Spurs confirm first home Euro tie has been moved to Wembley
Spurs have announced an agreement with Uefa to host their first home Champions League match — in either the week of September 17 or October 1 — at Wembley.
Tottenham, who defeated Fulham at Wembley on Saturday thanks to goals from Lucas Moura, Kieran Trippier and Harry Kane (right), have already switched their Premier League games against Liverpool on September 15 and Cardiff on October 15 to Wembley.
“We have agreed with Uefa that the first home match day of this season’s Champions League group stage will be staged at Wembley Stadium,” read a Tottenham statement.
“Both match days are due to take place between our two Premier League home fixtures against Liverpool (Saturday, September 15) and Cardiff City (Saturday, October 6), which we confirmed last week had been switched to Wembley.” Spurs have delayed the opening of their new ground at White Hart Lane due to “issues with the critical safety systems”.
The English Football League (EFL) and Spurs have also confirmed the north London club will have the option to move their Carabao Cup third-round tie, if drawn at home.
Spurs could reverse the tie, or host at a neutral venue, with Wembley unavailable the week commencing September 24. CRYSTAL PALACE: Hennessey, Wan-Bissaka, Tomkins, Sakho, Van Aanholt, Townsend (Ward, 79 mins), Milivojevic, McArthur, Schlupp (Meyer, 83 mins), Benteke (Sorloth, 70 mins), Zaha.
Subs not used: Kouyate, J Ayew, Guaita, Kelly.
Sent off: Wan-Bissaka (73’) LIVERPOOL: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Milner (Henderson, 67 mins), Wijnaldum, Keita (Lallana, 87 mins), Salah, Firmino (Sturridge, 90 mins), Mane.
Subs not used: Moreno, Mignolet, Shaqiri, Matip.
Man of the Match: Van Dijk (Liverpool) Referee: Michael Oliver
NOT every game this season will be a 4-0 rout for Liverpool, but then not every game is as easy as West Ham at home.
Here at Selhurst Park they played a completely different match against unrecognisable opponents, and did not produce as nearly as many moments to lift neutrals out of their seats. But they still came away with just as many points.
This 2-0 win was a testament to Liverpool’s patience, maturity and clinical edge when it mattered. They stood up to Palace’s thumping physicality, worked hard to get through their packed ranks and took their two best chances to win the game.
They needed some luck to break through when they did, as seen when Michael Oliver awarded a penalty after an innocuous tangle between Mamadou Sakho and Mohamed Salah. But they took advantage and used their pace on the break after that.
Liverpool were simply better at this than Palace were, Salah getting Aaron Wan-Bissaka sent off in the second half before Sadio Mane tucked in the stoppage-time second.
But that does not mean Palace did too much wrong. They threatened in glimpses in the first half, back when Liverpool had to come at them, but never recovered from going behind.
But they gave this game and this opponent a far better shot than many of their peers will do over the course of the season.
Up until its final seconds, the first half was perfectly balanced. Liverpool and Crystal Palace came here with very different plans, but that stylistic clash — perpetual motion up against the coiled spring — made this the game it was.
Of course, Liverpool dominated the ball, but Palace were happy to let them, protecting each other in their 4-4-2, sure Liverpool could not get through them, or around the back.
Salah lifted over from a brilliant Naby Keita pass, but Palace were right, at least for 45 minutes. Roy Hodgson and his football were not the right fit for Liverpool eight years ago, but they are perfect for Crystal Palace now.
He has built a team that makes the most of its players, that feeds off the support of its home crowd and can cause anyone problems even feeding off scraps of possession.
It only takes one touch from Wilfried Zaha to spark enough noise to make it sound as if Palace are on top, even if they have not touched the ball for five minutes. When Andros Townsend hit the bar from dis-