Match ends, Liverpool 4, Tottenham Hotspur 2.
LiverpoolLiverpool4TottenhamTottenham Hotspur2
Tottenham's dramatic decline continued as their hopes of reaching the Premier League's top four faded even further after they were well beaten by Liverpool at Anfield.
Aston Villa's defeat at Brighton left the door open for Spurs to make a late push for next season's Champions League but even a late comeback could not prevent a fourth successive defeat as Liverpool found form once more after their own recent slump.
Mohamed Salah put his touchline bust-up with manager Jurgen Klopp at West Ham behind him to open the scoring with a far-post header from Cody Gakpo's cross after 16 minutes, Andy Robertson adding the second right on half-time when Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario could only push out the Egyptian's shot.
Spurs lost discipline and Vicario had to separate team-mates Cristian Romero and Emerson Royal as they went off at half-time, with matters not improving for Ange Postecoglou's side as they were over-run after the break by a rampant Liverpool.
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Gakpo headed the third from Harvey Elliott's delivery five minutes after the interval, the latter getting on the scoresheet himself in the 59th minute with a glorious curling finish from 20 yards into the top corner.
Liverpool then inexplicably switched off to allow substitute Richarlison and Heung-Min Son to give Spurs unlikely hope but it was too late and they remain seven points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa with a game in hand.
Liverpool rediscover cutting edge
Liverpool may have ended this game, remarkably, with some anxiety around Anfield but for an hour they were back to their imperious, threatening best.
Tottenham's two goals gave the scoreline a closer look than Liverpool's performance deserved but they were never in serious danger of giving up the victory.
Salah had clearly recovered from his disagreement with manager Klopp at London Stadium as he led the charge by scoring the first goal and having an involvement in Robertson's second.
It was Elliott, however, who was the star of Liverpool's show and as well as setting up the third for Gakpo he got the deserved reward of a goal of his own with a searing drive high past Vicario.
Elsewhere, it was almost a dress rehearsal for Klopp's final game after a stellar nine-year reign when Wolves come to Anfield on the last day of the season.
The German was serenaded throughout as The Kop went through his farewell songsheet, Klopp responding with trademark fist pumps in front of Liverpool's fans after a nervous finale ended with victory.
Klopp was not whipping up the Kop for a final push for the Premier League title - that has gone after this season once held hopes of four trophies - but it certainly sets the scene for an emotional Anfield goodbye in a fortnight.
Too little too late from Spurs
Tottenham's abject display for the first hour raised the prospect of humiliation at Anfield, and while they salvaged a sliver of pride with a Richarlison-inspired closing 20 minutes this was another day of disappointment for Postecoglou and his players.
As on so many occasions this season, Postecoglou's attacking approach left Spurs conceding too many chances and Liverpool followed recent opponents such as Newcastle United, Arsenal and Chelsea in taking full advantage.
The underlying tensions and frustrations in the ranks were evident at half-time when it took a strong intervention from keeper Vicario to keep defenders Romero and Royal apart as they clashed walking off.
It was when Richarlison, who may find himself surplus to Spurs' requirements in the summer, was introduced that a thoroughly one-sided game was turned on its head, the striker revelling in Anfield's insults for his Everton connections and causing constant problems.
Spurs may have thought the most unlikely of comebacks was on for a few minutes after they scored twice but in reality they did not deserve anything from this game after the way Liverpool had dominated them and their Champions League hopes look very grim now.
Player of the match
ElliottHarvey Elliott
with an average of 7.23
Liverpool
Avg
Squad number19Player nameElliottAverage rating7.23
- Squad number18Player nameGakpoAverage rating
7.21
Squad number26Player nameRobertsonAverage rating7.15
Squad number2Player nameGomezAverage rating7.14
- Squad number10Player nameMac AllisterAverage rating
7.08
- Squad number7Player nameDíazAverage rating
7.06
Squad number4Player namevan DijkAverage rating6.95
- Squad number78Player nameQuansahAverage rating
6.86
- Squad number3Player nameEndoAverage rating
6.85
- Squad number1Player nameAlissonAverage rating
6.85
- Squad number8Player nameSzoboszlaiAverage rating
6.81
- Squad number43Player nameBajceticAverage rating
6.77
- Squad number38Player nameGravenberchAverage rating
6.57
Squad number66Player nameAlexander-ArnoldAverage rating6.52
- Squad number9Player nameNúñezAverage rating
6.48
Squad number11Player nameMohamed SalahAverage rating4.94
Tottenham Hotspur
Avg
- Squad number9Player nameRicharlisonAverage rating
6.73
Squad number7Player nameSon Heung-minAverage rating4.73
- Squad number18Player nameLo CelsoAverage rating
4.64
- Squad number22Player nameJohnsonAverage rating
4.33
- Squad number4Player nameSkippAverage rating
4.28
- Squad number37Player namevan de VenAverage rating
4.28
- Squad number10Player nameMaddisonAverage rating
4.28
- Squad number17Player nameRomeroAverage rating
4.23
- Squad number13Player nameVicarioAverage rating
4.15
- Squad number23Player namePorroAverage rating
3.98
- Squad number21Player nameKulusevskiAverage rating
3.86
- Squad number30Player nameBentancurAverage rating
3.85
- Squad number29Player nameSarrAverage rating
3.75
- Squad number8Player nameBissoumaAverage rating
3.72
- Squad number12Player nameEmerson RoyalAverage rating
3.43
Line-ups
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Alisson
- 66Alexander-ArnoldBooked at 90mins
- 78Quansah
- 4van Dijk
- 26RobertsonSubstituted forGomezat 64'minutes
- 19ElliottSubstituted forSzoboszlaiat 83'minutes
- 3EndoSubstituted forBajceticat 64'minutes
- 10Mac AllisterSubstituted forGravenberchat 75'minutes
- 11Salah
- 18Gakpo
- 7DíazSubstituted forNúñezat 75'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Gomez
- 5Konaté
- 8Szoboszlai
- 9Núñez
- 17Jones
- 38Gravenberch
- 43Bajcetic
- 62Kelleher
- 84Bradley
Tottenham
Formation 4-3-3
- 13Vicario
- 23Porro
- 17Romero
- 37van de VenBooked at 47mins
- 12Emerson RoyalBooked at 57minsSubstituted forSkippat 61'minutes
- 8BissoumaBooked at 63mins
- 29SarrBooked at 44minsSubstituted forLo Celsoat 75'minutes
- 30BentancurSubstituted forRicharlisonat 61'minutes
- 21KulusevskiSubstituted forMaddisonat 61'minutes
- 7Son Heung-min
- 22Johnson
Substitutes
- 4Skipp
- 5Højbjerg
- 6Dragusin
- 9Richarlison
- 10Maddison
- 11Gil
- 18Lo Celso
- 40Austin
- 59Moore
- Referee:
- Paul Tierney
- Attendance:
- 60,075
Match Stats
Home TeamLiverpoolAway TeamTottenham
- Possession
- Home44%
- Away56%
- Shots
- Home25
- Away11
- Shots on Target
- Home13
- Away6
- Corners
- Home8
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home14
- Away12
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Liverpool 4, Tottenham Hotspur 2.
Post update
Attempt saved. Darwin Núñez (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Mohamed Salah.
Post update
Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool).
Post update
Foul by Pedro Porro (Tottenham Hotspur).
Post update
Darwin Núñez (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Dominik Szoboszlai.
Post update
Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool).
Post update
Offside, Liverpool. Darwin Núñez is caught offside.
Post update
Hand ball by Darwin Núñez (Liverpool).
Post update
Attempt blocked. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Dominik Szoboszlai with a cross.
Post update
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Oliver Skipp.
Booking
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Giovani Lo Celso.
Post update
Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Post update
Attempt missed. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Trent Alexander-Arnold with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Micky van de Ven.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Comments
Join the conversation
And as always, showing Sutton's predictions to be utter dross is a bonus.
A polished Liverpool performance, after their troubles over the past month. Even with nothing to play for, still good to end both the season and Klopp’s reign on a positive note.
Thank Jurgen
Seriously when was the last time a manager has come directly from the Scottish Premier League and was a success in the English Premier League?
Rodgers wasn’t, Gerrard wasn’t, Ange doesn’t look to be either.
Thank goodness they aren't going in to the Champions League to embarrass the PL with performances like this.