Liverpool returned to winning ways and dealt a blow to Tottenham’s Champions League hopes as they claimed a 4-2 win at Anfield.
Goals from Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson, Cody Gakpo and Harvey Elliott gave the Reds a deserved 4-0 lead that seemed to pave the way for victory.
But Spurs picked up goals twice in quick succession through Richarlison and Son Heung-min, ensuring the hosts had to fight for their points in a somewhat nervy finish.
How the game developed
Despite coming into the game on a three-game losing streak, it was the visitors who looked best in the early encounters, but after a spell of possession dominance produced few real chances, Liverpool showed their own danger when Salah accidentally scored the pole with a cross.
The Reds’ growing momentum was then further underlined as only a block from Cristian Romero on the line prevented Elliott from scoring the opening goal.
Tottenham’s resistance was finally broken when Gakpo drifted left and turned a delicious cross onto the post, which Salah headed home.
From there, Liverpool took complete control and continued to go close as Luis Diaz fired an acrobatic effort wide before Elliott parried a save from Guglielmo Vicario.
And the inevitable second goal came just before half-time when Robertson fired in from close range after Vicario had parried away a low shot from Salah.
Liverpool started the second half in a similar way and were soon 3-0 up when a classic Jurgen Klopp press situation allowed Elliott to punt the ball for Gakpo to head the ball into the goal.
The provider of that goal then became the scorer when Elliott cut forward on the right and fired a wonderful curling shot into the top corner.
That seemed to be the end of the points and a resounding victory, but a moment of slack allowed Brennan Johnson to ease Richarlison into an easy entry.
Nerves frayed when Son fired home after a break from Richarlison following renewed disarray in the Liverpool defense, but the Reds ultimately held firm to stave off any hopes of a dramatic comeback.
TW: Alisson – 6/10 – He was hardly troubled until late in the second half when he conceded two goals that he could do little about.
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold – 6/10 – His incredible passing range was key to Liverpool’s threat, but he struggled defensively as Tottenham recovered towards the end.
CB: Jarell Quansah – 7/10 – Another performance from the young player with great composure who appears to have overtaken Ibrahima Konate in the pecking order.
CB: Virgil van Dijk – 6/10 – I will be frustrated with how Liverpool conceded those two goals in the second half.
LB: Andy Robertson – 8/10 – When he was substituted, Liverpool missed his energy and threat. To top off a good performance, I scored a deserved goal.
DM: Wataru Endo – 6/10 – A solid, if unspectacular, performance that helped Liverpool control the middle of the park. Won his battles.
CM: Alexis Mac Allister – 6/10 – He was a little more wasteful with the ball than he would have liked, but was rarely outdone in a one-on-one as the Reds dominated the middle.
CM: Harvey Elliott – 9/10 – He scored a great goal, set up a goal with a wonderful cross and was generally Liverpool’s biggest threat. A good performance that justified his starting place.
RW: Mohamed Salah – 7/10 – He took his goal well and constantly sneaked in behind Tottenham’s defense to create danger.
ST: Cody Gakpo – 8/10 – Was perhaps a surprise starter ahead of Darwin Nunez, but took the first set and scored a brilliant header to make it 3-0. Will definitely keep its place now.
Left: Luis Diaz 7/10 – Not quite as involved as Salah or Gakpo, but he consistently passed the ball and always worked back.
Substitute
SUB: Joe Gomez (65′ for Robertson) – 6/10
SUB: Stefan Bajcetic (65′ for Endo) – 5/10
SUB: Ryan Gravenberch (75′ for Mac Allister) – 6/10
SUB: Darwin Nunez (75th for Diaz) – 5/10
Substitutes not used: Caoimhin Kelleher (TW), Conor Bradley, Ibrahima Konate, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones.
Manager
Jurgen Klopp – 7/10 – He set his side up to dominate a dangerous opponent, but his substitutions gave Tottenham some momentum late in the game.
TW: Guglielmo Vicario – 5/10 – He had a weak wrist for the opening goal and will probably be disappointed that he didn’t hold onto the ball for the second goal either.
RB: Pedro Porro – 4/10 – Incredibly relaxed in possession and a combination of Diaz and Gakpo provided a tremendous defensive performance.
CB: Micky van de Ven – 5/10 – His pace occasionally proved useful in fending off counterattacks, but Liverpool continually picked apart Tottenham’s defense.
CB: Cristian Romero – 5/10 – Arguably Tottenham’s best defender, as an early block off the line shows, but he couldn’t do enough to stop the hosts’ upset.
LB: Emerson Royal – 3/10 – Didn’t stop Liverpool from wreaking havoc on his flank and his day ended with him giving the ball away cheaply in the build-up to Liverpool’s third goal.
DM: Yves Bissouma – 4/10 – Didn’t do nearly enough to protect his back four as Liverpool found it far too easy to find space in the area he was supposed to patrol.
CM: Pape Matar Sarr – 5/10 – He was part of a midfield unit that dominated from start to finish, with his inability to win duels being a deciding factor.
CM: Rodrigo Bentancur – 5/10 – Won more of his battles than his midfield colleagues, but was also more relaxed in possession.
RW: Dejan Kulusevski – 4/10 – Had very little impact on proceedings before becoming addicted just after the hour mark.
ST: Son Heung-min – 7/10 – By far the busiest of Tottenham’s starting attackers and scored the late goal his efforts deserved.
LW: Brennan Johnson – 5/10 – He rarely troubled Liverpool’s defense before moving to the right side from where he set up Richarlison’s shot.
Substitute
SUB: James Maddison (61′ for Kulusevski) -7/10
SUB: Oliver Skipp (61′ for Bentancur) – 6/10
SUB: Richarlison (61′ for Royal) – 7/10
Substitute: Giovani Lo Celso (75th minute for Sarr) – 6/10
Substitutes not used: Brandon Austin (TW), Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Radu Dragusin, Bryan Gil, Mikey Moore.
Manager
Ange Postecoglou – 6/10 – Changed the game from the bench, but in truth it was all too late.