Spurs ban, Slot fury, Van Dijk reply - Bergvall final Liverpool red card verdict

Tottenham ban, Slot fury, Van Dijk reply - Lucas Bergvall final Liverpool red card verdict

Arne Slot and Liverpool were left aghast by the referee's decision not to send Lucas Bergvall off prior to his winning goal - but is their frustration justified?

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Virgil van Dijk has made his thoughts crystal clear on whether Lucas Bergvall should have been dismissed prior to his winning goal for Tottenham in Wednesday's 1-0 defeat of Liverpool. "It was quite obvious and everyone on the side-line knew it was supposed to be a [second] yellow, he said.

Bergvall had cut down Kostas Tsimikas while on a caution, but on-field referee Stuart Attwell did not give him his marching orders, after playing the advantage. Moments later, Bergvall would fire home the only goal of the match.

As a result, Liverpool will host Spurs at Anfield for the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final a goal down. Arne Slot pointed to the fact that the tie is far from over, but was nevertheless aggrieved by referee Attwell.

"I don't think there's any debate about that," he said when asked about whether or not Bergvall should have been handed a second yellow card - and then sent-off. "I'm 99.9 per cent sure when Bergvall scored the referee thought; 'Oh, is this really happening'?

"Because he couldn't change it [the decision] anymore. I think for him it was also far from ideal."

The laws of the game stipulate that - if an advantage was played - then "if the offence was interfering with or stopping a promising attack, the player is not cautioned." However, they also add: "Advantage should not be applied in situations involving serious foul play, violent conduct or a second cautionable offence unless there's a clear opportunity to score a goal."

So, did the referee make the correct call? Our writers offer up their thoughts;

Isaac Johnson

Some will argue that Bergvall's first challenge was not a yellow card offence anyway, but that is a moot point. Regardless, he was on a caution when he dived in on Tsimikas.

It's pretty difficult to defend the referee's decision not to send Bergvall off. There is no question his tackle was a second bookable offence and Liverpool hardly had a 'clear' opportunity to score a goal, as per the wording of the rulebook.

To make matters worse, Liverpool were a player down when Bergvall scored owing to the newly-created domestic rule that says those who receive treatment on the pitch must wait off the field for 30 seconds. Tsimikas, a defender, was on the touchline as the ball hit the net.

It's most definitely a mistake. Whether Tottenham would have scored with 10 men with five minutes to go will never be known - but it is unlikely. Although confident they can overturn the one-goal deficit, Liverpool have a right to feel aggrieved.

Kieran Horn

Many are of the belief that controversial decisions often balance themselves out over the course of any season and for that to be the case here, Liverpool are going to need a huge slice of luck. Whether or not Bergvall should have been booked for his first foul on Luis Diaz, he absolutely should have been cautioned for the rather cynical challenge on Tsimikas. While an advantage was played, that often does not stop referees returning to show yellow cards, though very rarely does it result in a red.

Regardless of that, on-field referee Attwell probably knows he got it wrong and the worst-case scenario for him was Bergvall then scoring moments later. Liverpool have every right to be angered by the decision - but it is also worth mentioning there were other factors in their defeat.

Just a few days on from arguably their worst performance of the season, a number of key players were far from their best again at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. It's certainly easy to blame their defeat on the incorrect Bergvall call, but I think the players should also look at themselves before this minor blip becomes major.

Kieran King

For me, Bergvall shouldn't have been on the pitch when he scored the winner against Liverpool. In isolation, I don't think Bergvall's challenge on Luis Diaz deserved the first yellow card - but once Attwell gives that - he HAS to book him again for his lunging tackle on Tsimikas.

You won't see too many more clear bookings all season than that one, and Tottenham were fortuitous to get away with it. Unfortunately for Liverpool, Bergvall will also be available for the second leg in four weeks time, so he could cause more damage, having impressed on Wednesday.

I can see where Van Dijk and Slot were coming from in their post-match interviews and I felt their frustration as it was such a decision that had a major impact on the result. I do, however, still expect Liverpool to overturn that 1-0 deficit and progress to the final.

Tom Coley

Two wrongs don't make a right, so there's that. As it is, though, Tottenham were lucky for Bergvall to be on the pitch when he scored Wednesday's winner.

The first yellow card is simply not a booking, we can get that out of the way. But Liverpool are right to be furious about his second challenge as it was cynical and, even with the advantage, should have been picked up.

Had he not been on a yellow, it's hard to imagine he would not have been shown a card in that situation. It looks like the referee played the situation and opted for leniency, which probably isn't the correct call.

Tottenham will argue that Van Dijk had stamped down on Solanke earlier in the game, though. Dejan Kulusevski's late kick in the box could easily have been a penalty on another day, too.

In retrospect, Liverpool will wish that they could review this foul and have a punishment enacted upon Bergvall. Even if they could, which they can't, any suspension would be served before the second leg anyway. To see it go unpunished will certainly hurt, though.

Bruna Reis

Rules must be followed, but I feel that wasn't the case on Wednesday. It's difficult to understand Attwell's call to not send Bergvall off.

We have seen time and time again referees going back to book a player after playing an advantage. So Slot and Van Dijk's frustration at full-time is completely valid and understandable.

Although I'm not convinced the first foul on Diaz was worthy of a yellow card, he booked him for that initial challenge and therefore has to continue being consistent and follow the rules. And the correct outcome would have been to book him again for a much more clear-cut tackle on Tsimikas.

If Bergvall hadn't picked up that initial booking, then he would have definitely been given a yellow card for that foul on Tsimikas. I think that says it all and, fortunately for Spurs, they will still be able to count on their midfielder for the impending second leg at Anfield next month.

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