Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has slammed the referee's decision which saw Tottenham match-winner Lucas Bergvall sent off for a challenge against Kostas Tsimikas in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final.
Bergvall scored the only goal as Liverpool were beaten by Spurs to take a lead going into the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final. The 18-year-old was originally shown a yellow card by referee Stuart Atwell for a late challenge on Luis Diaz in the 68th minute.
Moments before his goal, Bergvall made a late run into Tsimikas, leading to a stoppage in play that saw the Liverpool left-back removed from the pitch, meaning the away side were temporarily down to ten players. With Tsimikas watching from the touchline, Spurs countered and Bergvall finished off the move to give them a slim lead for the second leg at Anfield on Thursday, February 6.
After the match, Van Dijk – who confronted the referees at full-time – was adamant that Bergvall should have been booked a second time.
“I think it was quite clear that it was going to be a second yellow,” Van Dijk told Sky Sports.
“Of course I think it was pretty obvious [from what I said to the referee]. It was no coincidence that he scored the winner a minute later.
“He [Atwell] in my opinion made a mistake and I told him so. I think it was pretty clear and everyone on the sidelines knew it had to be yellow.
“There's a linesman there, a fourth official. There's a VAR and a referee there, and he doesn't get a second yellow. I'm not saying that's the reason we lost today, but it was a big moment in the game. ” game.”
Liverpool boss Arne Slot shared his captain's frustration at the winning goal.
“The decision he (Attwell) made had a big impact on the result tonight,” Slot told Sky Sports. “I think anyone would tell you this.
“Giving that goal, and even the player who scores it, who maybe should have gotten his second yellow card, is not only not ideal for us. I don't know, but I think maybe even the referee was like 'is' Is this really happening? Is he the goal now?'
“The fourth official explained why he thought it wasn't a second yellow card, and of course he probably heard that from the referee. If you stop a counter-attack with a reckless challenge he could still give the yellow card, but he didn't.” I don't see it as a reckless challenge.”
Controversial Spurs goal: Why did Liverpool want Bergvall sent off?
68: Lucas Bergvall was shown a yellow card for a sliding challenge on Liverpool's Luis Diaz.
84: Bergvall slides into Kostas Tsimikas. Referee Stuart Attwell plays an advantage, resulting in Darwin Nunez shooting on goal. Play is then stopped so Tsimikas can receive treatment, but there is no punishment for Bergvall, despite protests from Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk.
86: Two minutes and five seconds after Bergvall's tackle, he makes the breakthrough for Spurs, while Tsimikas is on the sidelines waiting to return to the field after treatment. A Liverpool coach is shown a yellow card by referee Attwell for complaining about the situation. Spurs' goal came straight from an uncontested drop ball.
'It doesn't make sense': what the experts said…
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. He gives him a chance and a decision to make.”
“The second should have been a yellow card. If you have one right and one wrong, you can't equalize.”
Izzy Christiansen on Sky Sports Football:
'The second is worse than the first. It doesn't make sense.'
Jamie Redknapp on Sky Sports Football:
“It has a monumental effect on the rest of the game. He has to go away for treatment and that leaves Liverpool with ten men. So not only do you still have Bergvall on the pitch, Liverpool also have to play with ten men.”
“But Spurs are certainly making it count.”
Ange calls for protests against the way football is changing: 'Did that announcement give you a kick?'
Attwell had previously used the public address system in a historic moment for English football, announcing that Spurs striker Dominic Solanke had had a goal ruled out for offside in the 76th minute.
Attwell announced the decision via wireless microphone to spectators at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and to TV viewers, after a VAR review lasting around two minutes.
But Postecoglou was unimpressed and called on the football community to resist technology-driven changes in football.
“I'm really surprised how people in this country can so easily change the game so quickly,” he said. “It has changed more since VAR came along than in the fifty years before. We've never debated so many things before.
“Did everyone really love the announcement today? Did it give you a real buzz?
“I understand this is what people want. I understand VAR will be there, technology will be there. But my wife and the kids limit screen time. Why are we so keen to change the game?”
“I know I'll be the old man in the stands booing every time the VAR comes up.
“There is a lot of confusion at the moment. The game is changing based on technology and why is no one talking about it? You think your administrators of the game have a song that says 'It's coming home' but it's an Australian from the other side of the world who is the most conservative when it comes to change.”
VAR announcement – Final: We don't need an explanation about offside
“With the VAR decision he had to tell everyone what his decision was, unfortunately he did not have to participate in that [the second-yellow card Bergvall] decision.
“If it's offside, I don't think anyone needs to explain anything. It would have been more interesting if he had explained why he didn't give the 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 a VAR announcement over the public address system, delivered by referee Stuart Attwell.
But the news of offside is drowned out by boos from the disgruntled Tottenham fans and cheers from the Liverpool fans!
“A lesson for the future: the referee whistling loudly into a live microphone amplified around the stadium is not a pleasant sound for the listeners!!”
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