Key events
It’s a classy goal, all the work of two players who have been terrific today. Elliott robs Emerson Royal, moves the ball back onto his left foot and curls an excellent cross to the far post. Gakpo towers over Romero and powers an accomplished downward header to the right of Vicario. He did really well to get that much power on it.
GOAL! Liverpool 3-0 Tottenham (Gakpo 50)
And it’s goodnight from Spurs.
48 min Van de Ven is booked for something or other; I think the referee played the advantage before that Salah chance.
47 min Early opportunities at both ends. Quansah steps in front of Son on the edge of the area, a crucial intercepton, and moments later Salah shoots too close to Vicario after a fast break.
Salah could have a field day in the second half.
46 min Liverpool begin the second half.
“Sure Liverpool have been decent,” says Peter McLeod, “but is there any team in the league that’s easier to play against than Spurs right now? Opposition goes into any game against us confident they’ll score. By the way I’m still 100% pro-Ange.”
There’s always one team that goes on an early holiday, usually after a disappointment. Who could forget Man Utd’s glorious run in spring 1989, when the only goal they scored in almost 12 hours of football was a shank over his own keeper from Tony Adams.
“RIP Bernard Hill,” says Paul Griffin. “Boys from the Black Stuff, Titanic, Lord of the Rings. What a career. But I am not sure he could have carried off Souness’s look of innocence in Simon McMahon’s clip (39 mins). Genuine effrontery as his opponent lies writhing in agony with Souness’s footprint on this solar plexus.”
Solar plexus? Which medical school did you go to?
Half-time reading
Half time: Liverpool 2-0 Tottenham
Vicario charges a long way from his area to beat Mo Salah to a through ball. That’s the last touch of an increasingly one-sided half. Spurs started really well but then Liverpool started to pick them apart.
The recalled Mo Salah looked in the mood from the odd and headed Liverpool ahead in the 16th minute. After a number of near misses, Andy Robertson tapped in the second just before half-time.
45+2 min Liverpool have had 13 shots, eight on target. Spurs have hado one, none on target.
45 min Two minutes of added time.
Alexander-Arnold’s cross picked out his mate Robertson at the far post. He half-volleyed it back across to Salah, whose shot was saved very well to his right by Vicario. But Robertson had kept running and tapped the loose ball into the net from a few yards.
GOAL! Liverpool 2-0 Tottenham (Robertson 45)
It was coming, and there it is.
44 min Sarr is booked for stopping Liverpool from taking a quick free-kick.
42 min Romero’s inadequate pass goes straight to Elliott on the edge of the area. His shot is blocked by Romero, who has done that part brilliantly in the first half. Mac Allister fizzes the loose ball across to Alexander-Arnold, who cuts inside and shoots over from the edge of the area.
40 min Alexander-Arnold’s sweet strike from 20 yards is blocked by Emerson Royal, then Diaz sends a scissor kick wide of the far post.
Big Ange picked a bespoke team with Liverpool’s intensity in mind, but even with six legs in midfield they are struggling to cope.
39 min “For some reason,” says Simon McMahon, “a YouTube search for Yosser Hughes / Graeme Souness results in this. And this. A genuine attempt to play the ball of course.”
Oh aye, it was genuine. The only question is whether it should be singular or plural.
37 min A second goal is coming. Mac Allister’s cutback is desperately cleared by Spurs, then Gakpo shoots straight at Vicario from 25 yards. Liverpool have been excellent; they look like they’re having fun.
36 min Salah’s cross is headed up in the air by Romero. Robertson backpedalls to lash a volley that is headed away by Romero. Gakpo appealed for handball but I’m pretty sure it was head first. Had he missed it with the noggin he’d have been in trouble though.
34 min As for the penalty appeal, replays show that Gakpo made a lot of what we are now contractually obliged to call minimal contact. That said, had the penalty been given on the field I’m not certain the decision would have been overturned.
33 min Gakpo goes flying in the area after a challenge from Van de Ven. Anthony Taylor waves his hands really wide to signal that it’s not a penalty.
Spurs break, then Liverpool break again. Diaz clips a superb ball through to Salah, who controls it on the run and is about to shoot when Emerson Royal knocks the ball behind for a corner. Excellent defending.
32 min Spurs need to get Kulusevski, their craftiest player in the absence of Maddison, into the game more. At the time their possession is a bit sterile.
30 min Liverpool are getting a lot of joy down their right, not least because Emerson Royal is [don’t you dare make that rhyme – Ed] playing out of position at left-back.
29 min Sarr makes an important tackle on Alexander-Arnold, who had beaten Emerson Royal with ease on the left edge of the area (Spurs perspective).
Moments later, Salah flicks a dangerous cross towards Diaz that is headed behind by Romero.
27 min Spurs are in danger of losing their way after a strong start to the game. Liverpool have been comfortable since going in front.
24 min Robertson’s inswinging corner is held well by Vicario. He needed that after the week he’s had.
23 min Bissouma blocks Gakpo from getting in Vicario’s face. Alexander-Arnold’s excellent corner is headed behind for another by Romero…
22 min Diaz wriggles through Van de Ven’s challenge in the area before Vicario denies him with what is essentially a block tackle. Good goalkeeping, but the upshot is a corner for Liverpool.
21 min Liverpool are playing some bright football after a slow start, and for now they look far more penetrative than Spurs.
19 min The lively Diaz is crumped by Bissouma, whose next foul will probably be a yellow card.
Mo Salah has looked sharp from the first whistle and now he has put Liverpool ahead. Gakpo cut inside from the left and teased a beautiful cross to the far post. Salah ran off Emerson Royal and strained his neck muscles to force a header through the left hand of Vicario.
Vicario should have done better, seeing it again. His weight was on the wrong foot, his right, which is why Salah managed to sneak the ball past him at the near post. Even so, it was a well worked goal.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Tottenham (Salah 16)
Welcome back!
15 min Spurs keep the ball for 30 seconds or more until Johnson flashes a terrific ball right across the face of goal. Clive Allen would have gobbled that up.
14 min Salah slaps a shot against the near post, though he was well offside.
13 min “Looking forward to another regulation handsome win/untidy draw/shock home defeat for the Scousers today,” says Jeremy Boyce. “But who could blame them for any of those, given that the entire city, red and blue, will be mourning one of their mutual greats, I’m talking Bernard ‘Yosser Hughes’ Hill, a man who single-handedly made the Scouse accent and attitude a thing of beauty. I was always impressed by his mate Shake ‘Ands’; watch out for the post-match shakes.”
I’ve been trying to find the clip of him with Graeme Souness but I really need to start watching the game properly.
12 min At the other end Johnson clips a dangerous cross towards Kulusevski that is well cleared by Robertson. This game is really open, and lots of fun.
9 min: Double chance for Liverpool! The game has come alive. Sarr loses the ball in a dangerous area to Elliott, who plays in Salah. His shot from a tight angle is kicked away by Vicario, then Elliott’s follow-up is cleared off the line by Romero.
8 min: Salah hits the bar! It was a cross with the outside of the boot that swerved over Vicario and hit the face of the crossbar. Moments later, Salah looked set to score from Gakpo’s header when Van de Ven stuck out a leg to clear.
6 min Spurs have made a smooth start, passing the ball around with their usual verve and optimism. Early days and all that but they look good.
4 min “On the subject of Salah and Klopp, Alan Shearer wrote a pretty good column for The Athletic about the similarities between Salah’s benching last week and when he was sat down by Sir Bobby Robson at Villa in 2004,” says Joe Pearson. “I wouldn’t normally point your readers elsewhere, but the column is really quite insightful.”
Point away; we’re all grown-ups here, eh? EH?
3 min Alexander-Arnold fouls Son on the left wing, almost in line with the edge of the area. Porro’s free-kick is headed away and Bissouma launches a shot into orbit.
2 min Spurs are in the wide-awake club, with Porro winning an early corner after a long passing move. He takes it, Van Dijk heads clear.
1 min Spurs kick off from left to right as we watch.
A reminder of the teams
Liverpool (probable 4-3-3) Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, van Dijk, Robertson; Elliott, Endo, Mac Allister; Salah, Gakpo, Diaz.
Substitutes: Gomez, Konate, Szoboszlai, Nunez, Jones, Gravenberch, Bajcetic, Kelleher, Bradley.
Tottenham Hotspur (possible 4-3-3) Vicario, Porro, Romero, van de Ven, Emerson; Sarr, Bentancur, Bissouma; Kulusevski, Son, Johnson.
Substitutes: Skipp, Hojbjerg, Dragusin, Richarlison, Maddison, Gil, Lo Celso, Austin, Moore.
Referee Paul Tierney (Lancashire)
Jarell Quansah on Liverpool’s season
The dressing room is full of winners and people who want to win – we won [the League Cup] this year as well and from there we are in a different place to others
Ange Postecoglou chats to Sky Sports
This is the most challenging part of the season for us. You’ve gotta be up for it, because in 12 months’ time maybe there’ll be a different challenge and we’ll need to be up for that. The players understand that it’s not easy to do what we’re trying to do, but they need to be up for it.
It’s a massive test today. But what a great opportunity for us to go out and try and play some football.
[On the switch to three in midfield] We’ll need some legs today. Look it’s a short turnaround and we’ve got a couple of guys who are a little bit sore. I’m sure there’ll be some intensity and energy early in the game, and we wanted to make sure we get the balance right.
I try to step back every now and then and have a look at the broader picture. This group of players have done awfully well this year. Sometimes I think I’m too hard on them, but I do that for a reason.
“Why are Spurs so bad at buying players for £40-60m that aren’t worth half that?” wonders Andrew Hurley.
I was going to make a levy joke, but those pesky proper nouns and their need for capitalisation mean it’ll never work.
“In-form Chelsea?” sniffs Phil Grey. “Don’t you mean inconsistent Chelsea, Rob? They’ve won one away game in 2024, very recently got thumped by Arsenal and failed to beat Burnley and Sheffield United. They’ve only crept up the table because Man United, Wolves, Brighton and Fulham have suffered dips in form while Chelsea have remained their usual inconsistent selves.”
Well, they’re in the top four of the form table, which in some cultures constitutes being in form.
Jurgen Klopp chats to Sky Sports
[Can you enjoy the last few games now the pressure is off?] Yeah, I can. It’s more difficult for the boys – we can just stand here and think, ‘What are we playing for really?’ I know you need a reason or a spark to give your all. We’ve tried to do that. We’ve had a good week – we trained intensely, how we should, and prepared the boys.
Tottenham are a tricky opponent with a specific way of playing. You cannot just play against them – “let’s have a look” – or they will go through you and cause you massive problems.
I’m in a good mood, this is my penultimate home game and I’m looking forward to it.
[On Mo Salah’s return] He had a really good training week. That’s what we all want and what he wants, so there was absolutely no doubt he would start today.
Full time: Brighton 1-0 Aston Villa
It’s always a triumph when an MBM preamble is out of date before the match has kicked off. Spurs might be back in the Champions League race after Aston Villa lost 1-0 at Brighton. It means Spurs are seven points behind Villa with two games in hand. One of them is against Manchester City, so they probably need to win today to have a realistic chance of finishing fourth.
No mas
Premier League latest
In-form Chelsea are battering West Ham in their 2pm game. The match between Brighton and Aston Villa is goalless. But it might not be for long: a penalty has just been awarded. Clickity click click click.
Spurs won the return fixture 2-1 back in September, though that game will always be remembered for the goal that wasn’t.
Team news: Salah starts, Richarlison dropped
Mo Salah replaces Ryan Gravenberch, the only change from Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at West Ham. That means Harvey Elliott will move back into midfield.
Ange Postecoglou also makes one change: Rodrigo Bentancur comes in for Richarlison, which probably means Son Heung-min will play up front.
Preamble
Misery loves company, so it’s only right that Liverpool and Tottenham should meet today. After seven months of optimism, even euphoria at times, their seasons have turned to dust. Liverpool are out of the title race after dropping 10 points in the last five games; Spurs are out of the Champions League race after haemorrhaging 11 points in the same period. If they’re not careful they could miss out on the Europa League as well.
Liverpool will be keen to put on a show in Jurgen Klopp’s penultimate game at Anfield. Stricly speaking they need a win to stay in the title race, though reality has already bitten on that score. In the grand scheme, finishing third and winning a trophy – especially in such a feelgood manner – represents a good season for a team who were in transition even before Klopp announced his departure.
Spurs have had a fine season too: they’ve rediscovered their identity, found a long-term manager and doubled down on the tactical tweak du jour. Like Liverpool, they’ve been badly hit by injuries. And like Liverpool, they probably aren’t in the mood to celebrate the 2023-24 season just yet.
Kick off 4.30pm.
