Tottenham Beats Liverpool in the EPL: 5 Things We Learned

Tottenham made it two wins out of two in the Premier League in a week with a comprehensive victory over a severely off-colour Liverpool side, who saw two players leave the pitch as a result of red cards and another leave because of injury.

Spurs dominated the game from start to finish and even before Liverpool saw their full complement of players reduced, the home side had taken the lead and shown more fight, aggression and passing ability at the start of the game.

Luka Modric fired a peach of an opening goal before Charlie Adam was sent off for a second bookable offence. Jermaine Defoe in the second half fired in the second goal and Emmanuel Adebayor hit a late brace, while makeshift right-back Martin Skrtel also saw red for a second yellow card.

Daniel Agger left the field with an injury sustained in the build up to the first goal and Liverpool, along with boss Kenny Dalglish, generally had a day to forget as Spurs closed the gap on the Reds to a single point.

Here are five things today's game taught us.

1. Tottenham Are Still Challengers for the Fourth Champions League Spot

Spurs were written off in some quarters early on in the season as having no chance of getting back into the Champions League placings in the Premier League.

Following on from their postponed game against Everton on the opening day, Spurs suffered defeats against both Manchester clubs to leave them at the foot of the table, having conceded a glut of goals at home to City.

Two wins later, though, and they are looking a force in attack once more. And with the likes of Aaron Lennon, Steven Pienaar and Michael Dawson still to come back from injury, their squad is strong enough to maintain form over the course of a season.

2. Martin Skrtel Still Has Not Learned How to Stop Jumping into Tackles

Slovakian defender Martin Skrtel, a centre back by trade, has been forced to operate at right-back for the past three matches due to injuries to Glen Johnson and Martin Kelly.

A good showing against Bolton gave boss Kenny Dalglish the confidence to pick him against Stoke, where he was solid enough if not totally accomplished on that side, but against Spurs—like many of his team-mates—he looked poor and sluggish.

Gareth Bale did for Skrtel with his pace every time he got the ball, and Skrtel responded in kind, by dragging Bale down as he ran past him, earning a yellow card.

His second yellow, though, was as a result of an action of Skrtel's so common-place to the player over the past few seasons, whether playing at right or centre back, that it beggars belief as to why he is not instructed strictly to not make these challenges.

Out by the touchline, with Bale facing his own goal and going nowhere, Skrtel—for the millionth time in his Liverpool career—decided the best course of action was to lunge in with a foot dragging down the calf of the opposition player, with no hope of getting the ball and, in truth, no intention of playing it.

A red card was the result, and Skrtel has nobody to blame but himself for continually making those stupid types of challenges.

3. Steven Gerrard Cannot Return Quickly Enough for Liverpool

Sidelined since March with groin complaints, surgery and infections, Steven Gerrard is now back in full training and is almost certain to compete at some point against Brighton in the League Cup in midweek.

On this evidence, Liverpool cannot wait to get their captain back into the starting line up.

The performance against Spurs was poor, yes, but the tempo and drive which the midfield started the game with was one of the most concerning things about the Reds' display, something which the return of Steven Gerrard should go some way towards alleviating.

4. Emmanuel Adebayor Will Be a Massive Hit for Tottenham

Two games and three goals—Tottenham have a way of playing which suits Emmanuel Adebayor, and he has already started making the most of it.

A debut goal against Wolves was followed by a brace against Liverpool, and one suspects it may be Jermaine Defoe who makes way once Rafael van der Vaart regains full fitness rather than the tall Togolese striker.

Adebayor showed good movement and technique all game long and gave Carragher and Coates plenty of problems, and he made fantastic use of the extra space once Skrtel had been dismissed.

5. October Will Be a Hugely Important Month for Liverpool

Liverpool's two games left for September are against Brighton in the League Cup and Wolves at home in the League.

Brighton are doing well under Guy Poyet, but Liverpool would still be expected to win both of those games—and in October the Reds face both Everton and Manchester United in what could become a month to shape their season.

Norwich City and West Bromwich Albion are the other two league games in October but Liverpool will not want to go into those fixtures with four losses suddenly under their belts having been unbeaten up until last weekend.

There is a long way to go in the race for a top four spot, but Liverpool will want to get back to their winning ways immediately, and a much-improved couple of performances will be required from the Reds if they are to take maximum points from games against their two biggest rivals.