Liverpool 4 – 2 Tottenham

Liverpool beat Tottenham 4-2 at Anfield to sentence the guests to a fourth consecutive loss which leaves their hopes of Champions League qualification hanging by a thread.

The Reds have been rampant for the opening hour, with Mohamed Salah, again within the aspect following his touchline spat with Jurgen Klopp towards West Ham, heading them in entrance early on earlier than Andrew Robertson added a second on the stroke of half-time.

Cody Gakpo then nodded Liverpool’s third after the break earlier than Harvey Elliott punished extra poor Tottenham defending with a surprising fourth from lengthy vary quickly afterwards.

Ange Postecoglou’s aspect rallied to halve the deficit due to objectives from substitute Richarlison and Heung-Min Son.

However ultimately it was one other painful afternoon for Spurs, who’ve misplaced 4 Premier League video games in a row for the primary time in 20 years and stay seven factors behind fourth-placed Aston Villa with solely three video games left to play.

For Liverpool, out of the title race in third place, the consequence not less than raises hopes of a optimistic end to Klopp’s closing marketing campaign in cost.

How Liverpool overpowered poor Spurs

Salah’s return to the Liverpool staff was the dominant speaking level forward of kick-off and the Egyptian was within the thick of the motion from the beginning, hitting the bar with a cross-shot and seeing a low effort repelled by Guglielmo Vicario earlier than he scored the opener.

His header, from Cody Gakpo’s cross, was well-taken on the far publish however it was poor from Tottenham’s perspective, with makeshift left-back Emerson Royal leaving him unmarked.

Liverpool continued to focus on the Brazilian, with Salah receiving loads of assist from Trent Alexander-Arnold and Elliott. Their second objective, after Spurs had survived a succession of different Liverpool possibilities, got here from one other assault down that aspect.

Robertson cleverly directed Alexander-Arnold’s cross into the trail of Salah initially, and when the winger’s low, first-time effort was parried by Vicario, the left-back was readily available to transform the rebound, with the hapless Emerson taking part in him onside.

Tottenham defenders Emerson and Cristian Romero needed to be separated by Vicario as tensions threatened to boil over as they walked off on the interval, and Spurs continued to break down within the second half.

Emerson was partly at fault once more as the wonderful Elliot curled a surprising long-range effort into the highest nook from 25 yards out quickly after crossing for Gakpo to move the third.

It regarded like a depressing afternoon might get even worse for Tottenham at that time as Liverpool continued to get pleasure from Klopp’s penultimate residence recreation as supervisor, however the guests made the scoreline respectable with two objectives within the area of 5 minutes.

Richarlison scored the primary, changing from Brennan Johnson’s low cross, earlier than teeing up Heung-Min Son to mark his three hundredth Premier League look with a objective in a fifth consecutive Premier League recreation towards Liverpool.

These strikes added intrigue to the closing levels. Liverpool have been indebted to substitute Joe Gomez for making a vital, goal-line clearance to forestall Johnson from including a Spurs third, however, that incident apart, the hosts regarded the extra seemingly scorers.

Salah had a objective chalked off for offside, substitutes Darwin Nunez and Dominik Szoboszlai spurned good possibilities, and Alexander-Arnold noticed an audacious long-range effort drop simply over the bar, however 4 objectives have been greater than sufficient ultimately.

Liverpool transfer to 78 factors in third, 4 behind second-placed Manchester Metropolis, whereas Tottenham are actually wanting over their shoulders, solely 4 factors forward of sixth-placed Newcastle with three video games nonetheless to play.

Klopp: Anfield was a particular place

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp to Sky Sports activities:

“We’re excellent till we’re not.

“It was a extremely good recreation. Tottenham can put strain on Aston Villa once more for the Champions League. In excessive efficiency issues, you want a spark. I’d say three factors is sufficient and the boys thought that.

“Anfield was a particular place as we speak. We have been 4-0 up, I made the adjustments and we misplaced organisation. Tottenham confirmed how good they could possibly be. I used to be proud of the efficiency.

“We have been good in just about all areas offensively. The passes have been good. So many issues have been good. We stayed calm. So long as they do not break the strains then it is high quality, allow them to go. I appreciated our recreation lots. The objectives have been excellent.”

On Mohamed Salah’s efficiency: “Mo was excellent, he performed a extremely good recreation. His aspect with Harvey was good. I used to be happy for him.

“Not one of the boys wish to play not nice, why would they? Mo confirmed what he’s able to.

“You do it whenever you do it and for those who miss it, then you definitely miss it. If we win all three then we are able to obtain the fifth highest factors tally of Liverpool.

Ange: At the least we have been extra like ourselves

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou to Sky Sports activities:

“Clearly a massively disappointing final result for us however not less than we have been extra like ourselves as we speak by way of our soccer.

Our final two away video games at Newcastle and Chelsea, other than the outcomes which weren’t nice both, we simply did not try to play our soccer.

“I assumed as we speak, even within the first half, a few of our soccer, our urgent was again to the place it ought to be.”

On whether or not Spurs have a confidence drawback: “Possibly within the entrance third there’s.

“It in all probability is a little bit of a insecurity however once more that is one thing the blokes should work by.

“You need to discover a technique to overcome that as a result of in the end for those who do not put strain on the opposition within the entrance third after you have labored your manner up there, they are going to get comfy with their place.”

Tremendous Salah strikes once more – Opta stats

• Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah turned the primary participant in Premier League historical past to attain 10 or extra objectives and supply 10 or extra assists in three consecutive seasons.
• Salah has scored 12 objectives towards Tottenham in his European membership profession, his second-most towards an opponent throughout all competitions, behind Manchester United (14).
• Liverpool have solely misplaced certainly one of their final 30 Premier League video games towards Spurs at Anfield (W20 D9), whereas they’ve now scored 4 objectives in consecutive residence league video games towards them for the primary time (4-3 in April 2023 and 4-2 as we speak).
• Spurs are actually on their longest shedding run within the Premier League since November 2004 (a run of six). The one Spurs supervisor to endure extra consecutive defeats than Ange Postecoglou is Ossie Ardiles (seven video games between January and February 1994).

What’s subsequent?

Liverpool function on Monday Evening Soccer at Aston Villa on Could 13, reside on Sky Sports activities. Kick-off 8pm. Jurgen Klopp’s closing match in cost comes at Anfield towards Wolves on Sunday Could 19, kick-off 4pm.

Tottenham have three matches left to substantiate European soccer for subsequent season. They host Burnley on Saturday Could 11 at 3pm earlier than title-chasing Manchester Metropolis go to on Tuesday Could 14, reside on Sky Sports activities. Kick-off 8pm. Spurs end the season at Sheffield United on Could 19, kick-off 4pm.

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