Lucas Bergvall's late strike stuns Liverpool in controversial Tottenham victory

The match, held at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, was overshadowed by a controversial decision that left Liverpool boss Arne Slot furious.

The decisive moment came in the 86th minute when Bergvall, who had escaped a second yellow card minutes earlier, converted Dominic Solanke's pass for his first goal in a Spurs shirt.

Bergvall had tripped Kostas Tsimikas with a sliding tackle earlier in the move, but referee Stuart Attwell opted against issuing a second booking, allowing play to continue.

Slot did not hold back in his criticism of the decision. "The referee's choice had a significant impact on the outcome," he said. "The fourth official explained it wasn't a second yellow because they didn't stop the counter-attack.

"Every manager would prefer a second yellow in that situation over an advantage."

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou defended the referee's decision. "Was it a red card? No, it wasn't," Postecoglou said.

"Officials have told us that unless it's a cynical tackle, advantage is played, and no card is shown. To me, it was clear."

The victory provided relief for Postecoglou, whose injury-hit side are enduring a turbulent season.

Rodrigo Bentancur's first-half head injury added to Tottenham's woes, but the team showed resilience. "I'm very proud," Postecoglou said. "We had to deal with adversity again. Losing Rodrigo in such distressing circumstances was tough, but the players stayed composed."

Liverpool, who suffered their first defeat in 24 matches under Slot, struggled to find their rhythm. Despite dominating possession, they failed to capitalise on opportunities, including Trent Alexander-Arnold's effort cleared off the line.

Slot remained optimistic about the return leg at Anfield on 6 February. "If you're going to lose, it's best in a tie with a second leg," he said. "We know what we need to do at Anfield."

Tottenham's narrow win gives them a slight advantage as they look to end a 17-year wait for silverware, while Liverpool must regroup to overturn the deficit in the decisive second leg.

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