Liverpool Criticizes Referee in Spurs Cup Loss

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk expressed his frustration over referee Stuart Attwell's decision not to issue a second yellow card to Tottenham's Lucas Bergvall during the Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg. Van Dijk and Liverpool's coach Arne Slot criticized the decision, which allowed Bergvall to remain on the pitch and score the winning goal shortly thereafter. Despite the controversy, Liverpool remains optimistic about overturning the result in the second leg at Anfield. Slot emphasized the unpredictability of refereeing decisions and their impact, noting similar grievances expressed by Tottenham's manager, Ange Postecoglou, in a previous match against Newcastle. Van Dijk refused to use the incident as an excuse for Liverpool's loss but highlighted its significance in the game's outcome.