Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk reveals what he told referee after “obvious” error in Tottenham victory

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk was left annoyed that Tottenham Hotspur hero Lucas Bergvall was still on the pitch after the 18-year-old scored the winning goal for Spurs in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final on Wednesday night.

In a game of little chances, Bergvall produced a fine finish in the 86th minute to hammer a pinpoint shot past Alisson Becker after Dominic Solanke showed great strength to hold off Ibrahima Konaté and lay the ball off for the on-rushing Bergvall.

The Liverpool bench reacted furiously to the goal, as just moments earlier the young Swede had taken out Liverpool left-back Kostas Tsimikas with a late sliding challenge while on a yellow card. Referee Stuart Attwell played advantage as the ball broke to Luis Diaz in space but the official did not come back to show a second caution to the Spurs man. Tsimikas received treatment but was still off the pitch when Bergvall netted the only goal of the game.

Van Dijk reveals what he said to Stuart Attwell

The Liverpool captain was seen speaking with the officials after the game and told Sky Sports: "I think it was quite obvious it was going to be a second yellow [for Lucas Bergvall]. I think it was pretty clear. It was a coincidence and a minute later he scores the winner."It is what it is. He [the referee] made a mistake in my opinion and I told him that. He thinks he didn’t but it was quite obvious I think and everyone on the sidelines knew it was supposed to be a yellow. There's a linesman there, a fourth official there, there's VAR, a referee and he doesn't get a second yellow. I’m not saying this is the reason why we lost tonight but it was a big moment in the game."

Reds boss Arne Slot said: “It was a good goal, let that be clear. A ball in behind, a cut-back cross, Bergvall scoring, stayed really calm, finished it off, but I don't think you're interested in that. I think you're interested in the moment before. When I just walked in, I think I saw Ange sitting here on Sunday [Saturday after Newcastle], something happened and I think Spurs weren't happy with a few decisions that were made on Sunday and many people always say that this will eventually match up in the end of the season. I'm not one of them that believes that because sometimes you can be unlucky in a season, or lucky in a season. On Sunday, a decision went against them, maybe today a decision went in favour of them, which is, of course, very unlucky for us because I never felt we were going to lose this game.”

Postecoglou questioned on incident

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou expressed his pride in Bergvall’s performance as he was asked if the player should have been sent off. The Spurs boss said: "Lucas was brilliant. Like I said, I haven't lost sight of the fact that we've got two 18-year-olds, one who's playing at centre back (Archie Gray), it's not even his position. I just don't think people really understand the level of performance that these young guys are giving us at the moment.”

On a possible second yellow, he said: “We've been told consistently in the last few weeks, because I've been screaming about it from the sidelines, because a lot of teams have got away with a lot of fouls with us, without bookings, because the referee plays advantage. We've been told consistently that if we play advantage, as long as it's not a cynical foul, then the player does not get cautioned. So that's been relayed to us on a weekly basis, because we feel like that's been happening. That's one of the things I was bemoaning last weekend. There's certain players who were repeatedly fouling, we were getting advantage, but no bookings. That's what I'm talking about. I'm really surprised at how, what's the word I'm looking for, how people in this country are so easily letting the game change so much so quickly.”