players expected to pick them up, but ball boys and girls not permitted to hand them over.
However, that rule was breached several times in the closing stages as Liverpool chased a late equaliser, with pitch side assistants frequently throwing balls to Liverpool players to speed up restarts from throw-ins.
The directive also applies to coaches, substitutes and officials, with Slot twice spotted tossing a ball to one of his stars as the clocked ticked past the 90 minute mark at Anfield.
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Despite the desired impact being a reduction in time wasting, the Premier League are determined to ensure the rules are correctly implemented, and Liverpool have been contacted over the matter.
What rule did Liverpool break vs. Man United?
In a benchmark case in August, Aston Villa were fined £125,000 [$166,000] after accepting they broke multi-ball regulations in five matches last season.
The report claims Liverpool may just receive a warning on this occasion, as a 'first offence', compared to Villa's multiple transgressions.
Villa were also banned from using the system in their first three home Premier League matches of the 2025/26 season, and that sanction could be handed to Liverpool, if the offence is repeated.
Slot's charges face Eintracht Frankfurt in the UEFA Champions League later today, as the Reds bid to end their losing pattern, before an EPL return at Brentford on October 25.
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