Liverpool vs. Tottenham Hotspur: Winners and Losers from Premier League Game
Liverpool earned a massive victory in the race for the UEFA Champions League Tuesday night, as they defeated Tottenham, 3-2, at Anfield.
Mario Balotelli came off the bench to play the role of hero, scoring the winning goal for the Reds, who now sit three points outside of the top four in the English Premier League table.
Equalizers from Harry Kane (26') and Mousa Dembele (61') answered goals from Lazar Markovic (15') and Steven Gerrard (53'), but Spurs could not manage a third tying goal over the final seven minutes.
The loss bounced Tottenham down to sixth place on 43 points after Arsenal took down Leicester City, 2-1, at the Emirates Stadium to boost themselves into fourth.
Here's a look at the winners and losers from Liverpool's dramatic victory.
Winner: Mario Balotelli
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Mario Balotelli sent Anfield into an uproar in the 83rd minute when he knocked in a low cross from Adam Lallana to hand Liverpool a 3-2 lead.
Balotelli's first league goal since joining Liverpool in late August came at a perfect time, as the Reds jumped back into the race for the UEFA Champions League positions with their victory.
Before finding the back of the net, Balotelli was one of 124 players in the top five leagues in Europe to attempt over 40 shots without scoring, per ESPN's Paul Carr.
The Italian entered the pitch under a ton of scrutiny after Daniel Sturridge provided Liverpool with an impressive shift up top. But he found himself in good graces after the match thanks to his game-winner.
Now that he has some confidence, Balotelli could become a viable scoring option off the bench during the stretch run of the EPL season.
Balotelli used his Instagram page to explain why he did not celebrate his goal, saying, "Great game guys!!! This smile is ONLY for those that always Believe and support me. Thank you. Forza Liverpool. But now head down and keep working hard. Tonight is past."
Loser: Hugo Lloris
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Tottenham keeper Hugo Lloris had a strong start to the match, but once he committed a mistake on the first Liverpool goal, his form dropped off.
The Frenchman made two terrific plays in the opening 14 minutes, and it appeared he would have a tremendous day between the pipes for the visitors.
Just two minutes after Lloris earned praise for his denial of Daniel Sturridge, he let an easy save get away on Lazar Markovic's opener.
The ball bounced to the left of the keeper, who could have done a better job of getting in position to stop the shot.
After he conceded the opener, Lloris let in a penalty and a shot from close range in the second half.
Winner: Harry Kane
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Following his pair of goals against Arsenal on Saturday, Harry Kane contributed a goal and an assist for Spurs at Anfield.
In the 26th minute, the English forward finished off a clever attacking move with a strike from the center of the penalty area.
He then provided Mousa Dembele with an assist in the 61st minute, as he took advantage of a rebound following a Christian Eriksen free-kick.
Kane's eighth league goal of 2015 put him ahead of the team totals put forth by Manchester United and Manchester City over the first month-and-a-half of the new year, per Squawka.
Despite the inability to contribute to a third Tottenham goal late in the match, Kane still displayed plenty of confidence in front of the net on two occasions.
Spurs will need Kane to extend his brilliant form into the next few weeks, as they face a strong fight in the race for fourth place.
Loser: Danny Rose
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Danny Rose was at fault for conceding the second Liverpool goal of the night, as he impeded Daniel Sturridge in the box to hand the hosts a penalty.
The late tackle was a perfect representation of the rough night the left-back had at Anfield.
Rose committed the highest number of fouls by a Spurs defender with three, and he struggled to deal with the pace of the Liverpool wingers on a few occasions.
If he wants to remain in the first team for the foreseeable future, the English defender must find a way to improve on his rough night on the red half of Liverpool.
Winners: Martin Skrtel and Mamadou Sakho
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Throughout the final 30 minutes of the match, the Liverpool pair of Martin Skrtel and Mamadou Sakho silenced Harry Kane.
On a few occasions, the defensive duo held up the in-form striker with strong tackles and impressive man marking.
The biggest threat produced by Kane after Tottenham's second goal came in the 80th minute, when he skidded a pass through the box and out of play.
Although they let Kane slip through on two instances earlier in the match, Skrtel and Sakho gave Liverpool a chance to score a winner by limiting the forward's chances.
If the two center-backs are able to deliver standout performances in the closing stages of matches over the next three months, Liverpool could be headed back to the Champions League.
Winner: Mousa Dembele
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The second equalizer of the night for Tottenham came from an unexpected source, as Mousa Dembele netted his first goal since December 29, 2013.
The Belgian midfielder was able to get into a good position in between a pair of Liverpool defenders to connect with Harry Kane's pass from the left wing.
At the time Dembele's chested effort beat Liverpool keeper Simon Mignolet, there was hope for Spurs that they would leave Anfield with at least one point in the chaotic race for the top four.
Unfortunately for Dembele, Balotelli's game-winning strike on the other end of the pitch ruined his moment.
If Dembele can earn a good bit of confidence from his goal, Spurs might have another strong midfield contributor in the lineup during the busy month they have ahead.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
All statistics obtained from WhoScored.com.
