Liverpool fell victim to a 2-1 loss in north London after a series of calamitous refereeing decisions.
With just two wins in all competitions against Liverpool since November 2012 – Tottenham Hotspur were looking to grab a rare three points against the Reds after a positive start to life with manager Ange Postecoglou.
Heading into the game, Liverpool were unbeaten in all competitions after a sensational start to the season. Rejuvenated and exciting, Liverpool fans have started to believe again. And despite the score at full-time, that belief grew even stronger.
Jurgen Klopp’s side started positively at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the front three of Cody Gakpo, Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah proving threatening early on.
Both teams were playing free-flowing, ambitious football for the first twenty-five minutes – until that flow was adjourned by Curtis Jones’ challenge on Yves Bissouma. An initial yellow card was overturned after Simon Hooper reviewed the footage on the pitchside monitor.
Although my view was that the sending off was harsh, it’s important to maintain the knowledge that these decisions are subjective and divisive in football. Jones made ‘studs-up’ contact on Bissouma’s shin after his foot slipped off the ball.
For the third time this season, Liverpool were down to ten men and had to find a way to get a result.
Not long after the red card, Diaz scored after a perfectly-timed through ball from Salah found the Colombian, who clinically finished past Guglielmo Vicario. Bizarrely, the goal was ruled for offside when the replays showed Diaz to be clearly onside.
PGMOL later released a statement saying:
“The goal by Luiz Diaz was disallowed for offside by the on-field team of match officials. This was a clear and obvious factual error and should have resulted in the goal being awarded through VAR intervention, however, the VAR failed to intervene.”
Shortly after, the bitter taste of injustice was exacerbated as Heung-min Son poked home the opening goal of the game after a low cross from Richarlison. Within ten minutes, Liverpool’s chances of winning had crumbled.
Although the chances had crumbled, Liverpool’s spirit certainly hadn’t. Even with ten men, Cody Gakpo was able to equalise at the end of the first half with a superb trademark turn and finish.
There is no doubt there would have been flashbacks to St. James’ Park earlier this season when Liverpool came from a goal down to beat Newcastle United with ten men.
Any hopes of this, however, were quickly diminished as substitute Diogo Jota picked up two, quick yellow cards to find himself sent off and his side down to nine men. No complaints for the second yellow card, but the first was somewhat pathetic to phrase it kindly.
Jota was punished with his first booking despite making minimal, if any, contact with Tottenham Hotspur left-back Destiny Udogie. Udogie made a meal of the ‘foul’ and it ended up costing Jota.
Liverpool were left with twenty minutes plus stoppage time to defend a 1-1 scoreline with nine men. And they were just thirty seconds away from an impressive draw away from home.
Agonisingly, Joel Matip turned the ball into his own net in the ninety-sixth minute of the match, giving Tottenham Hotspur their first win against Liverpool since 2017.
There was something painful yet reassuring about the result. This Liverpool team have got it in them. They’re confident, happy, excited, ambitious and, most importantly, boss at football. They’re fighting for everything this season.
Jurgen Klopp hailed his side’s performance despite being on the losing end of the match:
“I told the boys directly after the game [that] I am super-proud. Super, super-proud. I think especially with 10 men they were really good… did everything what was necessary really well and on top of that we were really dangerous.”
The next challenge is Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise in the Europa League on Thursday, 5 October at 8pm.
Tottenham Hotspur team: Vicario, Porro, Romero, Van den Ven, Udogie (Davies 83), Sarr (Skipp 83), Bissouma (Hojbjerg 90), Kulusevski, Maddison (Veliz 90), Richarlison, Son (Solomon 69).
Liverpool team: Alisson, Gomez (Konate 74), Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister (Gravenberch 80), Jones, Salah (Alexander-Arnold 74), Gakpo (Jota 46), Diaz (Endo 73).
Read More Liverpool Coverage:
- Ben Doak Signs New Long Term Liverpool Contract
- We Have To Be 100% Ready – Jurgen Klopp On Europa League Campaign
- Report: Liverpool Defender On Verge Of New Contract
- Liverpool Target André Trindade Given Green Light To Depart Fluminense In January
- Report: Liverpool Made £100Million Bid For Newcastle Star Bruno Guimaraes
- Jamie Carragher Predicts Mohamed Salah Will Leave Liverpool Next Summer
Follow The LFC Transfer Room: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Podcast