REFEREE'S CALL CHANGED GAME, FUMES SLOT

Reds boss feels Bergvall should've been sent off, instead of staying on to get the winner

Liverpool manager Arne Slot slammed the controversial decision not to send off Tottenham Hotspur's Lucas Bergvall, before the Swedish teenager sealed a 1-0 home victory in the League Cup semi-final, first leg on Jan 8.

He was furious that the 18-year-old avoided a second booking after tripping left-back Kostas Tsimikas with a sliding tackle.

Tsimikas was forced off the pitch following the challenge, but referee Stuart Attwell opted to give Liverpool the chance to counter-attack.

When the Reds lost possession just seconds later, Tottenham took advantage by breaking into the space vacated by Tsimikas to score the 86th-minute winner.

Dominic Solanke's pass was converted by Bergvall for his first Tottenham goal.

But a fuming Slot said: "The decision made had a lot of impact on the result tonight. The fourth official told me why he thought it wasn't a second yellow, and he heard that probably from the referee."

"What we can say about it is that he said he didn't stop the counter-attack, but every manager would say they prefer the second yellow than a free kick.