Former Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) chief Keith Hackett has suggested that Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk could have been sent off during the League Cup semi-final second leg against Tottenham Hotspur.

The incident occurred when Van Dijk clashed with Richarlison in the third minute, leaving the ex-Everton player on the ground clutching his face. Referee Craig Pawson halted the game but did not consider the incident a foul. Replays revealed that the Liverpool captain's arm had made contact with Richarlison's face.

The video assistant referee (VAR), Michael Salisbury, reviewed the challenge where both players were vying for the ball. Richarlison, however, felt that he had been elbowed by the Liverpool defender.

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Hackett also conceded that Liverpool were lucky to keep all 11 players on the field. "There is no doubt that Virgil van Dijk can count himself very, very fortunate to have used arm, or elbow, against his opponent and come away with no sanction," he told Football Insider.

"This was, at the very least, reckless and should have been a minimum yellow card; it bordered on excessive force. But I think I'd just give him the benefit of the doubt and go yellow, not red."

If Van Dijk had been given a straight red card for violent conduct, he would have been absent from Sunday's FA Cup fourth-round match against Plymouth Argyle, the midweek Merseyside derby at Goodison Park versus Everton, and next weekend's game against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield. However, Richarlison exited the game before Van Dijk due to an unrelated injury in the first-half added-time.

Liverpool's captain remained on the field long enough to net the fourth and final goal of the evening, heading in a corner from Alexis Mac Allister. Arne Slot made five substitutions in the last 20 minutes, one of which saw Mac Allister come on for Curtis Jones, while the final change brought Jarell Quansah on for Van Dijk to finish the match.

Liverpool.com says: Van Dijk could have been sent off but it would have been slightly harsh. A yellow card and a foul would have made the most sense, but the referee didn't even see it has that.