Liverpool’s Arne Slot and Virgil van Dijk frustrated after Tottenham’s Lucas Bergvall escaped red before scoring the winner | Football news

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has slammed the refereeing decision which saw Tottenham’s winner Lucas Bergvall avoid a sending-off for a challenge on Kostas Tsimikas in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final.

Bergvall scored the only goal as Liverpool were beaten by Spurs to take the lead in the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final. The 18-year-old was initially booked by referee Stuart Atwell for a late tackle on Luis Diaz in the 68th minute.

Moments before the goal, Bergvall’s late tackle on Tsimikas led to a stoppage in play where the Liverpool left-back was sent off, meaning the away side were temporarily reduced to 10 men. As Tsimikas looked on from the sidelines, Spurs hit back with Bergvall finishing the move to give them a narrow lead for the return leg at Anfield on Thursday 6 February.

Speaking after the game, Van Dijk – who confronted the officials throughout the game – was adamant that Bergvall should have received a second yellow card.

“I think it was quite obvious that it was going to be a second yellow,” Van Dijk said Sky Sports.

“Obviously I think it was pretty clear [from what I said to the referee]. It was no accident that he scored the winning goal a minute later.

“He [Atwell] in my opinion he was wrong and I told him so. I think it was quite obvious and everyone on the sideline knew it should have been a yellow.

“There’s the linesman, the fourth official. There’s the VAR and the referee, and he doesn’t get a second yellow. I’m not saying that’s the reason why we lost today, but it was a big moment in the game.”

Liverpool coach Arne Slot shared his captain’s frustration over the winning goal.

“The decision (Attwell) made had a big impact on the result tonight,” Slot said Sky Sports. “I mean
anyone would tell you this.

“To concede (that goal), and even the player who scored it, who maybe should have gotten his second yellow card, it’s not, not only for us, it’s not ideal. I don’t know, but I think maybe even the referee was like ‘ is this really happening?
now the goal?’

“The fourth official told me why he thought it wasn’t a second yellow, and of course he probably heard that from the referee. If you stop a counter-attack with a reckless challenge, he could still give a yellow, but he didn’t. I don’t see it as
reckless challenge.”

Controversial Spurs goal: Why did Liverpool want Bergvall sent off?

68: Lucas Bergvall is booked for a sliding tackle on Liverpool’s Luis Diaz.

84: Bergvall throws in Kostas Tsimikas. Referee Stuart Attwell plays the advantage which leads to Darwin Nunez shooting at goal. Play was then stopped so Tsimikas could be treated, but there was no penalty for Bergvall, despite protests from Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk.

86: Two minutes and five seconds after Bergvall’s attack, he makes a breakthrough for Spurs, while Tsimikas waits on the sidelines to return to the field after treatment. The Liverpool manager was shown a yellow card by referee Attwell for complaining about the situation. Spurs’ goal came directly from a questionable ball.

‘It makes no sense’: What experts say…

Michael Dawson on Sky Sports Football:

“If Stuart Attwell gets the first one right, he puts himself in a position. I don’t think the first one is a yellow card. It gives him a chance and a decision to make.

“The second one should have been a yellow card. If you get one right and one wrong, you can’t equalize.”

Izzy Christiansen on Sky Sports Football:

“The second is worse than the first. It makes no sense.”

Jamie Redknapp on Sky Sports Football:

“It has a huge effect on the rest of the game. He has to go for treatment and that leaves Liverpool with 10 men. So not only do you still have Bergvall on the pitch, but Liverpool have to play with 10 men.

“But the Spurs certainly count.”

Ange calls for protests over how football is changing: ‘Did that announcement excite you?’

Attwell had earlier used the loudspeaker in a historic moment for English football, announcing that Spurs striker Dominic Solanke’s 76th-minute goal had been ruled out for offside.

Attwell announced the decision via wireless microphone to the Tottenham Hotspur stadium crowd and TV viewers, speaking after a VAR review that lasted around two minutes.

But Postecoglou was unimpressed – and called on the football community to resist technological changes to the game.

“I’m really surprised how easily people in this country let the game change so quickly,” he said. “More has changed since VAR came in than in the previous 50 years. We have never discussed so many things.

“Did everyone really like today’s post? Did it really blow your mind?

“As far as I understand, that’s what people want. I understand that VAR will be there, the technology will be there. But my wife and children limit screen time. Why do we want to change the game so much?

“I know that I will be that old man in the stands who will shout boo every time at VAR.

“There’s a lot of confusion at the moment. The game is changing based on technology and why isn’t anyone talking about it? You guys think you’re the guardians of the game, you’ve got a song that says ‘It’s coming home’ but the Aussie from the other side of the world is the most conservative about change. “

VAR announcement – place: We don’t need to explain offsides

“With VAR’s decision, he had to tell everyone what his decision was, unfortunately he didn’t have to do that with [the second-yellow card Bergvall] decision.

“If it’s offside, I don’t think anyone has to explain anything. It would be more interesting if he explained why he didn’t give a second yellow card!”

The first VAR announcement – how we reported it

Sky Sports’ Peter Smith at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium:

“For the first time, we hear the VAR announcement, which is broadcast over the public address system, and it is broadcast by referee Stuart Attwell.

“But the offside news was drowned out by the whistles of disgruntled Tottenham fans – and the cheers of Liverpool fans!

“Lesson for the future: a referee whistling loudly into a live microphone amplified around the stadium is not a pleasant sound for those listening!!”