Match ends, Liverpool 4, Tottenham Hotspur 3.
LiverpoolLiverpool4TottenhamTottenham Hotspur3
Diogo Jota's injury-time winner gave Liverpool a dramatic victory at Anfield after Tottenham looked on course to salvage a point despite going three goals behind inside 15 minutes.
Spurs were 5-0 down after 20 minutes at Newcastle United and swiftly found themselves three goals adrift at Anfield as Liverpool delivered an opening salvo that left them chasing what looked like a lost cause.
Instead, when former Everton striker Richarlison headed his first Premier League goal of the season in stoppage time, Spurs were on the brink of rescuing an unlikely draw - until Jota capitalised on a defensive mix-up seconds later to win the game for Liverpool.
Curtis Jones opened the scoring in the third minute from Trent Alexander-Arnold's cross before Luis Diaz, making his first start since suffering a knee injury in October that required surgery, turned in Mohamad Salah's delivery at the near post two minutes later.
Salah made amends for missing penalties against Bournemouth and Arsenal by adding the third from the spot following Romero's reckless challenge on Cody Gakpo.
With Spurs fans, who were given a refund after the 6-1 debacle on Tyneside, demanding their money back once more, they staged a fightback and showed real character, Harry Kane volleying home six minutes before the interval.
Spurs actually had chances to give Liverpool even more anxious moments but both Son Heung-min and Cristian Romero hit the post within seconds in the second half.
But Son then raced clear to beat Alisson, giving Spurs renewed hope with 13 minutes left.
Richarlison sent the visiting fans wild with a header, before Jota had the last word.
Liverpool move up to fifth to retain slim hopes of Champions League football but earlier victories for Manchester United and Newcastle United make this an increasingly long shot.
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Sloppy Liverpool escape to victory
Liverpool's late show, capped by Jota's winner, was greeted with huge relief as well as celebration inside Anfield as a fast start went into a steep decline to allow Spurs a route back into the game.
Jurgen Klopp's side looked to be strolling to victory after dominating the opening phase and scoring three goals, only to then deliver a sloppy, careless and complacent performance to throw Spurs several lifelines.
Liverpool's rearguard was exposed at regular intervals and they were thankful for the woodwork twice in the second half as Spurs, who looked out of contention, gratefully accepted the encouragement they were being given.
Jota, who is back to his best goal-scoring form, was the match-winner with a drilled low finish past Fraser Forster at The Kop end to snatch back the three points Liverpool looked like they had thrown away.
Liverpool are right in the fight for a place in Europe as they overhauled Spurs, but this was a performance that demonstrated once again the two sides to their game they have shown throughout this season.
Spurs pay for slow start again
Tottenham's season has been characterised by slow starts and they paid the price once more for failing to get to grips with the game in the opening phase.
The worst example was in that 6-1 debacle on Tyneside a week ago, and they looked on course for a repeat here as Liverpool took advantage of Spurs sleepwalking once again to race into that early lead.
Interim manager Ryan Mason will surely have warned his players about the perils of such a hesitant opening and yet they played the opening 15 minutes as if they were in a daze.
It will have been even more damaging and frustrating after the manner in which they showed real heart to fight their way back into contention, clawing back the 3-0 deficit in injury time, only to cast away the point they thought they had earned.
Mason was furious Jota was still on the pitch after Oliver Skipp was injured by his high boot, which summed up the frustration felt in the Spurs camp after a vital point was lost in one loss of concentration late on.
Player of the match
Diogo JotaDiogo Jota
with an average of 7.42
Liverpool
Avg
Squad number20Player nameDiogo JotaAverage rating7.42
- Squad number23Player nameDíazAverage rating
7.36
- Squad number18Player nameGakpoAverage rating
7.24
Squad number11Player nameMohamed SalahAverage rating7.16
- Squad number17Player nameJonesAverage rating
7.00
Squad number66Player nameAlexander-ArnoldAverage rating7.00
- Squad number1Player nameAlissonAverage rating
6.51
Squad number26Player nameRobertsonAverage rating6.49
- Squad number5Player nameKonatéAverage rating
6.38
- Squad number3Player nameFabinhoAverage rating
6.37
Squad number4Player namevan DijkAverage rating6.31
- Squad number19Player nameElliottAverage rating
6.31
- Squad number27Player nameNúñezAverage rating
6.20
Squad number7Player nameMilnerAverage rating6.14
Squad number14Player nameHendersonAverage rating6.11
Tottenham Hotspur
Avg
Squad number7Player nameSon Heung-minAverage rating5.79
Squad number10Player nameKaneAverage rating5.34
- Squad number9Player nameRicharlisonAverage rating
5.13
- Squad number14Player namePerisicAverage rating
4.65
- Squad number5Player nameHøjbjergAverage rating
4.44
- Squad number20Player nameForsterAverage rating
4.43
- Squad number4Player nameSkippAverage rating
4.35
- Squad number21Player nameKulusevskiAverage rating
4.35
- Squad number16Player nameDanjumaAverage rating
4.23
- Squad number29Player nameSarrAverage rating
4.16
Squad number33Player nameDaviesAverage rating4.09
- Squad number17Player nameRomeroAverage rating
3.98
- Squad number23Player namePorroAverage rating
3.98
Squad number15Player nameDierAverage rating3.41
Squad number27Player nameLucas MouraAverage rating3.38
Line-ups
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Alisson
- 66Alexander-Arnold
- 5KonatéBooked at 70mins
- 4van Dijk
- 26Robertson
- 19ElliottSubstituted forHendersonat 63'minutes
- 3Fabinho
- 17JonesSubstituted forMilnerat 86'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 11Salah
- 18GakpoSubstituted forNúñezat 73'minutes
- 23DíazSubstituted forJotaat 63'minutesBooked at 81mins
Substitutes
- 2Gomez
- 7Milner
- 14Henderson
- 20Jota
- 21Tsimikas
- 27Núñez
- 28Carvalho
- 32Matip
- 62Kelleher
Tottenham
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 20Forster
- 17Romero
- 15Dier
- 33Davies
- 23PorroSubstituted forLucas Mouraat 90'minutes
- 4SkippSubstituted forRicharlisonat 84'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 5Højbjerg
- 14PerisicSubstituted forDanjumaat 90'minutes
- 21KulusevskiSubstituted forSarrat 66'minutes
- 7Son Heung-minBooked at 52mins
- 10Kane
Substitutes
- 6D Sánchez
- 9Richarlison
- 16Danjuma
- 25Tanganga
- 27Lucas Moura
- 29Sarr
- 34Lenglet
- 40Austin
- 45Devine
- Referee:
- Paul Tierney
- Attendance:
- 53,275
Match Stats
Home TeamLiverpoolAway TeamTottenham
- Possession
- Home68%
- Away32%
- Shots
- Home12
- Away10
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away7
- Corners
- Home5
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away6
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Liverpool 4, Tottenham Hotspur 3.
Goal!
Goal! Liverpool 4, Tottenham Hotspur 3. Diogo Jota (Liverpool) left footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom right corner.
Booking
Richarlison (Tottenham Hotspur) is shown the yellow card for excessive celebration.
Goal!
Goal! Liverpool 3, Tottenham Hotspur 3. Richarlison (Tottenham Hotspur) header from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Son Heung-Min with a cross following a set piece situation.
Booking
James Milner (Liverpool) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by James Milner (Liverpool).
Post update
Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Mohamed Salah (Liverpool).
Post update
Ben Davies (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Arnaut Danjuma replaces Ivan Perisic.
Substitution
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Lucas Moura replaces Pedro Porro.
Post update
Foul by Mohamed Salah (Liverpool).
Post update
Ben Davies (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. James Milner replaces Curtis Jones.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Substitution
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Richarlison replaces Oliver Skipp because of an injury.
Booking
Diogo Jota (Liverpool) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Delay in match because of an injury Oliver Skipp (Tottenham Hotspur).
Post update
Foul by Diogo Jota (Liverpool).
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Comments
Join the conversation
Tottenham’s great escape from top 7 is going according to the plan.
Hopefully his actions won’t be mimicked throughout junior football in the area
A complete embarrassment to the club
And some of Gary Neville's commentary priceless
To the clowns who funded the anti-FSG plane - be careful what you wish for. You clearly don't even remember the two cowboys.
He needs a long spell in the stands until he learns some decent human behaviour because if he did that in the street he would be facing far, far worse.