Liverpool thrash Spurs, revive title defence hopes
LONDON: Roberto Firmino ended Liverpool’s 483-minute goal drought in the Premier League to set the champions on their way to a 3-1 win over Tottenham and revive their faltering title defence.
Trent Alexander-arnold and Sadio Mane also netted as Liverpool ended a five-game winless run in a league they dominated so resoundingly last season.
“We were really up for the game, everyone was at it,” Alexander-arnold said. “No one put too much of a foot wrong and it was an unbelievable performance from the lads.”
The victory, which lifts Liverpool into fourth place, started with VAR ruling out an opener for Tottenham when Son Heungmin was adjudged to be offside.
Pierre-emile Højbjerg reduced the deficit to 2-1 with a powerful strike shortly after Alexander-arnold scored at the start of the second half, but the Liverpool rightback set up Mane for the third that sealed the win.
While Liverpool moved within four points of leaders Manchester City, Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham are eight points adrift in sixth after their first defeat in 2021, albeit with a game in hand.
And Mourinho faces an anxious wait to discover the extent of Harry Kane’s injury after the striker twice went down in the first half clutching his left ankle before being replaced at the interval.
“He is injured in both ankles,” Mourinho said. “He said to compete with one pain he probably could, but both—it was very painful and very sore and he couldn’t. He just couldn’t. He is a guy with a good sacrifice spirit, he can fight against pain, but it was difficult for him.”
There are problems at the back too for the north London club, who are in danger of failing to qualify for the Champions League for a second consecutive season after reaching the final in 2019—losing to Liverpool.
Liverpool were forced to play midfielder Jordan Henderson at centreback due to injuries and also lost Joel Matip at halftime with ankle ligament damage.