Liverpool 4-3 Tottenham: Player ratings as Reds snatch win in classic encounter
By Sean Walsh
Liverpool clung on to beat Tottenham 4-3 in a captivating clash at Anfield on Sunday.
Spurs looked to have put at least some of their mental troubles in the rear-view mirror with a spirited comeback draw against Manchester United on Thursday but quickly undid all that work with another pathetic first-half showing.
Ryan Mason's men fought back from three goals down to level in second-half stoppage time, only for Lucas Moura to gift Liverpool a winner minutes later.
The Reds have moved above Sunday's visitors into fifth place and are are now in prime position to secure a Europa League spot, while they are seven points off a Champions League place.
Just as was the case a week ago at St James' Park, Tottenham went behind to an early goal. Trent Alexander-Arnold's cross found Curtis Jones at the far post, who had the freedom to calmly slot into the corner with no one even close to him
And like last Sunday, Spurs found themselves two down after five minutes. Eric Dier lost the run of Cody Gakpo, who pulled the ball back for Luis Diaz to volley in at the near post.
Liverpool were awarded a penalty when Cristian Romero dived into a challenge and clipped Gakpo, and Mohamed Salah made no mistake from 12 yards.
Tottenham had a sight of goal just before the half-hour mark when Romero's ball over the top found Harry Kane, but his low cross was too strong for Son Heung-min to reach and a late offside flag was raised regardless.
Spurs' first shot came courtesy of Pedro Porro trying to lob Alisson from the halfway line. His strike was limp and met with sarcastic cheers by the Anfield crowd. We can't rule out the possibility of the travelling fans joining in.
The hosts were guilty of taking their foot off the accelerator and nearly conceded when Kane slipped through Son, only for his effort to be blocked off the line by the retreating Ibrahima Konate.
And with their next attack, Spurs did pull one back. Ivan Perisic managed to sit Virgil van Dijk on his backside, and his pinpoint cross was volleyed in by Kane.
Liverpool had opened the door to Tottenham and Dejan Kulusevski should have grabbed a second when he stole the ball off of Andy Robertson, but was denied by an out-stretched leg of Alisson.
Son struck the upright shortly before the break and though an offside flag eventually went up, the Anfield crowd was clearly nervous and agitated.
After the break, Son hit the post from an onside position this time after a clever outside-of-the-boot pass from Kulusevski found him on the edge of the box. Seconds later, Romero then hit the post after meeting a deep cross.
Alisson then threw up an arm to tip over a speculative shot from Pedro Porro as Tottenham continued to claw their way back into the contest.
Entering the final 15 minutes, Tottenham did grab their second when Son raced through to a Romero ball over the top, this time slotting past Alisson.
Diogo Jota was fortunate to avoid a red card for a high challenge on Oliver Skipp - a decision which infuriated the visitors.
Midway through six minutes of stoppage time, Tottenham found an equaliser when Richarlison headed in his first Premier League goal for the club.
But there was still time for one final twist. Lucas - on for only a few minutes as a substitute - underhit a pass back to Forster, which Jota intercepted and finished coolly.
Liverpool player ratings (4-3-3)
GK: Alisson - 7/10 - Made some crucial saves in the game despite conceding three.
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold - 6/10 - A sixth assist of the month for the newly inverted full-back.
CB: Ibrahima Konate - 3/10 - Very pedestrian in his defending, which Liverpool could have done without when Tottenham surged back into life.
CB: Virgil van Dijk - 2/10 - The image of Perisic skinning Van Dijk will live on as a meme forever.
LB: Andy Robertson - 5/10 - Occasionally played his way into trouble or lost the run of Kulusevski.
DM: Fabinho - 3/10 - So very sieve-like. Again.
CM: Harvey Elliott - 6/10 - Showed his technical excellence in midfield.
CM: Curtis Jones - 7/10 - Got the ball rolling with a fine opening goal.
RW: Mohamed Salah - 8/10 - At last scored a Premier League penalty this season. Spurs had real trouble winning the ball back off the Egyptian.
CF: Cody Gakpo - 8/10 - Enjoying his role as Liverpool's new starting centre forward.
LW: Luis Diaz - 8/10 - Took his goal extremely well on his first start since his season-disrupting knee injury.
Substitutes
Jordan Henderson (63' for Elliott) - 5/10
Diogo Jota (63' for Diaz) - 9/10 - Survived a red card, scored the winner. No player had a greater impact.
Darwin Nunez (73' for Gakpo) - 5/10
James Milner (86' for Jones) - N/A
Manager
Jurgen Klopp - 5/10 - Had no real response for Spurs' fightback despite Liverpool's early dominance.
Tottenham player ratings (3-4-3)
GK: Fraser Forster - 5/10 - Claimed a few crosses as Spurs tried to stay in the game.
CB: Cristian Romero - 3/10 - Woeful in the opening 15 minutes but then woke up and played a role in trying to start a comeback.
CB: Eric Dier - 1/10 - Another utterly dreadful display from Dier.
CB: Ben Davies - 5/10 - Put in a respectable defensive performance.
RM: Pedro Porro - 5/10 - Switched off for the opener but helped drive Spurs attacks.
CM: Oliver Skipp - 5/10 - In the wars at both ends. Lucky not to have been punished at all for a hack on Diaz.
CM: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg - 4/10 - Didn't provide enough at either end.
LM: Ivan Perisic - 6/10 - Showed his composure when others in the team didn't.
RF: Dejan Kulusevski - 5/10 - Carved out some decent openings but should have scored Spurs' second just before the break.
LF: Son Heung-min - 8/10 - Got his reward for his endeavours with a goal late on - his third at Anfield in the last three seasons.
CF: Harry Kane - 8/10 - At the heart of the comeback efforts, dictating play and scoring Tottenham's first goal.
Substitutes
Pape Sarr (66' for Kulusevski) - 5/10
Richarlison (84' for Skipp) - N/A
Lucas Moura (90' for Porro) - -1/10 - I'm inventing a whole new rating for this performance.
Arnaut Danjuma (90' for Perisic) - N/A
Manager
Ryan Mason - 5/10 - His limited time to work on tactical shape showed, but so did his ability to breathe fresh life into the team.