Bergvall was the centre of attention with a confident, classy, feisty – Liverpool would suggest too feisty performance in midfield.
This was a landmark moment for the young Swede, creative and competitive as he made the most chances of Spurs’ players – three from open play, as well as scoring the winner.
Bergvall finished emphatically past Alisson with four minutes left, joining illustrious company as, at 18 years and 341 days, he is the club’s youngest League Cup scorer since Gareth Bale, who was 18 years and 72 days when he scored against Middlesbrough in September 2007.
The £8.5m paid to Djurgarden in February 2024 – before loaning him back to the Swedish club for the rest of the season – already looks a snip. On a performance like this, just his fourth start for the club, it is easy to see why Barcelona also wanted to sign him.
Just as remarkable was the story of Kinsky, who only got his work permit on Monday after arriving from Slavia Prague but was thrown straight in by Postecoglou, who is without injured Guglielmo Vicario and Fraser Forster, choosing the youngster ahead of Brandon Austin.
Kinsky showed remarkable confidence with the ball at his feet, completing one catch after a neat juggle early on, always willing to take the positive option – although he escaped in the first half when he slipped as he went to collect Cody Gakpo’s routine shot.
And he responded superbly when put to the test as Liverpool finally applied pressure late on, dashing from his goal to block Darwin Nunez’s angled shot before making his best save of the night, reacting to dive away to his right to turn away the striker’s header in the closing seconds.
It was a dream introduction, admittedly a gamble by Postecoglou but one that worked, the keeper falling into the arms of sister Andrea for an emotional lengthy embrace at the final whistle as tears were shed, with his father, Antonin snr. – a former Czech international keeper – also watching on.
