A quite awful game, in which Liverpool just about got the job done against nine-man Spurs. Goals from Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike, before Richarlison got one back for the hosts, were just about enough for Arne Slot’s men to leave North London with all three points.
With Conor Bradley replacing the injured Joe Gomez, Liverpool took to the field having found some form. Yet, in the opening 45 minutes, in which football from either side was largely absent, a red card was just about the only talking point. Simons was rightly dismissed for a cowardly rake with his studs down the calf of Virgil van Dijk. It was a bad challenge, and once VAR instructed the referee to take another look, there was little doubt Spurs would be reduced to ten men.
If Slot instructed his players to play quicker and to be more aggressive in and out of possession, the opening minutes of the second half will have disappointed him. Liverpool continued to dawdle and dither, but Florian Wirtz, who’d always looked the most likely to create an opening for his team, soon set up half-time substitute Isak. The Swede, in scoring with his left foot from inside the penalty box, was injured. It was an important goal for himself and the team, but in having to leave the field after finding the net, it came at a cost.
Liverpool, one-nil up and against ten men, looked in total control, and just after the hour, they doubled their lead. Ekitike jumped highest to score with a looping header. Romero, who believed he was fouled by the French striker, soon found himself in the referee’s book after manhandling the official in protest at the awarding of the goal. It was an emotional response that’s all too typical from the Spurs captain, who later saw red for kicking out at Konate.
With a two-goal lead and a man advantage, Liverpool should have easily seen the game out. However, the introduction of Richarlison, who injected some spice into Tottenham, and a woeful lack of game management despite their experience, almost led to a total implosion from the visitors. Allowing Spurs to build some momentum and failing to either slow down the game or keep the ball, it was Liverpool who looked at a man disadvantage as the former Evertonian Brazilian striker clawed a goal back on 83 minutes.
Liverpool looked nervous as eleven minutes of injury time approached, contributing to their own discomfort through panic and poor decision-making. Of greater concern, though, is that having already lost both Isak and Bradley through in-game injury, Frimpong—who is only just returning from a long-term absence—also had to leave the field in the closing stages with yet another knock. So while Slot will rightly point to the fact that his team have now gone six games unbeaten and are up to fifth in the table, injuries over the busy festive fixture period may cost Liverpool further progress.
