Arne Slot had a brilliant response when questioned over the latest VAR trial in the aftermath of Tottenham‘s controversial winner in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final.
Liverpool’s second defeat of the season came in controversial circumstances, with Tottenham‘s Lucas Bergvall scoring just moments after he ought to have been shown his second yellow card.
At the time of the goal, Kostas Tsimikas was still not on the pitch after requiring treatment from Bergvall’s challenge – a double insult to injury that left Slot and Co., rightly, fuming.
It dominated post-match discussions and Slot had a brilliant response when asked about the VAR announcement trial in his press conference.
He said: “It would be more interesting for everyone if he would have explained why he didn’t give a second yellow card than explaining why he cancelled the goal, because that’s what everyone could see.
“I know that’s not the rule, VAR was, of course, not involved in the yes or no for the second yellow.”
Ange Postecoglou will brush off the controversy despite only just complaining himself, but it was a significant oversight and Slot was quick to tell Sky Sports that “the decision he (referee Stuart Atwell) made had a lot, a lot of impact on the result tonight.”
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It was undeniably a second yellow card, with Slot adding: “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 there is a tackle being made 40 yards away from our goalkeeper, to get a second yellow card for the other team than to finish that counter-attack with a player less.
“In the VAR decision, he had to tell everyone what the decision was, unfortunately, he didn’t have to do this with this decision.
“Things happen, very unlucky for us. The good thing for us is if you ever have to lose a game it is better to lose one where there is still a second leg to play.”
‘Luck doesn’t level out across the season’
The controversy will continue to be dissected but Slot is not expecting good luck to come his way after the incident as he is not a believer that it levels out across a season.
“It was a good goal, let that be clear,” Slot started. “Ball in-behind, cutback cross and Bergvall stayed really calm and finished it off.
“But I don’t think you’re interested in that, I think you’re interested in the moment before.
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“When I just walked in I was thinking, I saw Ange sitting here on Sunday and I thought something happened and I think Spurs weren’t happy with a few decisions that were made.
“Many people always say this will eventually match up at the end of the season, I’m not one of them that believes that because you can be lucky in a season or unlucky.
“On Sunday a decision went against them, maybe today a decision went in favour of them, which is very unlucky for us.
“I never felt we were going to lose this game, especially not after the first 15-20 minutes because I did feel Spurs started the game better than us.
“But after that, in my opinion, we had most of the control of the game and played most of the game in their half and had much more ball possession.
“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 is far from ideal.”
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