Arne Slot says he would be "surprised" if Trent Alexander-Arnold featured in Liverpool's Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Tottenham, live on Sky Sports, after the defender limped off injured against Bournemouth on Saturday.

Alexander-Arnold was forced off with a muscle injury during the second half of Liverpool's 2-0 win at the Vitality Stadium.

Liverpool host Tottenham on Thursday, looking to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit.

Speaking in his post-match press conference, Slot said: "He (Trent) asked me if he could come off and then he went down.

"He felt something, I can't tell you exactly what it is because it is only now an hour after it happened but it is never a good sign if the player is asking for a substitution.

"I would be surprised if he plays on Thursday but let's hope he is back as soon as possible."

Mo Salah's double ensured Liverpool strengthened their place at the top of the Premier League table, opening up a nine-point gap at the summit.

"It was the game we expected," Slot added. "They (Bournemouth) are so intense, they keep running and keep fighting every second. I said before the game, we were 3-0 up at Anfield at half-time and they kept going. We had to play at the top of our abilities and needed luck to win this game.

"They hit the bar or the post two times and they were constantly trying to force things. They had other chances as well and I don't think we actually controlled the game. It was an open and even game which everyone has here, because all the teams struggle here."

The league's top scorer Salah, as so often during this wonderful Liverpool season, was the difference, scoring a penalty in the first half and a brilliant solo goal in the second to secure his team's 17th win in their 23 games, but along the way Bournemouth put up a real fight.

Things did not go the home side's way during a first half in which they hit the post, had a goal disallowed and fell behind following a contentious penalty award.

Iraola's side came at Liverpool early. Alisson was alert to deflect behind Justin Kluivert's near-post drive following a poor defensive header from Alexander-Arnold, the closest either side came to scoring in the opening 20 minutes, before Antoine Semenyo left Liverpool's goalframe quaking with a bullet effort against the woodwork.

It was from a quick transition, the kind at which Bournemouth have excelled this season, that Liverpool won their penalty.

Cody Gakpo seemed to have got clear of Lewis Cook as the pair chased a long ball into the home side's box. The Liverpool player tripped, though there was more than a suggestion that he may have stumbled over his own foot. VAR upheld Darren England's on-field decision, and from the spot Salah slipped the ball just beyond the dive of Kepa for 1-0.

Slot believes there was no reason for Gakpo to go to ground inside the box when presented with a clear goalscoring opportunity.

"Online there's always controversy, especially from fans that are probably not in favour of Liverpool," the Dutchman said when it was mentioned a social media storm had ensued.

"The only thing I can say is, and I haven't seen it back, is that one of my players is on a clear one-vs-one to the goalkeeper, and he's falling down.

"So either he makes a 'schwalbe'... Is that an English word? A dive? Either he makes a dive... It's a German word. Either he makes a dive, or they touch him, and if they touch him, then for me it's a penalty.

"And if then it would not have even been a chance, you're always like, 'yeah, is this really a penalty then?'. But this was such a clear one-on-one chance, that if he touched him, which I assume he did, otherwise the VAR would have probably interfered."

When pressed further on the first-half incident, Slot added: "I can come up with three, four, five examples where we didn't have the luck we deserved, or we didn't get the decision we deserved.

"But that's always the difficult thing in football. If there's one in your favour, people will probably tell you, there's always that luck for Liverpool, or for the one that's number one at the moment. So, yeah, for me, this has nothing to do with luck.

"It's a clear one-vs-one. And I can tell you if Gakpo goes one-vs-one to the goalkeeper, it's quite a big chance as well. Yeah, if you are then tripped.

"It is a penalty and it's not like it's a penalty from a little push from a set-piece and it wasn't even a chance. So, I wouldn't call this luck unless I see it back and I see he didn't touch him at all. Yeah, then it was not luck, then it was a wrong decision by the referee and the VAR, but I assume that that was not the situation."

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola feels the decision went against his side, making reference to the inconsistency that is unavoidable across the course of a full campaign.

"For me, if you take this penalty, it can go both ways," he contested. "It's probably a slight touch, I haven't seen the play, but with Lewis [Cook], he trips after a slight touch.

"But I would just say, Evanilson against Brentford, exactly the same play. I would say even that one is more clear. So I accept, you call that one, you call this one, perfect.

"You don't call that one, you don't call this one, perfect. You don't call one and you call the other, then I have to complain."