Arne Slot Post Game Press Conference Tottenham Hotspur | Everything You Need To Know
Liverpool lost 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final tie.
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The Reds were emphatic 6-3 winners when the two teams met in the Premier League in north London back in December, however, a lone strike from Lucas Bergvall four minutes from the end of normal time settled the affair at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Tottenham now hold a slender advantage ahead of the Anfield return on February 6.
After the game, Arne Slot spoke to the media.
Slot was asked about the winning goal for Tottenham coming with his team briefly down to 10 men after Bergvall's challenge on Kostas Tsimikas
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"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."
When asked about 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.' So they still have to give a yellow.
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"In the VAR decision, he had to tell everyone what his decision was and 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."
Slot was asked about 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."
When asked about 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."
Slot was asked about 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 stays calm with referee decisions! Although I do think they have the wrong opinion about me over there when it comes to refereeing decisions! The decision is made, you can't change it. 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."
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LFC Transfer Room Football Correspondent. Covered the fortunes of Liverpool for the past three years. Follow Joseph on X (formerly Twitter) @joseph_agbobli