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Tottenham's FA Cup third-round tie with Tamworth delayed due to a net issue

Tamworth players leapt into action to resolve the problem prior to the game

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Kick-off for the FA Cup third round tie between Tottenham and Tamworth was delayed as players attempted to fix a problem with the goal netting.

Ange Postecoglou's side travelled to The Lamb Ground on Sunday with 96 league places separating them from their National League opposition.

Tamworth entered the game having never previously reached the fourth round of the competition, with their run to the third round matching their best-ever performance in the FA Cup.

With a dream fixture against Premier League giants awaiting them, the semi-professional players awaited one of the biggest games of their career.

That is until a hole was spotted in netting in the roof of the home side's goal.

As fans watched on from behind the goal and with a national TV audience tuning in, Tamworth players quickly leapt into action to resolve the issue.

Goalkeeper Jas Singh was the first to attempt to resolve the problem, but was unable to repair the gap in the netting.

He was then joined by forward Beck-Ray Enoru who clambered onto a team-mate's shoulders to reach the affected area.

While hoisted up by his team-mate, Enoru used a roll of tape to make the necessary repairs as the officials looked on.

In addition to turning out for the fifth-tier side, Enoru spends his weekdays working as a assistant at the clothing retailer Zara.

With the issue sufficiently resolved, the third-round fixture eventually got underway after a several-minute delay.

As Tamworth prepare to take on Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup third round, the gulf in footballing lifestyles couldn't be more pronounced.

On one side are millionaire internationals; on the other, part-timers juggling football with day jobs like bricklaying, zip selling, and financial advising.

Yet this team of non-league grafters believe they can give Spurs - whose squad is valued at a whopping £667million, with club captain Son Heung-min earning approximately £190,000 per week - an almighty shock when they meet at midday on Sunday.

Here, Mail Sport profiles the players, and the hard-grafting gaffer, looking to send shockwaves through football's oldest competition.

Andy Peaks: Tamworth manager / Teaching assistant

For Tamworth gaffer Andy Peaks, balancing work and football is a way of life.

He returned home at 2.30am that night had little time to savour the result as he was back in the classroom by 8:30am the following morning - business as usual.

That being said, the Tamworth boss is happy to forego sleep if it means his side get to progress in the competition and play teams like Tottenham - noting the stakes are even higher for him given he has family ties to Spurs.

His father-in-law is a Spurs-mad football fan, who goes by the name Tottenham Dave, while his step-daughter is also an avid follower of the north London club.

Jasbir Singh: Goalkeeper / Building surveyor

Shot-stopper Jasbir Singh, the penalty shootout hero at Hartlepool, is a building surveyor.

Last season, he set a club record with nine consecutive clean sheets and says he often gets stick from fans who think he looks like Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

'You hear all sorts,' Singh told Mail Sport. 'The individual voices take you by surprise. The best one was that I was the absolute spit of Rishi Sunak.

'I started getting that quite a lot when he was Prime Minister. I am a fair bit taller. And I haven't got the same money.'

Ben Milnes: Tamworth captain / Financial advisor

Tamworth captain Ben Milnes, who once came through the Leicester City academy alongside Jeff Schlupp, now works as a financial advisor.

The facilities on offer at Tamworth are a far cry from what Milnes was treated to when he was a youngster with the Foxes.

The home and away changing rooms at Tamworth's ground, The Lamb, has no central heating, just a small heater, while there is a serious lack of showers available.

'I'm guessing only a few showers will work in the away dressing room because only a few work in the home one,' quipped Milnes.

'Days like these are the rewards. We might not an opportunity like this again. We've got to make the most of it and enjoy it.'

Callum Cockerill-Mollett: Defender / Zip salesman

Cockerill-Mollett, a zip salesman, embodies the down-to-earth ethos of this squad.

Speaking to The Sun about his unconventional path, Cockerill-Mollett said: 'In my final season at Walsall there was a massive turnover of players and everyone who was out of contract was allowed to leave.

'I had some interest from other full-time clubs but most of them would have involved relocating to the other side of the country. When nothing concrete actually materialised I decided to turn part-time.

'So that summer I went in with my dad, Neil and started working full-time in his zip business. I'd spent time around the factory while I was playing so I had a rough idea of what the business was about.

'Footballers retire early and I knew I wouldn't go down the coaching route, so I always had the zip business in the back of my mind. Now I help my dad run the company.'

He finished by saying: 'You can't come in and buy one or two zips from us, we deal in hundreds or thousands at a time. Jacket zips, pocket zips, shoe zips, zips for jeans - you name it, we can produce it.'

Haydn Hollis: Defender / Academy coach

Of Tamworth's plucky squad, Hollis probably enjoyed the strongest footballing career, having played for a number of professional clubs starting with Notts County before dropping down to non-league level.

During his time with County, Hollis once marked Chelsea legend Didier Drogba during a friendly against Galatasaray. The defender will once again have to contend with world class opposition attempting to breach his team's backline on Sunday.

While juggling training with his teammates, Hollis also coaches and is currently Chesterfield's U18 coach.

Tom Tonks: Midfielder / Sandwich business owner

Tamworth have a few tricks up their sleeve in their effort to shock Spurs, and perhaps midfielder Tom Tonks possesses the greatest weapon of Peak's arsenal.

Tonks, a businessman who owns a sandwich firm in Bilston, also boasts an astonishing long throw that causes defences all manner of problems.

The long-running joke among the Tamworth playing group is that the midfielder was signed simply so that they no longer had to face the potent throw-in.

'It's a weapon and we'd be stupid not to use it,' goalkeeper Singh said.

'Whoever is in goal for them, I'm not sure it will be something they've had to deal with.

'I see goalkeepers come here and warm up, trying to emulate it, but it's just not the same with the trajectory of the ball and all the bodies around you, it's crazy really.'

When he's not launching missiles into opposing boxes, Tonks is up at the crack of dawn delivering sandwiches from his van.

'They'll all be getting recovery massages and rub downs and everything,' he told ITV News of Spurs' preparations for the tie. 'And yeah, I'm out here in the cold delivering food.'

Chris Wreh: Striker

There is FA Cup history running through the Wreh family, with striker Chris's father Christopher scoring the only goal for Arsenal in their semi-final win over Wolves on the Gunners' way to winning the competition in 1998.

'I was nearly two at the time,' Chris told Mail Sport in 2021, while playing for Banbury. 'I don't remember much but I've seen pictures of me with the players. My Mum has one of David Seaman holding me up on the bus parade and one of me with the Community Shield.

'I saw some of games later in Dad's career, I've seen the goals and people tell me about him, family members, uncles, and every now and then I bump into Arsenal fans who make the connection and know about him.

'It was a big deal for him to come from such a small place and play football for a club like Arsenal. He came at a time when there were a lot of big names but he tells me he didn't care about the big names because he came to create some history.'

Tottenham have placed a job advert for a new head of their medical department amid the club's ongoing injury crisis.

Ange Postecoglou's side are currently without eight first team players, with a number of key stars facing extended spells on the sidelines.

After being without defensive pairing Micky van de Ven and Christian Romero through injury, the pair returned for the club's clash with Chelsea last month only to both be forced off in the 4-3 defeat.

Meanwhile club No 1 Guglielmo Vicario has been out since November with an ankle injury and Dustin Udogie, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Richarlison are all also unavailable.

The setbacks reportedly led the club to launch a review of their medical department last month, with Postecoglou said to be frustrated by players breaking down after returning from the sidelines.

Following the review, Spurs advertised the role of head of the men's medical department on the business and employment social media site LinkedIn.

Key responsibilities listed include, 'acute intervention', 'rehabilitation', and 'injury prevention'.

The latter responsibility requires that the prospective candidate 'reduce the risk of injury occurrence within the 1st team; including the development of appropriate screening and injury prevention strategies.'

Qualifications required for the role include a physiotherapy degree with the Health and Care Professionals Council, a Masters degree in a relevant area and an 'extensive knowledge in injury prevention methods and recovery'.

Candidates are expected to be, 'champions a culture of high performance and success and commitment to equal' and have a 'pro-active and engaging style'.

A salary range for the role was not listed in the advert.

Tottenham had conducted a previous review into their medical department after the club were blighted by injuries in Postecoglou's debut season.

The review led to the departure of the club's head of medicine and sports science Geoff Scott.

Spurs appointed Brighton's Adam Brett as director of performance services, while former Wales and West Ham employee Nick Davies became head of sports science.

The club currently sit 12th in the Premier League table having won just one of their last eight league games.

Ahead of a Europa League clash with Rangers last month Postecoglou confirmed that club were looking into the issue of players suffering recurring injuries.

He said: 'I never think it's just bad luck. Some of it. I've never lost a goalkeeper for this period of time.

'Some of the other issues that we've had, but some of it is recurring, particularly this year in terms of guys coming back and re-injuring. It's something we're looking at.

'We're always trying to explore whether we can do things better. Last year was different to this year. Last year it hit us across the board. This year it's more guys that are coming back who are affected.

'Knock on wood, we've got a core group who are playing a lot and are getting through it ok. But it is something we are trying to address.'

Rodrigo Bentancur has been pictured back at home with his family after collapsing in worrying scenes during Tottenham's win against Liverpool on Wednesday night.

Bentancur fell to the ground unchallenged during the first half of the Carabao Cup semi-final tie at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and sustained concussion.

The 27-year-old received oxygen on the pitch and was treated by medical staff during an eight-minute stoppage, before being taken to hospital.

Uruguay international Bentancur will miss the next fortnight and three matches in total due to Spurs' need to adhere to the Premier League's strict concussion protocols.

He took to social media in the early hours of Thursday morning to reassure supporters concerned for his wellbeing, saying he was 'all good'.

Two days on from the incident, his fiancee Melany La Banca confirmed he was back at home and shared a touching family photo on her Instagram story.

WARNING: Distressing images below

In the picture, a smiling Bentancur can be seen kissing his daughter on the forehead.

The midfielder and La Banca first met in 2014 during his spell in Argentina at Boca Juniors and have been together since 2015. Their daughter is two years old.

Bentancur's expected return date is against Hoffenheim in the Europa League on January 23, meaning he will sit out against non-league Tamworth in the FA Cup on Sunday and Arsenal and Everton in the Premier League.

As revealed by Mail Sport earlier this week, Tottenham medical staff will make regular home checks on Bentancur over the coming days and he will not be permitted to return to the club's training base until he is given the green light.

'Good news, thankfully,' said Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou. 'He was in the hospital, obviously, and did all the tests in terms of just checking, making sure that everything was okay. He's back home, and he's fine.

'He's feeling good. We will obviously follow the protocols now. I think it's a couple of weeks where you've just got to make sure that everything's okay, but, thankfully, it looks like a concussion but nothing more than that.

'It was distressing, you saw especially Pedro [Porro], he was the first one there, and knew it was a distressing situation. I thought the lads handled it well and our medical team handled it well, and, as I say, thankfully all good.'

Bentancur has already missed eight games through suspension this season.

He will hit with a seven-game ban for making an alleged racial slur against Spurs captain Son Heung-min during a TV interview in Uruguay.

Bentancur also sat out Spurs' 2-1 defeat by Newcastle last weekend after picking up his fifth booking of the campaign the previous week.

Ange Postecoglou will take Tottenham to Tamworth confident no freakish surprises will lurk at The Lamb to eclipse the time he had to clear toads from a pitch in Fiji.

Postecoglou was South Melbourne boss, competing for a place at the Club World Championship in Brazil in 2000.

Manchester United had been granted permission to withdraw from the FA Cup to play in the same tournament, although their route to Rio de Janiero did not contain amphibious hazards.

'We were warming up and there were toads we had to remove which kept jumping on the pitch,' recalled the Spurs boss. 'At the time you're kind of going "Really?" But, when you realise there was a fair bit of money at stake and the opportunity to play at the Maracana against some of the best teams in the world, was quite extraordinary.

'Our president George Vasilopoulos had these worry beads and they got a working out that day, let me tell you. He kept thinking about our bank balance and seeing frogs and toads on the field. It's an experience.'

South Melbourne won through and Postecoglou is well versed in the underdog mentality which will fuel fifth-tier Tamworth when they entertain Tottenham in the FA Cup third round on Sunday.

'We ended up playing at the Maracana against the great Manchester United, who had won a treble, so there was a fair different between us,' said the Spurs boss. 'We lost 2-0 but gave a decent account of ourselves given the difference.

'On the day, some of my players, who were semi-pro but good footballers and probably played the best game of their lives that day. What we're going to face, is probably players hoping to play the best game of their lives on that day.

'That's what I love about the game. It allows people at all levels to dream and it's why the FA Cup is such a great competition. It allows every club, irrespective of level, to dream that the fairytale story could be theirs. I'm on the other side of the fence this time. I want to make sure that we show our capabilities as well.'

Postecoglou will rest players but intends to start with new £12.5million signing Antonin Kinsky in goal after his impressive debut in the Carabao Cup against Liverpool.

'The Czech league shut down in the middle of December,' he said. 'He hadn't played a competitive game in three weeks and he felt a bit rusty. It makes sense to give him another game and get him back in the group playing football.'

Rodrigo Bentancur, carried off with a head injury against Liverpool, will miss the next two weeks in line with concussion guidelines.

'He's had every check and everything was fine,' said Postecoglou. 'He will go through the protocols and we will make sure he is absolutely fine before he starts again.'

The reason for Rodrigo Bentancur's sudden on-field collapse on Wednesday evening has been confirmed.

The Uruguayan midfielder was substituted in the first half of Tottenham's Carabao Cup semi-final first leg clash with Liverpool after a lengthy delay in which the player received treatment on the pitch.

Bentancur fell to the floor with no-one around him in the first-half causing huge concern for his health.

The Uruguayan was subsequently taken to hospital for thorough medical examinations before returning home on Wednesday night.

However an update has been issued from Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou, in which the Australian manager revealed that Bentancur had suffered 'a concussion'.

WARNING: Distressing images below

'Good news, thankfully. He was in the hospital and they did all the tests, just checking everything's okay, and all good, he's back home and he's fine, he's feeling good.'

'We'll follow protocols now and it's a couple of weeks where you just have to make sure everything's okay, but thankfully it looks like a concussion but nothing more.

'It's always distressing. You saw especially for Pedro (Porro) who was the first one there and kind of knew that it was a distressing situation but I thought the lads handled it well and the medical team handled it well, and thankfully all good.'

The 27-year-old had needed treatment on the pitch for nine minutes after his collapse, before he was stretchered off to applause from both sets of supporters.

However the player himself was quick to assuage any concerns over his health on social media shortly after the game.

He took to social media to share an update on his condition with his fiancee, posting: 'All good, guys! Thank you for the messages!!! Congratulations for the victory boys!!!'

He could now face another spell on the sidelines, having already missed eight matches through suspension this season.

Bentancur was hit with a seven-game ban for making an alleged racial slur against Tottenham captain Son Heung-min during a TV interview in Uruguay.

He then sat out Spurs' 2-1 defeat by Newcastle on Saturday after picking up his fifth booking of the season the previous week.

With their team-mate undergoing medical checks, Spurs went on to win the first leg in north London 1-0, Lucas Bergvall striking in the 96th minute to stun the Reds, handing them just a second defeat of the season in all competitions.

Tottenham return to action on Sunday when they face National League outfit Tamworth in the FA Cup.

They then travel across north London to take on Arsenal in a mouthwatering Premier League clash next Wednesday.

The Reds were forced to land in Birmingham before driving the rest of the way

Arne Slot's side suffered a surprise 1-0 defeat by Tottenham in the Carabao Cup

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Liverpool endured a travel nightmare as they attempted to return to base after their disappointing 1-0 defeat by Tottenham on Wednesday night.

Arne Slot's side suffered a rare loss in their Carabao Cup semi-final first leg clash as a controversial Lucas Bergvall goal ensured victory for the hosts.

The Reds boss will have lots to ponder after the match and it appears he'll have plenty of time to do so after their journey back to Merseyside was disrupted by weather.

According to The Athletic, after the match the squad's flight back from London Stansted couldn't land at John Lennon Airport due to icy fog and was instead forced to divert to Birmingham.

From there, they took a team bus back to Liverpool - but it didn't arrive until the early hours and training was subsequently cancelled.

The Reds will be looking to bounce back from the defeat when they return to action on Saturday afternoon, hosting Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup .

Arne Slot's side hadn't suffered defeat since September prior to the Spurs loss and will be hoping to get back to winning ways in their upcoming tie.

Slot was left raging when Bergvall escaped a second yellow card to score Tottenham’s winner in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg.

Reds boss Slot was incensed on the touchline when Bergvall, already on a booking, scythed down Kostas Tsimikas in the build-up to the goal but escaped further punishment.

‘I don’t think there’s any debate about it,’ said Slot. ‘I think I saw Ange sitting here on Saturday 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.’

Before Bergvall's contentious intervention, the two sides had played out a tight encounter at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and it looked set to end goalless after Dominic Solanke saw a goal ruled out for offside midway through the second half.

Yet, in the 86th minute, Bergvall finished superbly following good work from the tireless Solanke to net his first goal for Spurs.

Reds captain Virgil van Dijk also took his ire out on the officials post-match and claimed they must do better.

'I think it was quite obvious it was going to be a second yellow (for Lucas Bergvall),' he added.

'I think it was pretty clear. It was a coincidence and a minute later he scores the winner.

'It is what it is. He (the referee) made a mistake in my opinion and I told him that. He thinks he didn't but it was quite obvious I think and everyone on the sidelines knew it was supposed 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 this is the reason why we lost tonight but it was a big moment in the game.'

Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has posted an update on his condition after suffering a worrying injury in his side's 1-0 win over Liverpool on Wednesday night.

Just five minutes into the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final tie, Bentancur went for a header at the near post from a Tottenham corner but appeared to fall awkwardly and was then left motionless on the pitch.

There was instant concern for the 27-year-old as his team-mates frantically gestured for medics to get onto the pitch to provide treatment.

The medical response was swift and fans inside the stadium were left watching on anxiously as Bentancur was treated for nine minutes before being carried off on a stretcher to applause from both sets of supporters.

Tottenham later confirmed that the Uruguayan had been rushed to hospital for further scans, and Bentancur took to social media in the early hours of Thursday morning to reassure fans concerned for his wellbeing.

A smiling Bentancur posted a photo of himself with his fiancée Melany La Banca alongside the message: 'All good, guys! Thank you for the messages!!! Congratulations for the victory boys!!!'

WARNING: Distressing images below

Bentancur's positive update will come as a relief to fans after he had required lengthy treatment.

It was his first game back after he served a one-match suspension in Tottenham's weekend defeat by Newcastle for picking up five bookings this season.

Prior to that, he had been hit with a seven-game ban for the use of an alleged racial slur towards Tottenham captain Son Heung-min during a TV interview in his homeland of Uruguay.

It remains unclear as to when he will return from his latest setback, but seeing him sitting up in bed and smiling is a welcome sight for supporters.

Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah also needed attention from medics after feeling unwell in the first half of Wednesday's match, which led to there being 11 minutes of stoppage time.

The second half then came to life in the final 15 minutes as Spurs managed to gain a narrow advantage to take to Anfield for next month's second leg.

Tottenham were first denied by a tight offside call after Dominic Solanke thought he had put the hosts in front.

Spurs finally did make the breakthrough in the 86th minute as Lucas Bergvall netted following fine work from Solanke.

Liverpool were left furious after feeling Bergvall should have been sent off just moments earlier for a foul on Kostas Tsimikas when he was already on a booking.

However, Bergvall remained on the pitch and came up with the decisive moment in the game, much to Tottenham and Bentancur's delight.

Tottenham claimed a late victory at home to narrowly give them the edge against Liverpool in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final on Wednesday.

The first-half was overshadowed by a number of injuries which slowed play, the first and most distressing happening just minutes after kick-off when Rodrigo Bentancur had to be carried off on a stretcher after going down in the penalty area.

A nervy, elongated half followed with neither side able to get the better of one another, but Tottenham started the strong in the second, with Pedro Porro coming achingly close to putting the hosts ahead.

Dominic Solanke thought he was the one to finally break the deadlock in the 77th minute, but after his goal was chalked off by VAR, it was up to Swedish starlet Lucas Bergvall to play the hero with his 86th-minute winner - just moments after he nearly picked up a second yellow card for a risky challenge on Kostas Tsimikas.

Here, JAMES SHARPE runs the rule over who shined and who struggled on both sides in north London on Wednesday evening.

Tottenham (4-3-3)

Antonin Kinsky - 8

A shaky moments on debut when he nearly let Gakpo’s long-range shot squirm under him put pulled off a stunning save at the death from Nunez in a fine debut.

Pedro Porro - 6

Wasted two huge chances to put Spurs ahead when Alisson got robbed of the ball. Excellent through ball for Solanke’s disallowed goal.

Radu Dragusin - 6

Saw a big early attempt saved but cleared Alexander-Arnold’s flashing drive off the line in the second half.

Archie Gray - 7

The 18-year-old continues to look so calm and unflustered out of position in a depleted Spurs backline. Kept Jota quiet.

Djed Spence - 7

Always looked to burst forward down the Tottenham flank and will take Salah out of his pocket at some point on Thursday.

Lucas Bergvall - 8.5

Supreme performance and deservedly scored the winner…but should he have been on the pitch to score it?

Yves Bissouma - 6.5

Physical presence but often too physical and was booked for a needless foul on Jota in the first half.

Rodrigo Bentancur - 6

Carried off on a stretcher early in the first half after an awkward fall attempting a diving header but gave an encouraging thumbs up to Ange Postecoglou as he left the field.

Dejan Kulusevski - 6

Frequently picked up the ball in dangerous positions but had a rare night where his final ball was not up to scratch.

Dominic Solanke - 8

Never stops putting in a shift for his team, thought he’d scored but was offside and then set up the winner.

Heung-min Son - 6

Celebrating his new contract by running around a lot, trying to whip balls into the box but to no avail.

Substitutions

Brennan Johnson (for Bentancur, 15) 6.5

Timo Werner (for Son, 76) 6

Manager

Ange Postecoglou - 6.5

Dropped to his knees when Porro missed the two big chances, will be gutted to lose another player to injury.

Liverpool (4-2-3-1)

Alisson - 6

Brilliant low save early on to deny Dragusin from close range but robbed of the ball twice by Bergvall who later buried the winner past him.

Conor Bradley - 7

In for Alexander-Arnold and seized his chance, never shirked a tackle and played the most passes of any Liverpool player before he went off. Madrid calling?

Jarell Quansah - 5.5

Felt the wrath of Van Dijk early on for being sloppy on the ball before going off injured just before the half hour.

Virgil Van Dijk - 7

Spent most of the evening reading the riot act to the lackadaisical defenders around him but purred like usual himself.

Kostas Tsimikas - 6

Summed up Liverpool’s sloppiness at the end of the first half when he passed a simple ball straight out for a throw in.

Ryan Gravenberch - 6

He’s been Liverpool’s midfield all season but for once had little control, looked like he needed a rest.

Alexis Mac Allister - 6.5

Probably Liverpool’s best midfield player but that wasn’t asking much and made way on the hour.

Mo Salah - 5.5

Fired one shot wide from edge of area and put another one over the bar. Maybe he is human after all.

Curtis Jones - 6

Looks neat and composed on the ball but was bypassed time and again as Tottenham and Bergvall cut through the Reds.

Cody Gakpo - 6

In the form of his life for Slot’s side and was once again a constant threat down the left, though could not find the final ball when it mattered.

Jota - 6

Usually so good at dropping in and linking up play but was so careless on the ball and was subbed on the hour.

Substitutions

Endo (for Quansah, 30) 6.5

Nunez (for Jota, 60) 6

Alexander-Arnold (for Bradley, 60) 6.5

Diaz (for Gakpo, 60) 6

Konate (for Mac Allister, 80) N/A

Manager

Arne Slot - 5.5

Usually so calm and collected but cut an animated figure in the dugout as his side kept squandering possession, subs did nothing.

Referee

Stuart Atwell - 6

Nearly booed out of north London when he had to announce Solanke’s disallowed goal over the speakers, Liverpool furious that Bergvall wasn’t shown a yellow card in the build-up to the winner.

Lucas Bergvall scored the winner for Tottenham as they defeated Liverpool 1-0

But the Swede was perhaps fortunate to avoid a second yellow during the game

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A furious Arne Slot was left raging when Lucas Bergvall escaped a second yellow card to score Tottenham’s winner in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Liverpool.

Reds boss Slot was incensed on the touchline when Bergvall, already on a booking, scythed down Kostas Tsimikas in the build-up to the goal but escaped further punishment.

‘I don’t think there’s any debate about it,’ said Slot. ‘I think I saw Ange sitting here on Saturday 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.’

Before Bergvall's contentious intervention, the two sides had played out a tight encounter at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and it looked set to end goalless after Dominic Solanke saw a goal ruled out for offside midway through the second half.

Yet, in the 86th minute Bergvall finished superbly following good work from the tireless Solanke to net his first goal for Spurs.

After being booked in the first half for a sliding challenge on Luis Diaz - although replays suggested the Colombian went down with minimal contact - Bergvall had taken Tsimikas out with another sliding tackle in the second period.

However, Stuart Attwell didn't show Bergvall a second yellow card, with the 18-year-old's goal coming moments after the tackle.

To add insult to injury, Tsimikas was off the pitch waiting to come back on due to the challenge when the Swede netted, with the Reds temporarily down to 10 men.

The Liverpool bench were left fuming, with one member of the coaching staff receiving a yellow card from Attwell for his protests, while Arne Slot was seen remonstrating with the fourth official.

Reds captain Virgil van Dijk also took his ire out on the officials post-match and claimed they must do better.

'I think it was quite obvious it was going to be a second yellow (for Lucas Bergvall),' he added.

'I think it was pretty clear. It was a coincidence and a minute later he scores the winner.

'It is what it is. He (the referee) made a mistake in my opinion and I told him that. He thinks he didn't but it was quite obvious I think and everyone on the sidelines knew it was supposed 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 this is the reason why we lost tonight but it was a big moment in the game.'

Speaking in the Sky Sports studio, Michael Dawson and Jamie Redknapp agreed with the Liverpool pair and were adamant that Spurs had got away with one.

'Stuart Attwell puts himself in a position as I don't think the first one is a yellow card with the one on Luis Diaz,' Dawson said.

'The one thing I would say with Bergvall is that he gives Stuart Attwell an opportunity and a decision to make. Stuart Attwell got that first one wrong, I don't think it was a yellow card.

'The second one, I have no defence for Bergvall, he lunges and catches Tsimikas. If he gets one right and one wrong, you can't even it up.

'Liverpool are punished off the back of that as a few moments later the ball is in the back of the net.

'I can understand Liverpool's frustration. Once the first yellow card is given, you are wanting a second yellow card without a shadow of a doubt.'

Redknapp added: 'You would be fuming (if you were Liverpool). It has a monumental effect on the rest of the game.

'Tsimikas has to come off for treatment leaving Liverpool with 10 men. He comes off for 30 seconds, so not only is Bergvall on the pitch but they have to play with 10 men and you can see it changes the shape of the team

'A brilliant bit of play from their (Spurs') perspective but if you are a Liverpool coach, player and fan, you are wondering why he is on the pitch and our left back isn't.'

However, despite the general consensus that Spurs were lucky, Postecoglou was adamant that the correct decision had been made, pointing to a little-known rule.

He said: 'He wasn’t (lucky). People misinterpreted 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.'

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Spurs had earlier been denied by VAR when Solanke’s goal was ruled out for offside and referee Attwell made history by announcing the decision over the stadium speakers.

‘If it is offside, you don’t need to explain anything,’ said Slot. ‘Everyone saw it on the screen. It would be more interesting for everyone why he didn’t explain the second yellow card than why he cancelled the goal.’

Meanwhile, Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur was sent to hospital after he suffered a worrying injury early in the game.

Bentancur appeared to be knocked unconscious after hitting his head on the ground six minutes in before medics and team-mates rushed to help before he was stretchered from the field after eight minutes of treatment.

Bentancur gave a thumbs-up from the stretcher to Postecoglou as he left the field.

‘I’m not going to speculate but it was a head injury and there was concern from players out there. He was conscious when coming off the field and been taken to hospital,’ said Postecoglou.

The Spurs boss then went on a rant about VAR but admitted the luck had gone in his side’s favour this time.

‘I am surprised at how people in this country are so easily letting the game change so much so quickly,’ he said.

‘I thought more people would be protecting the sanctity of the game. You guys think you are custodians of the game. You sing It’s Coming Home, yet it takes an Aussie from the other side of the world to speak up. Today it advantaged us. Just leave the game alone for a bit.’

The victory was a crucial one for Postecoglou, with the result Spurs' first win in five matches amid a monumental injury crisis.

They will hope to take confidence from the performance over the next few weeks, before the second leg of the tie takes place at Anfield on Thursday, February 6.