REFEREE'S CALL CHANGED GAME, FUMES SLOT

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

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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.