The main talking point of last night’s EFL Cup semi-final first leg was referee Stuart Attwell’s decision not to show Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall a second yellow card for a challenge on Liverpool’s Kostas Tsimikas.
Bergvall was already booked, albeit harshly after replays showed little contact after sliding on Luis Diaz, bringing down Tsimikas as the Greek full-back surged forward late on at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Attwell had an excellent overview of the incident but, after playing the advantage, decided not to turn back to see off the Swedish teenager.
Liverpool were furious with captain Virgil van Dijk and manager Arne Slot who both expressed their frustration to the match officials.
With Tsimikas sidelined after receiving treatment on the pitch and Liverpool down to 10 men, Spurs immediately pushed the ball forward and Dominic Solanke played in Bergvall to score the only goal of the game four minutes from time. Despite late pressure, the hosts held on to take a slim lead at Anfield for the second leg on February 6.
What the laws say
Page 110 of the IFAB Laws of the Game states:
If the referee plays the lead for a foul that would have been cautioned/sent off if play had been stopped, this caution/sentence must be awarded the next time the ball is out of play.
However, if the foul has denied the opposing team an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, the player is cautioned for unsportsmanlike conduct; if the offense was obstructing or stopping a promising attack, the player is not cautioned.
It’s a rule that Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou mentioned after the game. In his view, Bergvall’s tackle was ‘stopping a promising attack’ and therefore did not deserve a booking.
However, the law continues…
The advantage should not be applied in situations involving serious foul play, violent conduct or other cautionable fouls, unless there is a clear opportunity to score. The referee must send the player off the next time the ball is out of play.
Given that it was not a situation where Liverpool had a ‘clear chance to score’, Attwell should have stopped play and sent Bergvall off the pitch.
“It had a big impact on the game”
Arne Slot shares his thoughts on whether Lucas Bergvall should have been on the pitch to score the winner for Tottenham 💭 pic.twitter.com/LAmHueA8rZ
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) January 8, 2025
What the managers and players said
Postecoglou said: “He was unlucky to be on the pitch [at the time of scoring the goal]. If the lead is played and it’s not a cynical catch, then it’s not a yellow. We’ve been screaming for it for the last two months and that’s what we’ve been told.”
Slott said: “I think everyone would prefer if the card was given [for Bergvall] rather, they have an advantage played 40 meters from their own goal. The second question is: was it reckless enough to play the advantage and come back and say the attempt was still reckless? And enough to give yellow?”
Van Dijk told Sky Sports: “I think it was quite obvious that it was going to be a second yellow [for Bergvall]. It was pretty clear. And a minute later he scores the winning goal… coincidence.
“He [the referee] in my opinion he was wrong and I told him so. He thinks not, but it was quite obvious and everyone on the sidelines knew it should have been a yellow.
“There’s the linesman, there’s the fourth referee, there’s VAR, the referee and he doesn’t get a second yellow. I’m not saying that’s why we lost tonight, but it was a big moment in the game.”
