Liverpool vs. Tottenham: Score and Reaction from 2017 Premier League Match
Liverpool outclassed Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League at Anfield, defeating the north London side 2-0 in a one-sided affair on Saturday.
The Reds exploded out of the blocks, as a brace from Sadio Mane stunned Spurs in the opening moments of the game.
The visitors could not find a foothold in the contest in the second half, with Liverpool dominating their opponents across the majority of positions on the pitch.
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Liverpool made one change from their defeat to Hull City, as Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp dropped Emre Can for Georginio Wijnaldum.
Tottenham were unchanged after their victory over Middlesbrough, with Harry Kane leading the line, supported in attack by Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen. Erik Lamela remained absent due to injury.
The visitors were caught cold in the opening phase of the game, with Liverpool in prolific form in the first half.
Mane clearly had the number of the Spurs defence, and he found the back of the net twice in two minutes as the north Londoners were made to look ordinary.
OptaJoe highlighted Mane's incredible contributions:
Mauricio Pochettino appeared worried in the dugout as Liverpool were quickest to every ball, with the Kop in full voice.
Mane should have had his hat-trick before the half-hour mark, twice collecting excellent opportunities but failing to complete his treble.
The Premier League tipped their hat towards the speedy attacker:
Liverpool were back to their early-season form before the half-time whistle, with Tottenham leaving acres of space for Klopp's rampant attack.
Kane was out of the game as the Reds monopolised territory, but it appeared the visitors had not done their homework on the hosts' "heavy metal" football style.
Football writer and Manchester United fan Hesham Bilal-Hafiz highlighted the issues for Spurs:
Paddy Power pointed out how much Liverpool have missed their star attacker in recent times:
WhoScored.com provided the vital statistics and player ratings during the interval, with Spurs regrouping after a disastrous first half:
Klopp continued to dominate the script, as Spurs had little impact through midfield.
The hosts pressed hard and fast, and they constricted the blood flow to the heart of Pochettino's beleaguered attack.
Spurs' away fans finally found their voice, willing their team to push forward, and Liverpool's defence began to slightly sway as the minutes ticked away.
Freelance sports journalist Ben Pearce called the action:
Liverpool tried to play on the counter-attack, with the visitors attempting to force the issue to get back in the match.
Kane claimed his first booking of the Premier League season as he remained frustrated at the point of the attack.
Pochettino sacrificed Eriksen shortly after the hour mark, with young Harry Winks given a chance to impress from the bench.
The hosts continued to appear the more dangerous of the two teams, as Spurs laboured through the half, well short of the form witnessed in recent months.
Liverpool's energy levels were high—replicating the animation Klopp displayed in the technical area—as the Reds hunted in packs.
Spurs were well beaten in the final moments, and they will need to lick their wounds before their next match.
Liverpool, Arsenal and United all gained ground on the White Hart Lane club on Saturday, and Pochettino will hope his side's poor performance on Merseyside was just a blip.
Post-Match Reaction
Klopp was ecstatic after a sumptuous display from his Liverpool side, highlighting the work of his attackers in the game, per the club's official Twitter feed:
Liverpool are up to fourth place after the victory, one point behind Spurs and Arsenal in the standings.
