Tottenham vs. Liverpool: Winners and Losers from Premier League Game
Jurgen Klopp kicked off his Liverpool reign with a 0-0 draw away at Tottenham Hotspur.
The German—who took charge of the Reds during the international break following the departure of Brendan Rodgers from Anfield—was hindered by the absence of key players such as Daniel Sturridge.
Divock Origi made his first Premier League start for Liverpool, and the Belgian came closest to breaking the deadlock with a header that hit the woodwork.
Tottenham forced Simon Mignolet to make some smart saves over the course of the match, but the second half rather petered out.
Despite drawing a blank in front of goal, Klopp was pleased with Liverpool's performance, per BBC Sport: "There were many full-throttle moments in the game. We need to improve, but after working with the players for three days, I am completely satisfied."
Bleacher Report has picked out the winners and losers from the goalless draw at White Hart Lane.
Winner: Mamadou Sakho
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Clean sheets have been hard to come by for Liverpool this season.
Brendan Rodgers had often used a 3-5-2 formation, but new boss Jurgen Klopp reverted to a flat back four for the trip to Tottenham.
Together with Martin Skrtel, Mamadou Sakho made sure two centre-backs proved enough to keep the hosts at bay.
Football editor Melissa Reddy picked out the Frenchman for praise on Twitter: "Top stuff from Sakho. Most ball recoveries (14) and clearances (9). Second-most passes (42, one behind Lucas)."
Sakho's most important contribution for his team came in the first half, as he managed to dive to block Dele Alli's goal-bound effort.
Loser: Daniel Sturridge
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New manager Jurgen Klopp quickly got used to one aspect of life at Liverpool: Daniel Sturridge being sidelined.
The England international travelled down with the squad on Friday but was not included in the matchday squad, which caught everyone by surprise.
James Pearce of the Liverpool Echo tweeted prior to kick-off: "Sturridge has minor knee problem. Travelled down to London with LFC squad on Friday but decision was taken this morning not to risk him."
Liverpool are right not to take any chances with Sturridge, particularly after they lost Danny Ings during the week to a serious knee problem.
However, Klopp was upbeat over the player's fitness, telling Chris Shaw of the club's official website, "We made a diagnosis and screened him to be sure—we can see a little bit of swelling but nothing really serious. So we have to see. I hope he’s ready to play on Thursday [in the Europa League]."
Winner: Jurgen Klopp
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He may not have got off to a winning start in his new job, but there were still some positive signs for Jurgen Klopp.
The clean sheet is a boost, thanks in part to a couple of excellent saves from goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, but he will also have liked how his side pressed the ball in the right areas of the pitch.
ESPN journalist Michael Cox summed up the way Liverpool went about their work when they were not in possession:
"The most notable aspect of Liverpool's performance was the intense pressing. It wasn't total pressing that shut down Tottenham all over the pitch but when Spurs attempted to play the ball into the midfield zone, Liverpool sprung into life quickly. Coutinho and Adam Lallana aren't naturals at playing a high-energy game, but they worked hard and were backed up by James Milner and Emre Can, two relentless, tactically disciplined players whom Klopp will love.
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Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wilson had previously explained how the gegenpressing style Klopp used with great success at Borussia Dortmund will become the template for Liverpool.
In this respect, the early signs were promising. His new squad seem to have picked up their manager's plan quickly.
Loser: Divock Origi
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With Daniel Sturridge ruled out, plus Danny Ings and Christian Benteke both sidelined, Divock Origi was handed his first Premier League start.
The Belgium international battled hard as the lone frontman, holding the ball up as often as possible to bring his team-mates into play.
However, he failed to convert a glorious chance to break the deadlock during Liverpool's impressive opening to the match.
A corner from the right ended up being flicked into his path at the far post, but Origi steered his close-range header against the post (or possibly the bar, as it hit right where the two join together).
Such fine margins can make all the difference, especially in the early stages of your career at a new club.
Winner: Mousa Dembele
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Drafted into the starting XI to replace the suspended Eric Dier, Mousa Dembele did an outstanding job in Tottenham's midfield.
The Belgium international has been linked with a move away from White Hart Lane in recent times, with Tuttosport (via talkSPORT) suggesting a switch to Napoli could happen in the next transfer window.
However, Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino will be loath to lose Dembele after his performance against Liverpool.
Ben McAleer—editorial assistant at WhoScored.com—tweeted: "Mousa Dembele completed most dribbles (5), made most tackles (8), made joint-most interceptions (5) & managed 90.6% pass success vs L'pool."
Pochettino now has the kind of selection headache a manager loves, as he has to decide what to do with Dier when he returns from his ban.
Losers: Headline Writers
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Jurgen Klopp has charmed the English media since he was confirmed in the Liverpool job.
His introductory press conference had journalists chuckling at his jokes and lapping up his words like a hungry cat at a saucer of milk.
The German dubbed himself "The Normal One," yet life was never going to be normal once he agreed to take over at Anfield. Life as Liverpool boss can feel like you're in a goldfish bowl at times.
The Mirror ran a "Kloppwatch" to analyse the former Borussia Dortmund manager's moves before, during and after his maiden match at the helm.
However, any hopes of coming up with an eye-catching headline for the Sunday-morning papers were doused by a 0-0 scoreline.
No goals, and no real major talking points either, meant Klopp started life at Liverpool in rather subdued fashion. Still, the new boss will not mind that too much, as he is in it for the long haul.
