The principle speaking level from final night time’s EFL Cup semi-final first leg was the choice by referee Stuart Attwell to not present Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall a second yellow card for a problem on Liverpool’s Kostas Tsimikas.
Bergvall had already been booked, albeit harshly after replays confirmed little contact after sliding in on Luis Diaz, when he hacked down Tsimikas because the Greek full-back surged forwards late on on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Attwell had a superb view of the incident however, having performed a bonus, opted in opposition to going again to ship off the teenage Swede.
Liverpool had been livid with captain Virgil van Dijk and supervisor Arne Slot each voicing their frustration to the match officers.
With Tsimikas off the pitch having acquired on-field therapy and Liverpool right down to 10 males, Spurs promptly launched the ball ahead and Dominic Solanke performed in Bergvall to attain the one purpose of the sport 4 minutes from full-time. Regardless of some late stress, the hosts held on to take a slender benefit to Anfield for the second leg on February 6.
What the legal guidelines say
Web page 110 of the IFAB Legal guidelines of the Recreation states:
If the referee performs the benefit for an offence for which a warning/sending-off would have been issued had play been stopped, this warning/sending-off should be issued when the ball is subsequent out of play.
Nevertheless, if the offence was denying the opposing group an apparent goal-scoring alternative, the participant is cautioned for unsporting behaviour; if the offence was interfering with or stopping a promising assault, the participant will not be cautioned.
That’s the rule that Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou referred to submit match. In his view, Bergvall’s sort out was ‘stopping a promising assault’ and subsequently didn’t advantage a reserving.
Nevertheless, the regulation continues…
Benefit shouldn’t be utilized in conditions involving critical foul play, violent conduct or a second cautionable offence except there’s a clear alternative to attain a purpose. The referee should ship off the participant when the ball is subsequent out of play.
Given it was not a state of affairs the place Liverpool had a ‘clear alternative to attain a purpose’, Attwell ought to have stopped the sport and despatched Bergvall from the sphere.
“It had an enormous affect on the sport”
Arne Slot shares his ideas on whether or not Lucas Bergvall ought to have been on the pitch to attain the profitable purpose for Tottenham 💭 pic.twitter.com/LAmHueA8rZ
— Sky Sports activities Soccer (@SkyFootball) January 8, 2025
What the managers and gamers stated
Postecoglou stated: “He wasn’t fortunate to be on the pitch [at the time of scoring the goal]. If the benefit will get performed and it’s not a cynical sort out, then it’s not a yellow. We’ve been screaming for it within the final two months and that’s what we’ve been informed.”
Slot stated: “I believe anybody would favor the cardboard was given [for Bergvall] than have benefit performed 40 yards from their very own purpose. The opposite query is: was it reckless sufficient to play benefit and are available again and say the sort out was nonetheless reckless? And sufficient to provide a yellow?”
Van Dijk informed Sky Sports activities: “I believe it was fairly apparent it was going to be a second yellow [for Bergvall]. It was fairly clear. And a minute later he scores the winner … a coincidence.
“He [the referee] made a mistake in my view and I informed him that. He thinks he didn’t nevertheless it was fairly apparent and everybody on the sidelines knew it was purported 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 that is the rationale why we misplaced tonight nevertheless it was an enormous second within the recreation.”
