Obtuse Spurs thwart Liverpool title challenge

 

A strange topsy-turvy week for the Reds, making unnecessarily hard work of seeing off weak opposition standing in their way of a third Champions League final in five years, but eventually getting the job done, coming from two down to beat Villarreal 3-2 on the night and 5-2 on aggregate; then failing to pile pressure on Manchester City – who exited the Champions League the following evening in heartbreaking and exhausting fashion against Real Madrid – by putting in a below par performance against an obtuse Tottenham side, only managing a draw against the North Londoners.

In fact, Liverpool’s performance against Spurs was so nervous and rushed that the Reds were lucky to come away with a point.

Antonio Conte’s team held its own in the first half, soaking up Liverpool pressure without conceding many chances and taking the lead on 58 minutes after some smart play down the Liverpool right between Harry Kane and Ryan Sessegnon ended with Son Heung-Min tapping the ball into the Liverpool net from four yards out.

A fluke, deflected goal from a Luis Diaz shot put Liverpool level on 74 minutes but Tottenham – despite needing three points to challenge Arsenal for the fourth Champions League spot and looking like they had the wherewithal to overcome the Reds – resorted to feigning injury and other time-wasting tactics seemingly satisfied with the one point and thwarting Liverpool’s title challenge.

This self-defeating approach may have allowed Tottenham fans to gloat that they had a decisive impact on the destination of the league title but it will probably result in Spurs playing in the Europa League next season. Arsenal’s defeat of Leeds 2-1 today means the Gunners are now four points ahead of their bitterest rivals and they can go into next Thursday’s North London derby knowing they can afford to lose to Spurs and still be in command of their destiny in the fight for fourth.

As for Liverpool, dropping points to Tottenham would’ve revived Man City spirits as they looked to recover from the shock of being knocked out of the Champions League so dramatically by Real Madrid.

And, indeed, Pep Guardiola’s men took full advantage of Liverpool’s slip up yesterday by hammering Newcastle 5-0 at the Etihad, to go three points and four goals in goal difference ahead of Liverpool.

To win to the title, Jurgen Klopp’s men now require a small miracle, involving Man City dropping at least three points – in games against West Ham, Wolves and Aston Villa – and Liverpool winning the rest of their games, against Aston Villa, Southampton and Wolves. It looks unlikely, if not desperate.

Still, Liverpool have two finals to look forward to in their pursuit of silverware: the FA Cup final against an out-of-form Chelsea next Saturday at Wembley, while on the 28 May in Paris, Liverpool will play Real Madrid and hope to win their seventh European Cup and gain revenge for Los Blancos having humiliated Liverpool at the same stage in 2018.

Shambolic officiating costs Liverpool at Spurs

This must have been one of the worst refereeing performances from all officials – referee, assistant referees and VAR – ever in the history of football. Countless stupid decisions were made that affected both teams, although Liverpool will have more to complain about than Tottenham.

 

The Reds came into the game without Virgil van Dijk and Fabinho again because of Covid and Thiago Alcantara joined the list of players who’ve succumbed to the pandemic, while Jordan Henderson was also out because of a non-related Covid illness. 

 

In came James Milner and Naby Keita in midfield to play alongside Premier League debutant Tyler Morton, who has previously impressed in League Cup and Champions League games.

 

The inexperienced midfield and centre back partnership of Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate looked vulnerable in the first part of the game as Tottenham found it easy to break the lines and find themselves in on goal. Alisson Becker made early saves and a last minute lunge and block from Konate kept Harry Kane out.

 

But it wasn’t long before Spurs did score. On 13 minutes, a through ball in between Konate and Andy Roberston – who stepped up too late and played Harry Kane onside – found the England captain in on goal and he slid the ball into the corner of the net, beyond the outstretched hand of Becker who perhaps showed too much of his goal to Kane.

 

Pumped up from scoring, Kane was then guilty of a reckless studs-up challenge on Robertson. Referee Paul Tierney showed the Spurs striker a yellow but on replay it was clearly a dangerous, out-of-control challenge that caught the Liverpool defender. All expected VAR Chris Kavanagh to refer the referee to the pitch side monitor to upgrade the yellow to a red but, inexplicably, VAR did not see what everyone else saw, which was that Tierney had made a clear and obvious error and Kane should have been off for an early bath.

 

Liverpool’s fury at the injustice was compounded when Diogo Jota was assaulted in the area by Emerson Royal, pushed and kicked by the Spurs defender as he went to strike the ball. Again, inexplicably, Tierney saw no foul and, even more bizarrely, VAR did not see fit to alert the referee to his clear and obvious error.

 

For his protests at Kane not seeing Red and Jota not getting a spot kick, Jurgen Klopp was booked.

 

In between these catastrophic and laughable decisions from the officials, Liverpool managed to equalise on 35 minutes – a Robertson cross brilliantly headed in by Jota from eight yards out.

 

Liverpool continued to threaten in the second half and create chances, though Spurs actually had the clearer opportunities, Son, Dele Alli and Kane all missing golden opportunities, the England captain missing a header from two yards out.

 

On 69 minutes, Liverpool deservedly went ahead. Pinball in the Spurs area ended with Trent Alexander Arnold driving the ball across the box and Robertson stooping from three yards out to nod the ball into the net. Tottenham were furious that earlier in the phase of play, a handball wasn’t given against Mo Salah, but the goal was allowed to stand.

 

Spurs had a reasonable shout for a penalty after a clumsy challenge from Joel Matip on Son – a foul in any other part of the pitch – but it wasn’t given. Still, on 74 minutes, a horrific error from Becker – who throughout the game wasn’t his calm self, rushing out unnecessarily on several occasions – in which he fluffed a standard clearance from an overhit through pass to Son, going to ground, then missing the ball entirely, allowing the Spurs striker to slot into an empty net and level the scores.

 

Becker’s horrendous error, which allowed Spurs back into the game, put Liverpool players on edge and Roberston let out his rage by hacking Emerson Royal. It was a challenge far less brutal than Kane’s earlier yellow card tackle and, initially, Tierney gave the Scot the right punishment, only for VAR to recommend he go to the pitch side screen to review whether the card should be upgraded to a red. Again, after several reviews, and bearing in mind that Kane’s far worse tackle was only given a yellow, everyone was expecting Tierney not to change his mind; but he did and Liverpool were down to 10 men.

 

Fortunately for Liverpool, they held on for the draw and had Kostas Tsimikas – who had come on after the sending off – put in a better cross with Salah waiting to strike in the middle, then the Reds could have come away with an unlikely three points.

Liverpool return to form with 3-1 win over Spurs

 

An excellent performance from Liverpool saw them defeat top four rivals Spurs 3-1 and put the Reds back into the title race, having slipped down the table just as main contender Manchester City have gone on an imposing run that, even after tonight’s game, has them four points ahead with a game in hand.

Sadio Mané should have put Liverpool ahead after 90 seconds, but blazed a chance over the bar when he was through on goal.

From the restart, Spurs went up the other end of the pitch and after a simple ball over the top of Liverpool’s makeshift centre back partnership, Joel Matip – who came back into the side in place of the injured Fabinho after having missed the defeat to Manchester United in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday – and Jordan Henderson, Son put the ball past goalkeeper Allison Becker, only for VAR to rule the goal out for a marginal offside – Son’s heel was the guilty bodily part.

Liverpool had another lucky break when Spurs’ top striker Harry Kane suffered not one but two ankle injuries – Kane has a history of ankle injuries that have caused him to miss large parts of the season for club and country – that made him immobile for most of the half and his substitution at half-time was inevitable.

Robert Firmino deservedly put Liverpool ahead in first-half injury time, tapping in a cross from Mané, which both Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris and centre-back Eric Dier made a mess of.

Lloris was also at fault for Liverpool’s second goal, scored by Trent Alexander Arnold within a minute of the second-half restart. Mané shot well from the edge of the area but Lloris turned what should have been a comfortable save into a disaster when he clumsily pushed the ball out to the Liverpool right-back who rifled the ball into the back of the net.

The goal and Lloris’ mistake infuriated Spurs manager José Mourinho, whose body language suggested that Liverpool’s second goal had killed the game, only for an instant response from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg to improve his mood. The Dane's rocket from outside the area, after some neat build up play from Spurs, and a calm layback from Steven Bergwijn, put Spurs back in the game and all seemed set for a compelling to and fro.

Except Spurs didn’t seem capable of pushing on, taking advantage of the withdrawal of Joel Matip at half-time and exploiting his replacement, the inexperienced Nat Phillips.

On 55 minutes, Firmino held the ball up on the half-way line, feeding the superb Thiago Alcantara  who found Mané who squared for Mo Salah to blast the ball into the back of the net and the game seemed over. VAR reprieved Spurs when Firmino was found to have used his hand in the build up; but the writing was on the wall: as Spurs pushed forward looking for an equaliser, Liverpool’s play was good enough to suggest a third goal was inevitable.

And on 65 minutes, a wicked cross from Trent Arnold Alexander had Spurs’ centre-back Joe Rogan at sixes and sevens, not knowing whether to kick or head the ball clear and ending with the hapless defender chesting the ball into the path of Mané who didn’t miss the chance.

Next up for Liverpool is in-form West Ham, followed by a home game against Brighton, then a possible title-decider against Man City at Anfield. The injuries to Matip and Fabinho mean Liverpool’s centre-back problems continue to deteriorate.

Fantastic Firmino heads Liverpool to last-minute winner

There were only 2,000 fans inside Anfield to celebrate Roberto Firmino's 90th-minute winner for Liverpool against Tottenham Hotspur, but the noise that the small crowd generated told you everything about the importance of the Brazilian forward's late header. Firmino knew too, as his celebratory run deep into his own half attested, while manager Jurgen Klopp's traditional post-victory fist-pumping tribute in front of The Kop produced almost as much energy as the night he went crazy after that famous Champions League semifinal win against Barcelona.

The fans, Firmino and Klopp celebrated in a big way because they all knew that this 2-1 victory carried great significance in what is likely to be a much closer title race than Liverpool's procession to the championship last season.

Read more here

Firmino strike secures win against Spurs

Reds overcome Spurs with Salah penalty

There can be little doubt that Liverpool and Tottenham have gone in opposite directions since they met in the Champions League final in June. Liverpool won on that strangely underwhelming occasion in Madrid and they have since pressed harder, taking a stranglehold on the Premier League. Spurs, by contrast, have endured all manner of setbacks – both on the field and off it with regard to team building.

On a pulsating Anfield occasion, Liverpool emphasised the gap in quality, playing with a breathless front‑foot intensity and, for long spells, threatening to tear Spurs apart. The chances that they created were plentiful and clear-cut and it was all that Mauricio Pochettino’s players could do to cling on. They did cling on – throughout a first half that they led through Harry Kane’s goal on 47 seconds and until the 75th minute, when Liverpool’s only reward for their dominance had been Jordan Henderson’s 52nd-minute equaliser.

Read more here.

Sturridge: past defeats spurred Reds on to Champions League glory

Daniel Sturridge has described how the “heartache” of past European final defeats proved an invaluable lesson for Liverpool’s Champions League triumph in Madrid.

The Liverpool striker, who will leave as a free agent this summer, has witnessed several cup final defeats and Premier League title near-misses during six and a half years at Anfield. He admits the experiences have left a lasting pain but also helped Liverpool to prepare for Saturday’s final and maintain composure when put under pressure by Tottenham.

The 2016 Europa League final, when Liverpool led Sevilla 1-0 at half-time thanks to Sturridge but lost 3-1, was mentioned during the interval on Saturday before Jürgen Klopp secured the first trophy of his Anfield reign.

Read more here.

Champions League victory creates new Liverpool legends

And so, back into the red. In the end it seemed fitting that Liverpool should win this Champions League final through an effort of shared will. This was a night when the gears refused to click, the circuits rarely sparked, and when taking that last step was always likely to be matter of spirit and bloody-minded certainty.

How do you make a champion team? At the final whistle in Madrid, as the air seemed to fizz and crackle and the red and white shapes melted into the green, Jürgen Klopp hugged Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson to his chest, his great beaming, bearded face looming over them like a proud father of twins.

Liverpool’s full-backs have been a dual-track express train this season, making every part of this team function a little easier. They seem both deeply Liverpool and deeply Klopp too, a local lad with a midfielder’s range of passing and movement and an upwardly mobile Scot fed with that strange red-shirted fury, echoes of the great teams of the pre-modern era.

Read more here.

Last-minute winner keeps Reds' title challenge going

Just as it appeared Liverpool were in danger of throwing it away in this swirling Anfield wind, Tottenham’s Toby Alderweireld inadvertently nudged the ball over his own goal-line. Liverpool went back to the top of the Table.

That came in the 90th minute, soon after Moussa Sissoko had missed the kind of gilt-edged chance that surely he had take and which would have meant Spurs ran out winners rather than Liverpool who, once again, are two points clear having played a game more than City.

It came as the ball was swung in deep with Mohamed Salah directing a header goalwards. It bounced off Alderweireld and trickled over the line to spark remarkable scenes of relief and celebration. Just how crucial, how big will that moment prove to be?

Read more here.

Klopp lauds Reds performance against Spurs

Jurgen Klopp described Liverpool’s performance in the 2-1 win at Tottenham as their best so far in a perfect start to the season.

Georginio Wijnaldum and Roberto Firmino struck either side of half-time at Wembley to make it five wins in as many games for last season’s Champions League runners-up.

Erik Lamela pounced in second-half injury time to cause a few nervous moments within a late Spurs fightback, but Liverpool dominated throughout and should have finished emphatic winners.

“For me the performance was better than the result. But the result is the most important thing and the result is perfect because winning here is so difficult,” Klopp said.

Read more here.

Liverpool put down marker with Spurs win

All the talk was of what a difference a year has made for Liverpool, but just as relevant is what a difference one result has made.

The 2-1 win away to Tottenham Hotspur has completely changed the outlook of the next few weeks, that involve a few games that could dictate and condition so much of the rest of the season.

Because, although there had been understandable excitement about Liverpool opening their season with four wins from four, it had been tempered by the knowledge it would be immediately followed by a very tough run. A run involving Spurs away, Chelsea away and Manchester City at home, with a Champions League opener against Paris Saint-Germain in the middle to further complicate things and demand even more from them, to sap that energy just a bit more.

Read more here.

Match highlights: Tottenham Hotspur 1 v 2 Liverpool

Reds defeat Spurs to maintain perfect start

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said his side deserved their "big result" as they beat Tottenham to win a fifth straight league game at the start of the season for the first time since 1990.

The Reds emerged impressively from their biggest test so far at Wembley with a victory that was far more emphatic than the final scoreline suggests and keeps them level on points with Chelsea, who are top of the Premier League table on goal difference.

Georginio Wijnaldum scored his first away league goal since joining Liverpool - technology adjudging his header to have crossed the line despite the attempts of back-up Spurs keeper Michel Vorm to clear.

The visitors were dominant almost throughout and doubled their advantage after 54 minutes when Roberto Firmino scored from on the line after Jan Vertonghen turned Sadio Mane's cross on to his own post.

Read more here.