Liverpool FC

There are some matchday hospitality packages still available for the second leg at Anfield on Thursday February 6, when Arne Slot’s Reds will attempt to overturn a 1-0 deficit and reach Wembley.

Treat yourself, family, friends or colleagues to a unique matchday experience in one of the fabulous stadium lounges, with all packages including your match ticket.

The Reds created plenty of openings in either half at Lamex Stadium in Stevenage but were unable to find a breakthrough prior to two late goals from the hosts.

Rio Kyerematen opened the scoring in the 81st minute before Oliver Irow wrapped up the points for Spurs three minutes later.

Speaking to Liverpoolfc.com post-match, U21s head coach Barry Lewtas said: "It's taking the good moments of the game that we have and trying to put them into a winning performance – that's what we're lacking at the minute if I'm going to be honest.

"We missed too many chances and then in the end the two goals we offered near the end were gifts.

"We're probably hurting ourselves more than the opposition but today we played against a good team. It was a well-contested game.

"But for what we've been trying to do this week and the work we've done, I think to perform like that and then to come away again with a loss and without a goal is very disappointing."

Team

Liverpool: Davies, Mabaya (Miles, 85), Davidson, Lucky, Nallo, Pilling, Kone-Doherty, Laffey (Corness, 63), Morrison, Ngumoha (Figueroa, 76), Young (Pinnington, 85).

Unused sub: Misciur.

Next up

The U21s are next in action on Friday February 7 when they travel to Southampton.

Kick-off for the Premier League 2 contest at the Staplewood Campus is 7pm GMT.

The fixture on Thursday February 6 is an 8pm GMT kick-off.

Supporters can view the ticket sales details here.

"I think just be a bit tidier with the ball," the full-back told Liverpoolfc.com post-match. "I think out of possession we were good tonight, we defended well for most parts and we were aggressive in the press.

"But I think [being] better on the ball and obviously try to create more chances and things like that.

"But I'm sure we'll look back on it and I think the next, second leg is not for another month or so, so we'll make sure we're ready for the next game on Saturday."

He continued: "With the result last time we were here, they were probably deflated from it and they wanted to show something from it.

"They're always going to show up with a bit more fight and things like that, and it felt like we matched it, especially in the first half.

"As I said, we probably could have been a bit better on the ball at times but I thought we were aggressive and we matched their physicality. So, bring on the second leg.

"Obviously Anfield is our home and we love playing there. Obviously having the fans with us, we can't wait to get back there and it'll be a good second leg.

"As you've said, we've overcome worse than a 1-0, so we're looking forward to it."

Bradley was handed a starting berth by Arne Slot in the capital – his first in six weeks after recovering from injury.

He played an hour of the contest with Ange Postecoglou's men, having made his comeback with an appearance off the bench against Manchester United last weekend.

"I think there always is [some rustiness] when you've been out for a couple of weeks," the No.84 assessed of his own display. "I felt like I was just growing and growing into the game.

"Obviously we're just managing my minutes, coming off at 60, and I'm ready to go again on Saturday.

"You've just always got to be ready for a chance. Whenever you're called upon, just be ready to come in and give your all for the team and just try to help the team win in any way you can. That's what I always try to do and just be ready."

Spurs hold a slender advantage in the semi-final after Lucas Bergvall's 86th-minute goal decided Wednesday night's first leg in the capital.

See the key moments and an entire repeat of the clash in the videos below.

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On the winning goal for Tottenham coming with his team briefly down to 10 men after Bergvall's challenge on Kostas Tsimikas...

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. 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. Especially not after the first 15 to 20 minutes because I did feel Spurs started the game better than us. But after that, in my opinion, we had most of the game control, played most of the game in their half, had much more ball possession and then a moment like this, if you go down to 10 for a few seconds against a team that can play good football, like Tottenham can, it's far from ideal.

On whether Bergvall should have picked up a second yellow card for the tackle...

I don’t think there is any debate about that. They say he didn’t stop the counter-attack. I think every manager would prefer if the tackle being made now 40 yards away from our goalkeeper - I don’t think you really stop a counter-attack then - every manager would prefer to get a second yellow card for the other team than to finish that counter-attack with a player less to play that counter-attack with. If that is not a discussion, then the next discussion is if it was reckless enough, [so] just give advantage, then just come back and say, 'Yeah, I thought the tackle was still too reckless.' They still have to give a yellow.

In the VAR decision he had to tell everyone what his decision was, but unfortunately he didn’t have to do this with this decision. Things happen. Very unlucky for us... the good thing for us is that if you ever have to lose a game, it’s better that you lose one when there is still a second leg to be played. [It's a] far from ideal starting position for us because they have a really good team, probably some players come back for the second leg. So, far from ideal to lose here, but if I ever have to lose I prefer to lose if there's still a leg to be played. Then it would've been only this game.

On whether Liverpool were 'not quite at their best' in the game...

If you compare it with the 6-3 [in the Premier League] then that’s clear, but I don’t think we will reach that level in every single game we play. You can always expect a reaction from Spurs, which you saw today, you can always expect a reaction from the fans because it’s a semi-final. We all know how important it is to us, but also how important it is for the Spurs fans to go to the final. We knew when we came here that it would never be the same game as we played here one week ago or two weeks ago, but still I saw a lot of things the same. I think even in that game the ball possession was equal, but now I think we had 60 to 40 [per cent]. There's many good things to take for me, more than the [Manchester] United game, but the result was not as good as against United.

On his thoughts on a first VAR announcement from the referee...

I think you can't judge something on one game, but if it’s offside then I don't think anyone had to explain something. When he started explaining something, you saw a red and a blue line. I think it would be more interesting for everyone if he would've explained why he didn't give a second yellow card than explaining why he cancelled the goal, because that's what everybody could see on the screen. But I know that's not the rule. It's the rule to have these decisions when the VAR is involved, and the VAR was of course not involved in yes or no [for] a second yellow. In general I think let's judge this not on an evening, let's judge this if we see this a few more times.

On staying calm at full-time despite being disappointed by the decision...

I don’t think I am known in Holland for [being] the person who always stay calm with referee decisions! Although I do think the wrong opinion about me over there when it comes to refereeing decisions! The decision is made, you can’t change it. In the moment when he didn’t give the second yellow nobody thought that it would have had such a big impact 30 seconds later. I think - I haven’t asked him - but I am 99.9 per cent sure I wasn’t the only one who felt not the best [when the goal was scored]. I am 99.9 per cent sure when Bergvall scored the referee was like, 'Is this really happening?' because he couldn't change it anymore. It was, for him, also far from ideal I think - but that's why I say 99.9 because I couldn't look into his head and he didn't have to tell what he felt.

Lucas Bergvall’s late winner settled Wednesday night’s game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the goal arriving moments after the Spurs midfielder had escaped a second yellow card for a foul on Kostas Tsimikas.

The Reds’ unbeaten run was therefore halted at 24 matches and when Van Dijk was asked by Sky Sports to explain what led to just a second loss of the season, the captain said: “Obviously we played against an intense team with good attacking players. They can make it difficult, they keep running.

“I think we created good moments [and] good opportunities at times – not really clear-cut chances in my opinion, but still enough that we could have scored.

“Unfortunately we didn’t. It’s quite cliched but it’s half-time now and I’m looking forward to the game back at Anfield.”

Van Dijk continued: “I’m not sure we were a level or two [below our best] but obviously at times I think we could have done better.

“But that’s part of football as well: you try to play your best game ever, every one of us, and at times we played through them nicely and we created some one-v-ones on the side and we created some dangerous moments.

“But they were able to defend it much better than they did when we played here a couple of weeks ago. And, yeah, we move on – we take it on the chin.

“Like I said, it’s half-time and we have another 90+ minutes to go and like I said, I am really looking forward to that.”

Read our match report from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Team news

Liverpool made four changes for the contest, with Conor Bradley, Kostas Tsimikas and Jarell Quansah stepping into defence.

In attack, meanwhile, Diogo Jota returned to lead the Reds’ frontline in the capital for his first start since October.

Liverpool: Alisson, Van Dijk, Mac Allister (Konate, 80), Salah, Jones, Gakpo (Diaz, 60), Jota (Nunez, 60), Tsimikas, Gravenberch, Quansah (Endo, 30), Bradley (Alexander-Arnold, 60).

Subs not used: Kelleher, Chiesa, Elliott, Robertson.

First half

It was the hosts who started the better of the two teams, pressing Liverpool high and forcing several stray passes in the final third.

The early threat resulted in the opening chance of the game, with Alisson Becker reacting well down low to his right to keep out a Radu Dragusin effort, the defender turning a Heung-Min Son shot towards goal inside the box.

Following the passage of play, there was a lengthy stoppage as Rodrigo Bentancur was stretchered from the field, being replaced by Brennan Johnson.

Son again threatened the Liverpool defence a short while later, stepping outside of Bradley on the left to drill a low ball into the six-yard box, though teammate Dominic Solanke could only turn wide.

Liverpool returned fire at the other end, seeing a Mohamed Salah effort flash past the post from distance, before they were forced into a change of their own, Quansah picking up a knock and Wataru Endo his replacement.

Alexis Mac Allister then saw a header saved from close range following a dead-ball delivery from Tsimikas, the ball finding his free run into the box.

Ahead of the interval, Liverpool threatened once more at a swift break via Cody Gakpo, with the forward unleashed a fizzing drive at goal that nearly caught goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky by surprise to close out the opening 45.

Second half

The game restarted at pace after the change of ends, both teams searching for the opening goal with a number of crosses into the area.

Neither goalkeeper, however, were being properly tested as the two sides battled for possession.

Tottenham spurned a good chance to break the deadlock, capitalising on Bergvall stealing the ball from Alisson on the edge of the area.

Pedro Porro first saw his resulting shot blocked by Virgil van Dijk, ahead of the ball finding its way back into his path on the right, though he could only lift another effort past the far post with a dink.

On the hour, the Reds opted to make a triple change, Darwin Nunez, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luis Diaz replacing Jota, Bradley and Gakpo respectively.

Nunez almost made an immediate impact following his introduction, guiding a header at goal from 12 yards out after a looping Mac Allister cross, but the chance was well caught by Kinsky in the Spurs net.

The No.9 again broke free in the box, latching onto a Salah ball forward, though his strike was saved by the onrushing home stopper once more.

Alexander-Arnold then came within inches of finding the lead for the Reds, hitting a stunning low drive at goal from a tight angle with his right boot, only for the retreating Dragusin to clear off the line, ahead of Mac Allister's follow-up falling the wrong side of the post.

In minute 76, Tottenham had the ball in the back of the net via Solanke's break, the striker darting onto a ball over the top to finish past Alisson. The goal, though, was ruled out by VAR after the forward strayed offside in the build-up.

Spurs, however, weren't to be denied four minutes from time, as Bergvall struck a low shot into the bottom corner of the net, meeting Solanke's cut-back to finish well, with Tsmikas off the field briefly following the scorer's earlier challenge.

Nunez almost levelled in added time with a clever reaction volley from a Diaz cross, though Kinsky pushed his effort wide to see out the match.

This article has been automatically translated and, while all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, some errors in translation are possible. Please refer to the original English-language version of the article for the official version.

The Reds visit Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the tie’s opening match tonight (8pm GMT kick-off) and then host the return fixture at Anfield on February 6.

VAR will be in operation and in-stadium VAR announcements will also be trialled across both legs of each semi-final, with Arsenal and Newcastle United facing off elsewhere in the last four.

“As part of the trial, referees will announce (over the stadium public address system) the final decision following a visit to the VAR pitchside monitor, or upon the conclusion of factual matters such as accidental handball by a goalscorer or offside judgements. Only the final decision will be announced in the stadium,” said the EFL.

“In-stadium VAR announcements have already been successfully introduced in several FIFA events, including the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, and aim to provide greater clarity and understanding around key decisions to supporters in the stadiums and those watching from home.”