Even the backups have struggled for availability as an illness ravaged through the dressing room.Head coach Ange Postecoglou has insisted a team must remain professional and push forward with what they have.

Tottenham Hotspur battled Liverpool in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semifinal at home, but it was Spurs' mascots that stole the show.

Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has questioned the referee's decision to not hand Tottenham Hotspur's Lucas Bergvall a second yellow card before the 18-year-old scored the winning goal in the Carabao Cup semifinal between the side.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has spoken out about Lucas Bergvall's controversial winner for Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup semi-final.

Viewers were in hysterics in the build-up to Tottenham’s Carabao Cup semi-final with Liverpool as a young mascot made the cheekiest of attempts to tap up Virgil van Dijk in the tunnel.

Liverpool Carabao Cup Semi-final 1st Leg Player RatingsThe Carabao Cup semi-finals started with a north London bang last night, as Arsenal lost 0-2 at home to Newcastle in the first

Bergvall, 18, topped off a brilliant performance by curling his effort past Alisson Becker in the 86th minute, but many feel – including Van Dijk – that he should have been off the field of play for two bookable offences before he had the chance to score the winner.

Tottenham's injury crisis is not lost on one of their young mascots, who made a proposition to Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk before Wednesday night's Carabao Cup semi-final

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk believes it was "pretty clear" Lucas Bergvall should have been sent off moments before scoring the winner for Tottenham against the Reds on Wednesday night. Bergvall struck an 86th-minute winner to earn Spurs a 1-0 victory over Liverpool and a slender advantage after a cagey Carabao Cup semi-final first leg.