No defence for Klopp’s pushovers

Spurs punish leaky Liverpool

There were 31 minutes gone when Jurgen Klopp decided he had seen enough of the comedy stylings of Dejan Lovren.

It wasn’t particularly that he couldn’t handle harry Kane, or the lovely, swift intricacies of Tottenham’s forward play. he couldn’t handle the basics of defending. heading, positioning, composure.

Much the same could be said of many team-mates. Klopp had stuck up for Liverpool’s defence having conceded two goals in four games, but they were woeful here.

Yes, Tottenham were good, but they didn’t need to be, such was the dismal nature of Liverpool’s defending. Liverpool, and their pretence to be among the competition’s elite, were obliterated. They now sit ninth in the table and have conceded the most goals of any team away from home.

True, they have had the misfortune to visit Manchester City and Tottenham, who increasingly look the Premier League’s best teams, but their defeats have been too heavy for mitigation: 5-0 and 4-1. Manchester United’s goalless draw at Anfield against this defence looks unimpressive by comparison. Jose Mourinho had some great forward players at his disposal that day and took the safe option. Yet to those who hope to contest the title, Liverpool are increasingly there for the taking.

As for Tottenham, they look at home at Wembley now. This was another step forward for Mauricio Pochettino’s team in a season suddenly full of them. The win over Borussia Dortmund on September 13, the point in the Bernabeu last Tuesday and now this — their most commanding Wembley performance in the Premier League, in front of a record crowd for the competition, 80,827, that included Diego Maradona and Kobe Bryant.

If

There was a worry, it was the sight of Kane holding the top of his left leg when he came off in the 88th minute, the usual indicator of a hamstring problem. he spoke to Pochettino before going down the tunnel but his manager did not look unduly anxious and the substitution may have been precautionary. Kane should be rested for the Carabao Cup in midweek, which offers respite for the beleaguered Slaven Bilic and West ham at least, but was far too late to save Liverpool.

The damage was done and if Tottenham tailed off in the second half, it was only because they were 4-1 up before the hour. had Tottenham needed to go again, against this defence, they could.

When Lovren left the field there was only a goal between the teams, but that was more to do with a mistake of Tottenham’s, rather than genuine parity. Lovren’s errors, aided by those of his teammates, had seen Tottenham race to a two-goal lead after 12 minutes before hitting the bar four minutes later. There was only going to be one winner.

There were four minutes gone when a chip from Kieran Trippier caused pandemonium in Liverpool’s defensive ranks. It was misjudged by Lovren and fell between a trio of players, including keeper Simon Mignolet, who became alert to the danger too late.

he thought his defence had it covered — a flawed assumption where Liverpool are concerned — and Kane was on to it. he rounded Mignolet, who in desperation came close to bringing him down. Kane stayed upright and struck the ball into an unguarded net.

If Liverpool were coming into this game full of beans having set the record for the biggest away win by an english side in the Champions League, here was the perfect confidence-pricker.

Worse followed. After 12 minutes, hugo Lloris — man of the match against real Madrid in midweek — plucked a ball out of the air and attempted to throw it long to Kane. Lovren was panicked and came charging in, leaping but missing completely. he overshot his target and was forced into a screeching U-turn, like one of the stooges in a hollywood car chase.

Now Kane was away down the right, with better options inside — Son heung-min outstripping his pursuer James Milner, whose cross

had been snaffled by Lloris in the first place. Kane’s cross was perfect and Son made the finish look simple, which it probably wasn’t.

The chances kept coming. In the 16th minute, Trippier found Son and his shot smashed against the bar and down to safety. After 29 minutes, Dele Alli slipped it to Son, who was thwarted by Mignolet, the last line of defence.

By now Klopp’s patience was exhausted. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had been warming up for some time and two minutes later he was on. He moved into midfield, Emre Can went to right back and Joe Gomez to centre half. Lovren did not betray anger, or any negative emotion, at this very public humiliation. He knew it had been bad.

That Spurs were only a goal up was down to a mistake in their own back line. That came in the 24th minute when, after a long run with few passing options, Kane was finally dispossessed by a posse of red shirts.

The ball went loose to Jordan Henderson, who played a lovely crossfield pass into the path of Mohamed Salah. Jan Vertonghen and Serge Aurier appeared to underestimate his pace, Lloris didn’t but was too fearful of losing the 50-50. All three allowed Salah to emerge between them and get the first touch. He miskicked but the ball bobbled in at the far post.

Tottenham remained the bigger threat, however, and in first-half added time restored their two-goal advantage. Can fouled Alli and was booked, and from the resulting Christian Eriksen free-kick, Joel Matip made a weak defensive header. Indeed, he couldn’t have knocked it down more sweetly had he been in white, and Alli responded with a low shot that made the outcome as good as inevitable.

It became so in the 56th minute, when Tripper swung in a free-kick which Mignolet came for but didn’t get, patting the ball down for Vertonghen. His shot was blocked on the line by Roberto Firmino — ironic that the best defending should come from the striker — rebounding to Kane. Again, no Liverpool player was fast enough closing down, his shot fizzing into the goal.

Tottenham now take this momentum to Old Trafford. They are level on points with Manchester United. The challenge to Manchester City grows in the south.

TOTTENHAM (3-5-2): Lloris 6.5; Alderweireld 6.5, Sanchez 6.5, Vertonghen 6.5; Trippier 7, Eriksen 7.5 (Dier 81min), Winks 7, Alli 7, Aurier 6.5; KANE 8 (Llorente 88), Son 7 (Sissoko 69, 5). Subs not used: Vorm, Rose, Nkoudou, Davies. Scorers: Kane 4, 56, Son 12, Alli 45. Booked: None. Manager: Mauricio Pochettino 7. LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Mignolet 4.5; Gomez 6, Matip 4.5, Lovren 4 (Oxlade-Chamberlain 31, 5), Moreno 5; Milner 5, Henderson 5.5, Can 5 (Grujic 83); Salah 6, Firmino 5 (Sturridge 77), Coutinho 5. Subs not used: Karius, Klavan, Solanke, Alexander-Arnold. Scorer: Salah 24. Booked: Can. Manager: Jurgen Klopp 5. Referee: Andre Marriner 6. Attendance: 80,827.