Reaction after Spurs beat Liverpool 1-0 in EFL Cup semi-final first leg
Tottenham’s Rodrigo Bentancur, taken off on a stretcher, posts positive message from hospital
Graham Potter set to be named as West Ham boss – news conference at 09:00 GMT
FA Cup build-up with three third-round matches on Thursday night
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It’s the first time we’ve seen the usually mild mannered Arne Slot get really angry.
The Liverpool boss gave a furious reaction to the incident involving left-back Kostas Tsimikas and eventual goalscorer Lucas Bergvall.
So what made the Dutchman lose his cool?
Teenager Bergvall, already on a yellow card, brought down Tsimikas but play continued with the Reds retaining possession and crucially, the Swede escaping a second yellow.
Unfortunately for Slot and his team, Tsimikas was off the pitch receiving treatment when the 18-year-old scored to put Spurs ahead.
Slot and Liverpool captain thought Virgil van Dijk thought it was a clear cut, while Ange Postecoglou hand the rules and regulations ready to quote.
Was Bergvall lucky to still be on the pitch? Send us your thoughts on the incident, and any other comments on last night’s game via the usual channels.
Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou showed faith in his youthful stars in the hothouse of an EFL Cup semi-final first leg against Liverpool, and was fully vindicated as they delivered in style.
Bergvall was the name on everyone’s lips at the final whistle, not just because the 18-year-old Swede played with great maturity in midfield, but because Liverpool will feel he should have been shown a second yellow card, with the video assistant referee (VAR) unable to intervene once play was allowed to carry on after his reckless tackle on Tsimikas by referee Attwell.
In the wider context, however, Bergvall has shown amid Spurs’ struggles exactly why they were so keen to acquire his services in the summer, the £8.5m paid to Djurgarden already looking like a bargain.
And sharing top billing was 21-year-old goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, barely through the door after a £12.5m move from Slavia Prague but thrown straight into this crucial game by Postecoglou.
He showed great confidence with the ball at his feet and when commanding his area, his biggest contribution coming late on when he reacted superbly to turn away Darwin Nunez’s header.
Spurs have a slender advantage to take to Anfield, but they will be well satisfied with that, having been thrashed 6-3 at home by Liverpool recently in the Premier League.
Rodrigo Bentancur was taken off on a stretcher just six minutes into Wednesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Liverpool, after he fell while unchallenged as he stretched to head a ball from a corner.
The 27-year-old Uruguay international was treated on the pitch for around nine minutes and received oxygen before he was replaced by forward Brennan Johnson.
It was later confirmed he was conscious and talking and was taken to hospital for further checks.
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