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Ange Postecoglou has explained why he believes Liverpool’s calls for Lucas Bergvall to have been sent off are unfounded in the aftermath of his Tottenham side’s 1-0 Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg win.
The Swedish starlet was handed a yellow card in the first-half for a sliding challenge on Luis Diaz – although replays seemed to suggest that the Liverpool star had gone down with minimal contact.
But late on in the second-half, Bergvall looked to be at fault again when he skittled Kostas Tsimikas.
Referee Stuart Attwell’s yellow card stayed in his pocket and the hosts were able to reap the rewards of his decision when, moments later, Bergvall found the back of the net to claim the winner.
A goal was all that was needed to give Tottenham the vital lead going into the second leg at Anfield in February.
Virgil van Dijk was among the Liverpool players to swarm Attwell after the final whistle to discuss his decision, but in his remarks at full-time, Postecoglou was unfazed, rejecting the idea that his team had been lucky not to lose the 18-year-old.
Ange Postecoglou was bullish about how Liverpool’s complaints about Lucas Bergvall were unfounded
The Swedish teenager challenged Kostas Tsimikas late on in the second-half in north London
Bergvall went on to score and hand Tottenham the advantage ahead of the Anfield second leg
‘He wasn’t (lucky to be on the pitch),’ Postecoglou said. People misinterepted my comments from the other day.
‘The rule is and we have been told for quite a while now that if advantage gets played, as long as it is not for a cynical tackle then the yellow card (doesn’t get given).
‘We have been screaming for it for the last two months. It has happened to us consistently, have a look at our games.
‘We have asked the officials and they have said, if you play advantage and it is not a cynical tackle then the yellow card does not get played. To me, that was pretty clear.
‘That’s the rules and we have copped it for the last six weeks.’
However, commentors online were quick to note that Bergvall’s challenge could be classed as reckless, for which a yellow could have been given under similar circumstances.
Postecoglou was also incorrect in Attwell playing the advantage, as the referee instead said that no foul was given, with advantage not being applied on a second yellow card except in cases of an immediate chance.
Arne Slot was in full opposition to Postecoglou’s perspectives as he dubbed the situation ‘far from ideal’
In contrast to his opposite number, Arne Slot was in complete disagreement, the Liverpool manager referencing how Postecoglou had been incensed days earlier by decisions that seemed to go against them when facing Newcastle.
‘I don’t think there’s any debate about it,’ said Slot. ‘I think I saw Ange sitting here on Sunday and Spurs weren’t happy with a few decisions. One went against them, tonight maybe one went in favour of them.
‘The decisions is made, you can’t change it. When he didn’t give the second yellow card, no one thought it would have such a big impact 30 seconds later.
‘I am 99.9 per cent certain I was not the only one who didn’t feel the best when it went in. It was, for him (the referee) also far from ideal.’
