Liverpool Rallies Back to Beat Tottenham Hotspurs, 2-1

Liverpool came back after trailing at the halftime against Tottenham Hotspurs, to win the big derby against the guests from London. The Reds were better throughout the entire game and eventually posted a 2-1 victory. They maintained the distance between them and Manchester City, and are still without a defeat since the campaign started.

The home team was dominant in this match, and although they suffered a shock in the first minute of the game, they managed to bounce back and to impose their own tempo and pace.

Tottenham struck after just 48 seconds, with Harry Kane’s lucky goal. The captain of the English national team put the ball into the net after his teammates’ deflected shot on goal. The ball fell right on Kane’s head a few yards away from the goal line, and one of the best players in the Premiership didn’t have too much trouble of beating Alisson.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5oZZH_jFVk

From that moment on, there was just one team on the field of Anfield Road. Liverpool was pressuring the guests, who couldn’t reach the rival’s half of the pitch without having massive problems in the organization. But fortunately for them, they had Paulo Gazzaniga in front of the goal, who we need to say was without a doubt the man of the match.

Spurs’ goalkeeper saved numerous chances, and he made Liverpool’s players and fans frustrated throughout the entire first half. A few golden opportunities for leveling the score were denied after his miraculous interventions, and without him in Tottenham’s lineup, the Reds would most definitely turn the result before the break.

“He made some good saves, but for sure, he is so frustrated and disappointed because we lost,” said Spurs coach Mauricio Pochettino.

Klopp, too, praised Gazzaniga, saying that he happened to be Liverpool’s biggest problem in the opening half.

“Their goalkeeper made some incredible saves, but we stayed calm. At half-time, we said this game only had one problem, the score. There were one or two things we could do better and adapt a little bit,” the German revealed to the journalists.

Liverpool equalized through Jordan Henderson seven minutes into the second halftime. The midfielder was happy that he managed to level the result because he made the mistake, which preceded the opening goal.

“After 48 seconds, I was thinking it was my fault because I gave the ball away for their goal. Thankfully I managed to get a goal to make up for it.”

The hosts kept pressuring until they scored once more. Sadio Mane and Serge Aurier battled for one possession inside Tottenham’s box, and Spurs’ defender brought down the Senegalese. The intensity of the tackle wasn’t that high, but Mane anyway felt, and the referee had no doubts when pointing towards the penalty spot.

https://twitter.com/AnfieldWatch/status/1188532543160803328

Salah smashed the ball into the net for 2-1.

Following that goal, Tottenham became more aggressive, and they managed to push Liverpool back to their own half. They had several very good chances but weren’t able to convert them. Rose had one cut into the box from the left side, but his shot from some 13 yards went high and wide.

Pochettino brought on Lucas Moura, but even with him, the guests couldn’t do anything.

“We tried in the last 10 or 15 minutes and had chances, but it was impossible,” added the Argentinian.

Liverpool has 28 points after 10 rounds and is still 6 points ahead of Manchester City, who sits second. Meanwhile, the Spurs are 11th with just 12 points so far. They have a clash with Everton on the road next week, followed by a Champions League challenge in Belgrade against Red Star.

Liverpool meets Arsenal in the Football League Cup on Wednesday and afterward travels to Birmingham to meet Aston Villa on Saturday.