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Ange Postecoglou lauded Tottenham's defiance in the face of adversity after suffering another concerning setback before its last-gasp win over Liverpool.

Spurs snatched a slender 1-0 advantage in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg, thanks to Lucas Bergvall's 86th-minute strike at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Postecoglou's side will take a narrow lead back to Anfield next month in the return leg, though the victory came at a cost as Rodrigo Bentancur left the pitch on a stretcher after just six minutes.

Bentancur fell to the ground while unchallenged inside the Liverpool box, requiring lengthy medical attention before Spurs confirmed the midfielder was conscious and being taken to hospital for an assessment.

"Obviously I don't have all the information but my understanding is he is conscious and they've taken him to hospital to get checked," Postecoglou said. "It is worrying but from what I know at this stage he'll be okay."

Radu Dragusin had seen a close-range effort repelled by Alisson just moments after Bentancur went down when stooping low to attack a right-sided corner.

The midfielder's injury saw Brennan Johnson take his place, with Spurs adding another injury to their growing list that Postecoglou referenced before the match, saying he was missing 10 first-team players.

Australian Postecoglou was delighted with how his side coped with another setback, though, comparing the quality that Arne Slot could call upon from his bench.

"We're having to deal with adversity all the time. We started the game awfully well, and almost scored just before [the Bentancur injury]," he said.

"Then we lose a key player in those kinds of circumstances. But all my players are resilient and they keep going, and they did that today.

"It's incredible when you think that we've got a couple of 18 year-olds out there playing out of position. A left-back who's not a left-back and a goalkeeper making his debut. 

"The boys gave everything we had to work hard. They put on some significant talent and we can't make those changes. But the guys kept going and we got a deserved goal out of it."

Tottenham has never lost any of its seven Carabao Cup semi-final first legs when playing at home.

The win over Liverpool puts Spurs one step closer to the final against either Newcastle United or Arsenal, though Postecoglou acknowledged the job is far from complete.

"It is only half-time and going to Liverpool is not easy but just that feeling of having a victory against a really strong opponent I want the players to feel good about it," he said.

As for references to always winning a trophy in his second season at a club, Postecoglou remains defiant.

"People can keep mocking me about it but we will see," he said.