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Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has opined that Tottenham youngster Lucas Bergvall should have gotten a second yellow in the EFL Cup semi-final first-leg clash between the two sides on January 8. The match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ended 1-0 in favor of the hosts with Bergvall scoring the winner.
Both teams struggled to create clear-cut openings in the first half, with Tottenham Hotspur looking more threatening than Liverpool. In the 68th minute, Lucas Bergvall tripped Luis Diaz and the Colombian superstar slalomed down the right touchline. The foul got him his first yellow card from the referee.
With just five minutes of regulation time left, Bergvall seemingly committed a foul on left-back Konstantinos Tsimikas. However, the referee refrained from producing a yellow card despite incessant protests from the visitors.
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Just a minute after risking a send-off, the Swedish starlet slotted the ball into Alisson's net from a Dominic Solanke pass. While the home fans erupted, the entire Liverpool side along with coach Arne Slot protested. The Dutch tactician was booked by the referee for his resentment.
After the game, Virgil van Dijk opened up about the controversial decision. He said (via Eurosport):
"It was quite obvious that it was going to be a second yellow. Obviously, it was pretty clear. And then there is the coincidence of a minute later that he scores the winner, but it is what it is."
"The referee made a mistake in my opinion. I told him that. He thinks he didn’t. It was quite obvious I think and everyone on the sideline knew it should have been a (second) yellow."
The Dutch superstar was also asked whether Tsimikas' absence played a role in helping Bergvall. The Greek left-back was at the touchline after treatment when Spurs scored the goal.
""I have no idea (if it played a role). The fact is he (Bergvall) should have been (sent) off. There is a linesman there, there is a fourth official. There is VAR, there is a referee. He doesn’t get a second yellow. I’m not saying this is the reason we lost tonight, but it was a big moment in the game," replied Van Dijk.
"We could have done better," - Virgil van Dijk comments on Liverpool's performance against Tottenham Hotspur in the EFL Cup clash
Liverpool have been one of the best clubs in Europe this season. They are at the summit of both the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League tables. The game against Tottenham Hotspur was their second loss of the season across competitions. Their other defeat came at home against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.
During his post-match interview, Van Dijk was asked whether Liverpool played a notch below their usual levels. He replied (quoted via Eurosport):
"I wouldn’t say one or two levels. At times, we could have done better. That is football. We try to play our best game. At times we played through them nicely and had some dangerous moments, but they defended much better than they did a couple of weeks ago. "
He also alluded to the second leg of the semi-final at Anfield, saying:
"We move on and take it on the chin. It’s half time and we have another 90-plus minutes to go and I’m looking forward to it."
The Reds will take on Spurs in the second leg of the EFL Cup semi-final on February 6, 2025.
