Liverpool survived a late fightback from Tottenham to earn a 4-2 win in the Premier League at Anfield, having taken a deserved 4-0 lead before the hour.
Liverpool 4-2 Tottenham
Premier League (36), Anfield
May 5, 2024
Goals
Salah 16′ (assist – Gakpo)
Robertson 45′ (assist – Salah)
Gakpo 50′ (assist – Elliott)
Elliott 59′ (assist – Salah)
Richarlison 72′
Son 77′
Set to an upbeat atmosphere on an Anfield flag day, Liverpool started well as they controlled the tempo against Spurs, with a burst of early chances seeing them go close to an opener.
Harvey Elliott sent Mohamed Salah through for an effort saved by Guglielmo Vicario, with Cristian Romero then blocking on the line for the young midfielder’s follow-up.
Salah soon broke the deadlock, drifting into space to meet Cody Gakpo‘s perfect lofted ball and head through Vicario for 1-0 – his first goal in five league games.
There were penalty appeals as Gakpo was tripped and Romero appeared to handle in the box, while chance after chance after chance showed Liverpool’s dominance – though there was the familiar sense that another goal was needed.
It eventually came from a usually unlikely source in Andy Robertson, who tapped into an empty net after a one-two of sorts with Salah that saw Vicario push it into the left-back’s path for a second goal in as many games!
HT: Liverpool 2-0 Tottenham
If Tottenham weren’t aware in the first half that Aston Villa had given up their advantage in the top-four race, they really should have been after half-time.
But they were throttled again throughout the second half, with the outstanding Elliott teeing Gakpo up for Liverpool’s third by pressing the pathetic Emerson Royal and then crossing for the Dutchman to head in.
Elliott then got the goal his afternoon deserved, with Royal standing off Salah to allow a simple lay-off before the No. 19 did the rest, finding space and hammering a strike into the top corner.
The extent of the lead allowed Jurgen Klopp to introduce Stefan Bajcetic for his first senior outing since September, replacing Wataru Endo to rapturous applause.
Spurs grabbed one back through a well-worked move finished by substitute Richarlison, denying a clean sheet Liverpool’s defence – and particularly Jarell Quansah – had deserved.
And then another through Heung-min Son, left in acres of space by the half-arsed Ryan Gravenberch to fire into the bottom corner for 4-2.
Salah should have poked in from three yards out and Trent Alexander-Arnold almost saw his 60-yard shot dip under the crossbar, before a crucial clearance from Joe Gomez kept out a third for Spurs.
Liverpool were able to hold onto their two-goal lead and see the game out, with an eye-catching win worthy of the occasion on Klopp’s penultimate Anfield clash.
TIA Man of the Match: Harvey Elliott
Referee: Paul Tierney
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Van Dijk, Robertson (Gomez 64′); Endo (Bajcetic 64′), Elliott (Szoboszlai 83′), Mac Allister (Gravenberch 74′); Salah, Diaz (Nunez 74′), Gakpo
Subs not used: Kelleher, Konate, Bradley, Jones
Tottenham: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Royal (Skipp 61′); Bissouma, Bentancur (Richarlison 61′); Johnson, Sarr (Lo Celso 75′), Kulusevski (Maddison 61′); Son
Subs not used: Austin, Dragusin, Hojbjerg, Bryan, Moore
Next match: Aston Villa (A) – Premier League – Monday, May 13, 8pm (BST)
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