Spurs cruise to victory over error-prone Liverpool
Tottenham secured a convincing 4-1 victory over Liverpool at Wembley, with all four goals coming from individual errors from members of the Reds defence.
Early goals from Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son gave Spurs an initial lead, before Mohamed Salah got one back for the visitors then Dele Alli struck and Kane got his second of the game to secure the comfortable victory.
In the opening stages Liverpool dominated possession, but it was the home side who raced into an early lead, courtesy of some questionable defending from the Reds.
Kieran Trippier chipped the ball through for Harry Kane, who was played onside by a deep Dejan Lovren, and Kane promptly took the ball past the onrushing Simon Mignolet and stroking home to give his side the lead inside five minutes.
Just eight minutes later Tottenham had their second courtesy of a swift counter attack, and once again Lovren was at fault. He totally misjudged a punt upfield from Hugo Lloris and allowed Kane to race in behind. The England striker squared for Son, who fired first-time past Mignolet at his near post.
Jurgen Klopp’s side were on the ropes in the early stages as Spurs were cutting through their defence with ease. Son was inches away from his second of the game after 15 minutes, but his shot rattled the crossbar from a tight angle after Eriksen played a delightful ball over the top.
However, 24 minutes in, Liverpool found a way back into their game with their first effort on target. Kane lost the ball in midfield and Jordan Henderson sent an excellent cross-field ball to release Salah down the right, and the winger raced clear before scuffing his effort past Lloris, and the ball trickled in off the post to make it 2-1.
Lovren’s shocker of an afternoon was brought to an end after half an hour. He was replaced by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as Klopp looked to shake-up his Liverpool side and turn things around.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side were cruising before the Liverpool goal but after Salah’s effort, the game was much more open and both sides were threatening.
Son got in behind the Liverpool defence once again after being released by Alli, but he couldn’t get enough on his effort to take it past Mignolet, and Kane’s low effort from the edge of the area went just a few inches wide.
For the visitors, Salah was provided the threat down the right hand side and making life difficult for Serge Aurier, and Lloris had to react to his near-post header, as well as coming out to claim from a low cross from the Egyptian winger.
Liverpool certainly increased the pressure towards the end of the half and they looked the more likely to get the next goal, but it was the hosts who finished the half in the perfect fashion.
In first half stoppage time, Christian Eriksen swung a free-kick into the box and a poor clearing header from Joel Matip fell to the feet of Dele Alli, who directed a fine volley past Mignolet from the centre of the area to restore his side’s two-goal lead on the stroke of half-time.
The second period started in similar fashion to the first, as Jurgen Klopp’s men were dominating possession and the home side were happy to sit back and wait for their opportunity.
Despite some early pressure from the away side, that opportunity did indeed come after 56 minutes. Trippier whipped a dangerous free-kick in to the danger zone from the right, and Mignolet came to punch but didn’t get enough on the ball. The rebound fell straight to Vertonghen, whose effort was blocked on the line but Kane was on hand inside the six-yard box to sweep home from close range and put the game beyond Liverpool’s reach.
That goal was Kane’s fourth brace so far this season and the 10th time he has scored two or more goals in a game during 2017.
The in-form striker sensed a possible hat-trick as he drifted in from the right and powered towards the box, but his shot, which looked to be going on target, was well blocked by Matip.
Liverpool came close to reducing the deficit after 67 minutes but Hugo Lloris produced a superb save to keep out Coutinho. The Brazilian made some space on the edge of the box before trying a trademark curling effort from the edge of the box. The ball seemed destined for the top corner but Lloris leapt and somehow managed to tip the ball onto the post with his outstretched hand.
The rest of the game was fairly routine for Pochettino’s side as they were happy to sit back and soak up any Liverpool pressure. Lloris was called into action a couple of times but the away side couldn’t produce any more clear-cut chances and Tottenham secured their second home league win of the season.
Spurs move level with Manchester United in second place with 20 points, while Kane managed to score his first home league goals at Wembley.
Meanwhile, Liverpool fall to ninth place after the defeat, already 11 points behind league leaders Manchester City, and Jurgen Klopp will be worried about the poor individual errors which led to his side’s downfall at Wembley.