Liverpool incensed as Spurs match-winner Bergvall escapes red card

Tottenham's Bentancur conscious after freak injury, says Postecoglou after League Cup first leg win against Reds

Swedish teenager Lucas Bergvall opened his Tottenham Hotspur account in thrilling fashion with the winner in Wednesday's League Cup semifinal first leg but should not even have been on the pitch according to Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk.

The 18-year-old had already been booked in the 68th minute and escaped a second yellow for a mistimed tackle on Kostas Tsimikas moments before sealing a 1-0 win for his team.

Liverpool were incensed, especially as Tsimikas was still off the field when Bergvall thumped his shot past Alisson.

“I think it was quite obvious it was going to be a second yellow [for Bergvall],” Van Dijk said.

“I think it was pretty clear. It was a coincidence and a minute later he scores the winner. It is what it is. The referee made a mistake in my opinion and I told him that.”

“Everyone on the sidelines knew it was supposed to be a yellow. There's a linesman there, a fourth official there, there's VAR, a referee and he doesn't get a second yellow.

“I'm not saying this is the reason we lost tonight but it was a big moment in the game.”

Liverpool tasted defeat for only the second time since manager Arne Slot took charge and the result ended a 24-match unbeaten run in all competitions, though the holders still have next month's second leg at Anfield to turn things around.

While magnanimous in defeat, Slot was also adamant Bergvall should have been dismissed.

“The decision he made had a lot of impact on the result tonight. There's not a lot I can say from that,” the Dutchman said of referee Stuart Attwell.

“The fourth official told me why he thought it wasn't a second yellow and he heard that probably from the referee.

“I never like to lose but if you have to lose it's better to lose when you still have the second leg to come.” 

Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur was conscious and under observation in hospital after suffering a freak injury early on in the match.

The Uruguayan attempted to get his head on a corner early on but appeared to twist awkwardly and hit the ground in obvious distress. After nearly 10 minutes of treatment on the pitch he was taken off the field on a stretcher.

“I don't want to speculate because I don't really know either,” Postecoglou said when asked what exactly Bentancur had done.

“All I know is he was conscious when he came off. Obviously it was some sort of head injury, but he was conscious when he was coming off the field.

“And he's been taken to the hospital for observation. But I'm not really clear on how it happened. Unless I get a doctor out here, I'm not going to speculate because it's just not fair on people around him.

“But it was a head injury. And there was concern from players out there so obviously there was something going on.”

Bentancur recently returned from a seven-match domestic ban after making inappropriate remarks about Tottenham captain Son Heung-min in a TV interview in Uruguay.

Bergvall rifled a superb finish past Liverpool keeper Alisson in the 86th minute to reward the injury-hit hosts who shortly before had seen a Dominic Solanke goal ruled out.

Liverpool, who beat Chelsea to win the competition for a 10th time last season, were nowhere near their best and could have few complaints as their 24-match unbeaten run in all competitions came to an end.

Newcastle United beat Arsenal 2-0 away in the first leg of the other semifinal on Tuesday. 

Reuters