Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou said VAR had changed football more than anything else in the last 50 years and English football should better protect the sport as the “guardian of the game”.

The 59-year-old was speaking after Wednesday’s 1-0 Carabao Cup semi-final first leg win over Liverpool, secured by Lucas Bergvall’s 86th-minute winner.

Bergvall was lucky to be on the pitch having recently escaped a second yellow card for a late tackle on Kostas Tsimikas, on a night also memorable for the first VAR call in the stadium by a match official .

Referee Stuart Attwell was heard over the sound system confirming that Dominic Solanke’s 77th-minute goal had been ruled out for offside. This is the latest innovation that attempts to make football decision-making more precise and transparent.

And Australian-born Postecolgou said: “I’m really surprised at how people in this country so easily allow the game to change so much so quickly. It’s changed more since VAR came into play, since I’ve been there, than in the last 50 years.

“We’ve never discussed offside, we’ve never debated handballs, we’ve never discussed staying in the penalty area, we’ve never discussed so many things and it seems like… I mean, did everyone really like the announcement? ” Today?

“Did that really cause a stir for you? I mean, seriously. My understanding of this is that it is what people want. I’m told that over and over again. I understand that and I understand that VAR will be there, technology will be a part of life, but it’s like with my wife and our children.

“We are comfortable with technology, but it limits screen time. Why? Slow it down, I think. We just have to be careful and constantly ask ourselves why we want to change the game so much, and I know I do.” I’ll be the old guy in the stands that yells “Boo” every time, and I will be the only one.

“But I just thought people would be a little more protective of the sanctity of the game. I think there is a lot of confusion at the moment. I believe the game is changing based on technology, and that’s what I’m saying. Why isn’t anyone talking about this?

“Especially in this country where you feel in every way that you are the keeper of the game, you have a song that says ‘It’s coming home’, this is your game, and yet it takes.” An Australian from the other side of the world is seen as the most conservative towards change.”

Postecoglou admitted he sympathized with Liverpool coach Arne Slot’s frustration over Attwell’s decision against Bergvall, but said the decision was literally the right one.

“We’ve been told this constantly over the last few weeks, because I’ve been shouting about it from the sidelines, because a lot of our teams have gotten away with a lot of fouls, without a yellow card, because the referee takes advantage,” he continued.

“We were constantly told that if we took an advantage, the player would not be cautioned as long as it was not a cynical foul. Today I can understand why Arne would be very disappointed, if it were me I would do it.” Be disappointed too, but apparently those are the rules.