Liverpool manager Arne Slot has confirmed the reason for Jarell Quansah's early substitution in the Reds' 1-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final.
The 21-year-old replaced Ibrahima Konate for the trip to North London, partnering Virgil van Dijk as part of a much-changed backline alongside Conor Bradley and Kostas Tsimikas.
After Rodrigo Bentancur's worrying head injury in the first few moments, Quansah's race was also run with just 30 minutes played, as the centre-back sat down inside his own box in evident discomfort before being replaced by makeshift centre-back Wataru Endo.
There was no immediate indication of a lower-body concern for Quansah, who instead appeared to be struggling with an issue in the rib/abdomen area, but Slot has allayed fears of an injury.
Speaking to reporters in his post-game press conference, the Dutchman confirmed that Quansah had to come off due to "pressure" on his chest, possibly related to an illness he has been battling recently.
Slot confirms Quansah change due to illness
© Imago
"He didn't feel really well, so from the moment the game started until the moment we had to take him off, he felt a pressure, I think he said on his chest," Slot said.
"It went so fast: he came off and the game started again, so I have to ask him exactly, but he said he didn't feel really well. It was not an injury, more not feeling really well.
"In the last few days he was a bit ill but we thought he was on his way back, but maybe that had something to do with it. I have to ask, but it had nothing to do with an injury."
Following Quansah's substitution, Liverpool succumbed to a controversial winner from Spurs teenager Lucas Bergvall, who scored the decisive goal just a few moments after escaping a potential sending-off.
The 18-year-old was already on a yellow card when he took out Tsimikas, but on-field referee Stuart Attwell did not brandish the red, sparking furious reactions from the Reds bench and captain Van Dijk at full time.
Slot: 'No debate about Bergvall red card'
© Imago
Slot was inevitably asked for his take on Bergvall avoiding a sending-off, which he claimed there was "no debate" over, and the Liverpool boss also theorised that Attwell himself was bewildered at the midfielder scoring in the immediate aftermath.
"I don't think there is any debate about that," Slot said when asked if Bergvall should have taken the walk of shame. "In the moment 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% sure I wasn't the only one who felt not the best [when the goal was scored]. I am 99.9% 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."
Liverpool will endeavour to overturn their 1-0 deficit when Spurs visit Anfield for the second leg on February 6, but their immediate attention turns to Saturday's FA Cup third-round clash with Accrington Stanley.
Ben Knapton
