Liverpool punish sloppy Spurs for fifth straight win
Reds have best start since 1990
Manchester City’s Argentinian defender Nicolas Otamendi (left), vies with Fulham’s Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrovic during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Fulham at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on Sept
15. (AFP)
LONDON, Sept 15, (AFP): Liverpool extended their perfect start to the season as goals from Georginio Wijnaldum and Roberto Firmino ensured the Premier League leaders punished woeful Tottenham with a 2-1 win on Saturday.
Jurgen Klopp’s side avenged last season’s 4-1 thrashing at Tottenham with a large helping hand from their error-prone hosts.
Wijnaldum opened the scoring late in the first half at Wembley after a mistake from Tottenham goalkeeper Michel Vorm.
Firmino wrapped up Liverpool’s fifth successive win soon after the
But instead Tottenham almost fell behind after less than 60 seconds.
When James Milner swung a cross into the Tottenham penalty area, Firmino and Sadio Mane were both allowed to make unchecked runs by Pochettino’s sleepy defense.
Firmino, in an onside position, cleverly flicked his shot across Vorm and towards the far corner, only for Mane to be ruled offside as he tried to get the last touch.
Tottenham’s lethargy wasn’t restricted to their defenders and England midfielder Eric Dier was fortunate to get away with a terrible back pass that gifted a chance to Mohamed Salah. Salah sprinted through on goal, but he delayed too long, allowing Jan Vertonghen to pressure him into a shot that was too close to Vorm.
It was the kind of gilt-edged opportunity Salah would have buried during his record-breaking 44-goal campaign last season.
But Tottenham were careless from start to finish and they paid the price in the 39th minute.
Christian Eriksen’s wayward header gave away a corner and from Milner’s set-piece, Vorm, deputizing for the injured Hugo Lloris, made a hash of his attempt to punch clear.
Dier tried to avert the danger, but his weak header only went as far as Wijnaldum and the Dutch midfielder nodded back towards goal, where Vorm got his angles all wrong, allowing the ball to cross the line before he could palm it away.
Liverpool briefly switched off when Lucas Moura almost conjured an equalizer with a low shot that cannoned off a post.
But as well as admonishing his players for their Watford loss, Pochettino was forced to defend Harry Kane this week amid mounting concern about the England striker’s fatigued displays. Once again, Kane was a peripheral figure and, with Dele Alli missing through injury, Tottenham were toothless.
Liverpool scented blood and doubled their lead in the 54th minute as Tottenham fell apart at the back.
Mane made a good run that caught Tottenham right-back Kieran Trippier out of position before sending over a low cross that Vertonghen diverted against his own post.
Vorm, wrong-footed by Vertonghen’s intervention, was prone on the turf as the ball rolled through his out-stretched arms to Firmino, who couldn’t miss from on the goal-line.
Lamela lashed home in the final moments, putting a flattering gloss on a scoreline that didn’t reflect Liverpool’s dominance.