Liverpool 4-2 Tottenham: Player ratings as Reds return to winning ways in style

Liverpool got back to winning ways and dealt a blow to Tottenham's Champions League hopes as they claimed a 4-2 win at Anfield.

Goals from Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson, Cody Gakpo and Harvey Elliott had seen the Reds carve out a deserved 4-0 lead that appeared to be setting them up to cruise to victory.

However, Spurs rallied to net twice in quick succession through Richarlison and Son Heung-min and ensure the hosts were made to work for their points across a slightly nervy finish.

How the game unfolded

Despite coming into the game on a three-match losing streak, it was the visitors who looked brightest across the opening exchanges, but after a spell of dominance in possession brought little in the way of real chances, Liverpool showed their own threat when Salah inadvertently clipped the bar with a cross.

The Reds' growing momentum was then once again underlined, with only a Cristian Romero block on the line preventing Elliott from opening the scoring.

Tottenham's resistance was then finally broken as Gakpo cut in off left to swing in a delicious back-post cross that Salah headed home.

Liverpool assumed complete control from there and continued to go close as Luis Diaz fired an acrobatic effort wide, before Elliott brought a save from Guglielmo Vicario.

And the inevitable second goal arrived on the stroke of half-time, Robertson tapping in from close range after Vicario had kept out a low Salah effort.

Liverpool started the second half in a similar vein and were soon 3-0 up when a classic Jurgen Klopp pressing situation allowed Elliott to dink the ball in for Gakpo to head home.

The provider of that goal then turned scorer, Elliott cutting in off the right-hand side to smash a wonderful curling effort into the top corner.

That looked to be the points and a thumping win wrapped up, but a moment of looseness allowed Brennan Johnson in to tee up Richarlison for a straightforward tap-in.

Nerves were set jangling when Son smashed home from a Richarlison lay-off after more disarray in the Liverpool defence, but the Reds ultimately held firm to fend off any hopes of a dramatic comeback.

Liverpool player ratings (4-3-3)

GK: Alisson - 6/10 - Rarely troubled until late in the second half, when he conceded two goals he could do little about.

RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold - 6/10 - His incredible passing range was key to Liverpool's threat but he struggled defensively as Tottenham rallied towards the end.

CB: Jarell Quansah - 7/10 - Another performance of great composure from the youngster, who seems to have leapfrogged Ibrahima Konate in the pecking order.

CB: Virgil van Dijk - 6/10 - Will be frustrated with the way Liverpool conceded those two second-half goals.

LB: Andy Robertson - 8/10 - Liverpool missed his energy and threat when he was subbed off. Got a deserved goal to cap off a good performance.

DM: Wataru Endo - 6/10 - A solid if unspectacular performance that helped Liverpool control the centre of the park. Won his battles.

CM: Alexis Mac Allister - 6/10 - A little more wasteful with the ball than he would have liked but was rarely bettered in a duel as the Reds dominated the middle.

CM: Harvey Elliott - 9/10 - Scored a stunner, set a goal up with a wonderful cross and was generally Liverpool's biggest threat. A fine performance that justified his starting spot.

RW: Mohamed Salah - 7/10 - Took his goal well and was constantly sneaking in behind Tottenham's defence to create danger.

ST: Cody Gakpo - 8/10 - Was perhaps a surprise starter ahead of Darwin Nunez but teed up the opener and scored a brilliant header to make it 3-0. Will surely keep his place now.

LW: Luis Diaz - 7/10 - Not quite as involved as either Salah or Gakpo but progressed the ball constantly and always worked back.

Substitutes

SUB: Joe Gomez (65' for Robertson) - 6/10

SUB: Stefan Bajcetic (65' for Endo) - 5/10

SUB: Ryan Gravenberch (75' for Mac Allister) - 6/10

SUB: Darwin Nunez (75' for Diaz) - 5/10

Subs not used: Caoimhin Kelleher (GK), Conor Bradley, Ibrahima Konate, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones.

Manager

Jurgen Klopp - 7/10 - Set his team up to dominate a dangerous opponent but his subs did give Tottenham a little bit of late impetus.

Tottenham player ratings (4-3-3)

GK: Guglielmo Vicario - 5/10 - Weak-wristed for the opening goal and will probably be disappointed not to have held on to the ball around the second, too.

RB: Pedro Porro - 4/10 - Unbelievably loose in possession and was given a torrid time defensively by a combination of Diaz and Gakpo.

CB: Micky van de Ven - 5/10 - His pace came in handy in terms of cutting off counters on occasion but Liverpool picked Tottenham's defence apart time and time again.

CB: Cristian Romero - 5/10 - Arguably Tottenham's best defender, as exemplified by an early block on the line, but could not do enough to stop the hosts running riot.

LB: Emerson Royal - 3/10 - Did nothing to stop Liverpool causing havoc down his flank and his day was summed up when he gave the ball away cheaply leading up to the third Liverpool goal.

DM: Yves Bissouma - 4/10 - Did not do anywhere near enough to protect his back four, with Liverpool finding it far too easy to find space in the area he was supposed to patrol.

CM: Pape Matar Sarr - 5/10 - Part of a midfield unit that was dominated from start to finish, with his inability to win duels a key factor.

CM: Rodrigo Bentancur - 5/10 - Won more of his battles than his midfield colleagues but was also looser in possession.

RW: Dejan Kulusevski - 4/10 - Made very little impact on proceedings before being hooked just past the hour mark.

ST: Son Heung-min - 7/10 - By far the busiest of Tottenham's starting attackers and got the late goal his efforts deserved.

LW: Brennan Johnson - 5/10 - Rarely troubled the Liverpool defence before being moved to the right-hand side, from where he set up Richarlison's strike.

Substitutes

SUB: James Maddison (61' for Kulusevski) -7/10

SUB: Oliver Skipp (61' for Bentancur) - 6/10

SUB: Richarlison (61' for Royal) - 7/10

SUB: Giovani Lo Celso (75' for Sarr) - 6/10

Subs not used: Brandon Austin (GK), Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Radu Dragusin, Bryan Gil, Mikey Moore.

Manager

Ange Postecoglou - 6/10 - Changed the game from the bench but it was all too late in truth.

Player of the match - Harvey Elliott (Liverpool)

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