Liverpool 2-1 Tottenham: Mohamed Salah’s penalty seals win for Reds
Liverpool needed two second-half goals to come from behind to beat Tottenham at Anfield and restore their six-point lead at the top of the table.
Harry Kane scored within 48 seconds of kick-off and keeper Paulo Gazzaniga pulled off a number of impressive saves to give Spurs a 1-0 lead at half-time.
Jordan Henderson equalised six minutes after the break before Mo Salah thumped the winner from the penalty spot.
Liverpool’s unbeaten run at home extends to 45 league games.
- Reaction to Liverpool’s victory
- Rate the players
In a repeat of June’s Champions League final, Liverpool came out victorious and have dropped just two points in the Premier League this season.
They were made to work for it – needing several big chances to score before Henderson eventually slotted his half-volley into the far corner early in the second half.
That came moments after Son Heung-min had smacked the crossbar for the second time in the match – his first effort was nodded in by Kane from seven yards out for the opener.
But Liverpool’s pressure eventually took its toll when Serge Aurier caught the back of Sadio Mane’s leg and gave away a penalty, which Salah smashed past a stationary Gazzaniga with 15 minutes left.
Gazzaniga heroics not enough
Liverpool finished the first half a goal down despite having had 10 shots on target and 76% of possession.
That was largely down to Gazzaniga’s excellent display for Spurs – the keeper making 12 saves.
His first big save came after 20 minutes when Salah’s half-volley was hit straight at him before the Egyptian struck another shot which he palmed away.
Gazzaniga got back to his feet to block the rebound from Roberto Firmino and then tipped Virgil van Dijk’s header over the crossbar – all in the first 30 minutes.
Trent Alexander-Arnold joined in on the action, again being denied by Gazzaniga, before Mane missed the biggest chance of the half – skewing a header wide from just a few yards.
But the Spurs keeper, filling in for the injured Hugo Lloris, could do nothing about Henderson’s equaliser or Salah’s penalty which flew past his outstretched left leg.
What it means for the title race
It’s a huge victory for Liverpool, having dropped their first points of the season at Old Trafford against rivals Manchester United last weekend.
They went into this game having not lost at home in the Premier League since April 2017 and with only one defeat in their last 48 Premier League matches.
Second-placed Manchester City had cut their lead at the top of the table to three points following their 3-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday.
The two teams go head-to-head next month at Anfield, when Liverpool will hope to make it 46 matches undefeated at home.
As for Spurs, they drop out of the top 10 with just three wins in their opening 10 games and sit 16 points behind the league leaders.
No Spurs revenge for European heartache
While Salah needed two minutes to score Liverpool’s opener in last season’s Champions League final, Kane did it in half the time at Anfield.
The Tottenham striker was first to react when Son’s strike deflected off Dejan Lovren’s head on to the crossbar.
Kane became only the third player to score inside 60 seconds in a Premier League game and his goal silenced the crowd who sang ‘we are the champions of Europe’ at kick-off and held banners reminding their opponents of June’s result in Madrid.
But Spurs were second best for the majority of the game, though Son presented a threat on the counter-attack and could have made it 2-0 when he rounded Lovren and Alisson, only to smash his effort against the crossbar again.
Tottenham are winless in their last nine away games against Liverpool in the league and have not won at Anfield since May 2011.
Man of the match – Paulo Gazzaniga (Tottenham)
‘It was impossible!’
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp to BBC Match of the Day: “I really liked the way we played against really tough opponents. It was a wonderful game of football, it’s how you wish games should be. The boys delivered. We had chance after chance and the keeper had sensational save after sensational save.
“At half-time I said this game had only one problem – the scoreline. When Tottenham had the ball their counter-attacks were incredible. We won the game and deserved it.”
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino to BBC Match of the Day: “We tried in the last 10 or 15 minutes and had chances but it was impossible! I’ve got no complaints about the penalty. You can have your own opinion. It was a fair reaction.”
On Gazzaniga’s performance: “He made some good saves but for sure he is so frustrated and disappointed because we lost.”
Beating the top six – the best of the stats
- Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 10 Premier League games when conceding the first goal at Anfield (W7, D3), winning each of the last six.
- Tottenham are without a win in their last 11 Premier League away games (D2 L9), and last endured a longer run between May 2000-January 2001 under George Graham (14 games).
- There have been 23 penalties in Premier League fixtures between Liverpool and Tottenham, two more than any other fixture in the competition.
- Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 20 Premier League games against ‘big six’ opponents at Anfield since a 1-0 defeat by Man Utd in January 2016 (W12, D8), winning their last six in a row.
- Gazzaniga made 12 saves in the Anfield defeat, the most by a goalkeeper in the Premier League since David de Gea versus Arsenal in December 2017 (14).
- Jordan Henderson scored his first Premier League goal at Anfield since he netted against West Brom back in December 2015, 1414 days ago.
- Serge Aurier has conceded four penalties in 48 games in all competitions since his Tottenham debut in September 2017; no Premier League player has given away more.
- Kane’s first-minute opener for Spurs was his 150th goal involvement in the Premier League in his 191st appearance in the competition (131 goals, 19 assists).
What’s next?
Liverpool welcome Arsenal to Anfield on Wednesday in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup and are back in action in the Premier League on 2 November when they travel to Aston Villa.
Tottenham are away at Everton in the Premier League on Sunday, 3 November.
Line-ups
Liverpool
Substitutes
Tottenham
Substitutes
Match Stats
Live Text
Match ends, Liverpool 2, Tottenham Hotspur 1.
Full Time
Second Half ends, Liverpool 2, Tottenham Hotspur 1.
Attempt saved. Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham Hotspur) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Danny Rose with a cross.
Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Joseph Gomez.
Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. Divock Origi replaces Roberto Firmino.
Foul by Roberto Firmino (Liverpool).
Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt saved. Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Tanguy Ndombele.
Booking
James Milner (Liverpool) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
James Milner (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Moussa Sissoko (Tottenham Hotspur).
Attempt missed. Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Tanguy Ndombele.
Substitution
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Giovani Lo Celso replaces Christian Eriksen.
Hand ball by Fabinho (Liverpool).
Attempt saved. Tanguy Ndombele (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from more than 35 yards is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Toby Alderweireld.
Foul by Joseph Gomez (Liverpool).
Lucas Moura (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. Joseph Gomez replaces Mohamed Salah because of an injury.
Substitution
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Lucas Moura replaces Serge Aurier.
Attempt missed. Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Danny Rose with a cross following a set piece situation.
Foul by Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool).
Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Offside, Tottenham Hotspur. Tanguy Ndombele tries a through ball, but Son Heung-Min is caught offside.
Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Andrew Robertson.
Offside, Tottenham Hotspur. Tanguy Ndombele tries a through ball, but Son Heung-Min is caught offside.
Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Andrew Robertson.
Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. James Milner replaces Georginio Wijnaldum.
Foul by Sadio Mané (Liverpool).
Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal!
Goal! Liverpool 2, Tottenham Hotspur 1. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the bottom right corner.
Penalty Liverpool. Sadio Mané draws a foul in the penalty area.
Penalty conceded by Serge Aurier (Tottenham Hotspur) after a foul in the penalty area.
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Danny Rose.
Booking
Tanguy Ndombele (Tottenham Hotspur) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Fabinho (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Tanguy Ndombele (Tottenham Hotspur).
Attempt blocked. Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Mohamed Salah.
Attempt missed. Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Serge Aurier with a cross.
Attempt missed. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) left footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Trent Alexander-Arnold with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Son Heung-Min.
Source: Read Full Article