Rodrigo Bentancur injury latest: Ange reveals Tottenham star was concussed as he gives health update after horror injury
ANGE POSTECOGLU has provided an update on Rodrigo Bentancur after the midfielder suffered a horror injury on the pitch during Tottenham's Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg win over Liverpool.
The Spurs midfielder appeared to slam into the turf after going for a header at a corner, with his arm also bending the wrong way as he landed - Ange has now confirmed that Bentancur was "concussed but nothing more than that."
Following treatment by medics inside the Liverpool box, Bentancur was carried off the pitch after a worrying seven-minute delay and was rushed to hospital.
Spurs went on to record a battling 1-0 win as Lucas Bergvall scored his first goal for the club, while new keeper Antonin Kinsky kept a clean sheet on his debut after being thrown straight into the mix.
Late on Wednesday night, Bentancur shared an image on Instagram of him and his girlfriend smiling.
The midfielder confirmed he was "all good" with a thumbs up and praised his side for their win over Liverpool.
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VAR CHECK
They are just going to check for offside against Dominic Solanke.
Ohhhh it's a tight one....
AGAINST HIS FORMER SIDE!
Second half view of SunSport's Jack Rosser at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Liverpool's changes have made them look much more dangerous in the last few minutes.
Kinsky did well to save from Nunez, who is causing a bit of trouble.
Alexander-Arnold has also started well after coming off the bench fresh from being savaged following Sunday's game.His first pass was a fine ball over the top and he was unlucky not to get a goal with that incredibly powerful strike.
74 - Tottenham 0-0 Liverpool
The pros and cons of Timo Werner.
He runs away from Trent Alexander-Arnold at pace and driving towards the edge of the area.
He works it into the area and onto his left foot and with bodies to pick out in the area, he fires into the side-netting.
72 - Tottenham 0-0 Liverpool
Spurs are forced into another change as Son hobbles off.
- OFF: Son
- ON: Werner
71 - Tottenham 0-0 Liverpool
Sensational defending from Dragusin as Alexander-Arnold looked to have opened the scoring!
The right back is following in as Liverpool attack down the left and the ball in works its way to TAA.
He unleashes a strike from the corner of the area which zips low beyond the keeper and Dragusin retreating onto his line clears it off the line. The follow-up strike drops a yard wide.
70 - Tottenham 0-0 Liverpool
HUGE chance for Darwin Nunez, who is played in at an angle inside the box with just the keeper to beat.
Kinsky is quick off his line and manages to block the effort and Spurs get it to safety.
Another good moment for the new boy - another poor finish from the Uruguayan.
69 - Tottenham 0-0 Liverpool
Speaking of Bergvall, he's been shown a yellow card after wiping Diaz out on the touchline.
It looked a wild sliding tackle and he was nowhere near the ball.
Replays show he didn't actually touch Diaz either, who threw himself over the midfielder and to ground.
66 - Tottenham 0-0 Liverpool
A cross is flashed across the Spurs area and Dragusin can't sort his feet out and lets it fly through him.
It falls to Diaz but he can't get a shot away and his ball into the area hits Bergvall and falls kindly to his keeper.
63 – Tottenham 0-0 Liverpool
Superb from Archie Gray as he is first to the loose ball on the edge of his own box.
Great composure as he skips by two challenges before zinging a pass with the outside of his foot to Kulusevski. The move breaks down but yet more tidy work from the young man.
58 – Tottenham 0-0 Liverpool
Triple Liverpool change as Arne Slot rings the changes but it's strong replacements...
- OFF: Bradley, Jota & Gakpo
- ON: Alexander-Arnold, Nunez & Diaz
59 – Tottenham 0-0 Liverpool
Son is left in a heap in the middle of the park after a crunching Bradley tackle.
Liverpool play on and Salah receives it wide on the right.
His high, looping cross is heading in but Kinsky does well to palm it down and collect at the second attempt.
55 – Tottenham 0-0 Liverpool
HOW ARE SPURS NOT AHEAD!!! OH MY WORD!
Bergvall sprints to shut down Alisson who manages to escape the midfielder's press with great fortune.
The keeper is then dilly-dallying on it and Bergvall gets back up and takes it off his toes where Porro strikes towards goal, forcing Van Dijk to block.
It lands back at a Spurs player and then Porro is slipped in with just Alisson to beat and opts to dink the keeper, sending it wide!
53 – Tottenham 0-0 Liverpool
Yes, I'm still here. There's just been heehaw to write about at the start of this second half.
50 - Tottenham 0-0 Liverpool
Great chance for Liverpool and close to the opener and no surprise to see Salah and Gakpo involved.
The former collects the ball wide on the right and works the ball onto his left foot, sending a deep, curling ball to the back post where Gakpo has crept unchallenged but he can't jump high enough to meet it and it drifts behind.
RESTART
Back underway for the second half.
No further substitutions at the interval.
Back out
Spurs are out and in a huddle as they wait for Liverpool to appear.
The visitors do come out a few minutes later and we're just about ready to go again.
Further Bentancur update
Spurs have released a short statement, revealing the midfielder is 'conscious and talking' and is on route to hospital for further tests.
That is terrific news and fingers crossed the tests all go well for him too.
They posted on X: "We can confirm Rodrigo is conscious, talking and will go to hospital for further checks."
Half time numbers
The stats from the opening 45 minutes, which show a real upturn in the numbers from Liverpool in that last 15 minutes.
They're now leading in shots at goal, possession and passes after a slowish start to the game.
They're still in second gear at the moment too, so Spurs will need to be wary.
Half time view of SunSport's Jack Rosser at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Both sides have struggled to recover from the early Bentancur injury, which understandably sapped the atmosphere from the stadium.
Neither side have settled well, but Liverpool look way off their best.
The Reds have been wasteful on the ball, turning possession over to Spurs far too regularly.
Rodrigo Bentancur update
Sky Sports say Bentancur was accompanied by the club doctors into the dressing room after being stretchered off and remains there with them.
At half time, Mark Chapman said: “The latest we have on Rodrigo Bentancur after that awful looking injury is that when he was stretchered off he was accompanied by doctors to the dressing room and he’s still in there with the doctors.
"That's the only update we have at the moment."
Rodrigo Bentancur - what we know
We're still awaiting an update on Rodrigo Bentancur after the worrying scenes of the first half.
The midfielder stooped to meet a corner after six-and-a-half minutes and it looked like he simply just missed the ball as Spurs kept the attack going.
Pedro Porro acted quicker than anyone, sprinting over to help his team-mate before players from both sides frantically waved on medical help.
Sky Sports were quick to come away from the live pictures before later showing the midfielder receiving oxygen before being transferred to a stretcher and taken off the field some eight minutes or so later.
HT! Tottenham 0-0 Liverpool
A surprising score line at the break.
45+9 – Tottenham 0-0 Liverpool
Having said that, Spurs then go on the break as Kulusevski finds Spence in room.
He finds Son on the left but he has to work to keep it in, so his loopy cross is too high for Bergvall who can't get any purchase on his header.
45+7 – Tottenham 0-0 Liverpool
Gakpo again goes for goal, this time from a tight angle out on the left but he's well, well off target.
Liverpool don't want this half to end at the minute.
