Daniel Zeqiri, live updates
Postecoglou speaking to BBC....
I think some will question the definition of “played well” if you fail to look dangerous and the opposition does so constantly. But I know what he means.
I thought first half, we actually played well, it’s just whenever we got to the final third just nothing came of it and I think it allowed Liverpool to get comfortable and the flip side of that, when they got into our box, they were looking dangerous with the player they have. Obviously them getting the two goals made it difficult for us and in the second half, they obviously scored a couple of exceptional goals.
I still thought our football was good in general and at least in the last half hour, our front third started to click a little bit more and looked a little bit more dangerous. A couple of goals, created a couple more [chances]. It is disappointing obviously when you lose but at least today, I can hold on to the fact that we looked more like ourselves.
Klopp on his emotions
I would be lying if I said I was at my highest emotion but I have another game. In two weeks time is another day. I have said it before, I love absolutely everything about this club. We will see how this game will be. Maybe it’s pouring down and we cannot stay outside for long. There’s a good chance it’ll be raining, by the way.
Klopp on Liverpool
It was a bit what we are: outstanding until we are not. It was a really good game. It was the whole situation. Villa lost before and Spurs can close the gap to the top four. We are safe in top four. In high performance, you need to find a reason.
The boys showed it. Anfield was a special place again because the boys were outstanding, until we were not, then we saw how dangerous Spurs could be if we let them.
Harvey Elliott on his strike
There was motivation to go out there and put it right. We know we’ve not been good enough in the last few weeks and we wanted to put it right.
I thought it was going over to be honest [his goal]. I saw it drop at the end. It’s about time I scored a goal, I think I’ve hit the bar and the post in the last few games.
Gakpo on Liverpool’s performance
It was a disappointing few weeks where the results were not what we wanted. We could have scored more. It was a good day.
Everyone wanted to do their best in the last few weeks but it didn’t work. We wanted to enjoy it, play for goals, defend together and it was a good result.
It was a good result and a good header. I’m very happy, very blessed. That was one for my son.
FT: Liverpool 4 Spurs 2
Liverpool made hard work of that towards the end having raced into a 4-0 lead, but a well-earned victory. They were in a different class to a porous Spurs team for 70 minutes or so. Postecoglou’s changes improved them, but could also be read as a signal that he picked the wrong team. Liverpool lift the gloom and ensure Klopp has the chance to go out with some goals and wins. Spurs need Liverpool to do them a favour next week against Villa, but hopes of top four are almost extinguished.
87 minutes: Liverpool 4 Spurs 2
Salah slips a pass into the penalty area for the substitute Szoboszlai, but his shot from a tight angle was wide.
Then Son picked out Richarlison with a lovely through ball, who forced Alisson into a save. The ball bounced up for Johnson to attack, but Gomez did well to hook the ball away from him. VAR checked for a penalty for a high foot, but Gomez got the ball. That could have made for a nervy ending.
84 minutes: Liverpool 4 Spurs 2
Alexander-Arnold with a cracking effort to score from almost the halfway line, which was just a yard or so too high with Vicario beaten. Harvey Elliott then gets a standing ovation after he comes off. Spurs with the ball around the Liverpool box but they cannot find a telling shot or pass. A very entertaining finish.
79 minutes: Liverpool 4 Spurs 2
Liverpool starting to give the ball away and concede fouls. Another moment of danger as Son skips into the area, but he lost his balance as he tried to beat Quansah with a trick.
From nowhere, this has started to get messy for the home side. Klopp has made too many substitutions which have backfired, while Postecoglou’s have given Spurs hope.
GOOOALL! Son pulls another goal back
Are win in for more silliness at Anfield between Liverpool and Spurs? Skipp squeezed a pass through to Richarlison in the box, and he laid the ball back to Son who finished. Spurs have a spring in their step now. They couldn’t could they? Liverpool have just relaxed a little bit.
62 minutes: Liverpool 4 Spurs 0
Postecoglou was ready to make that triple change when the Elliott goal flew in. Richarlison, Skipp and Maddison are the players on. Within a couple of minutes, Maddison fires a free-kick into the wall and then a tame shot is straight at Alisson. Bissouma booked for dissent after a decision goes against him.
GOOOAAALL! Elliott with a screamer
Harvey Elliott has been lively in this game, and that was a Salah-esque finish. Cutting inside from the right after another poor Emerson Royal header, Elliott takes the ball beyond Bentancur before bending the ball into the top corner with his left foot from 25 yards. A brilliant moment for him.
Elliott deserved that. As for Spurs... deary me... didn’t they get the message that Villa lost?
47 minutes: Liverpool 2 Spurs 0
Opportunities at both ends at the start of the second half. Bissouma won the ball high for Spurs but Son could not sort his feet out, before Liverpool broke at speed. Salah in acres down the right but his shot was tame and easy for Vicario. Gary Neville says Spurs are looking a little “legless”. They might not be alone on a bank holiday Sunday.
Chris’s HT verdict
The half-time score flatters Spurs, who after keeping the ball for the first three minutes have been shocking ever since. For Liverpool, that first half is a return to form too late to keep their title hopes alive. Spurs should have been full of enthusiasm after Villa’s defeat. They do not look like a team that cares about Champions League football.
Salah a Spurs scourge
12 - Mo Salah has scored 12 goals against Tottenham in his European club career, only scoring more against Manchester United (14) in all competitions. He is now the joint-top scorer in Liverpool v Tottenham matches in the Premier League (9, level with Harry Kane). Thorn. pic.twitter.com/WVQL531lMX
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 5, 2024
HT: Liverpool 2 Spurs 0
Aside from some early Spurs possession, this has been one-way traffic. Liverpool have had 13 shots and a whopping eight on target, Spurs just one shot which was off target. Some slick play from Klopp’s team, who have targeted Emerson Royal at left-back. They could be out of sight.
GOOOOAALL! There it is...Robertson scores
That second goal has been coming, Liverpool have been carving Spurs up. Lovely pass around the corner from Gakpo for Alexander-Arnold, who stands up a cross to Robertson at the back post. He squared for Diaz to shoot, Vicario made the save, but Robertson was there to tap home the rebound. Onside, Liverpool in control.
39 minutes: Liverpool 1 Spurs 0
Spurs may have made a positive start, but they have carried next to no attacking threat for the last 20 or 25 minutes. They are struggling to keep Liverpool pushed back, and cannot prevent chances when defending close to their box. It is not a good combination.
That was a little better from them after Porro robbed Robertson, but Son could not bring the ball down for a shot.
36 minutes: Liverpool 1 Spurs 0
Romero well-positioned in the box to get a header on Salah’s cross, before Robertson fizzes a follow up shot across goal. There was a VAR check for a penalty, but the deflection came off Romero’s head.
Spurs are genuinely terrible defensively. Liverpool currently look like the side with more to play for.
33 minutes: Liverpool 1 Spurs 0
Spurs caught on the ball in their own half, but Romero did very well to deal with a bouncing Alexander-Arnold cross, chesting it back to his goalkeeper. Then Liverpool force another high turnover, and Gakpo goes down in the penalty area looking for a penalty...but nothing doing. Spurs then have a counter-attacking with Son but it breaks down and Liverpool break on them, and Emerson Royal did enough to put Salah off. Spurs hanging by a thread at the back.
31 minutes: Liverpool 1 Spurs 0
Spurs dealt with the initial corner, but one the second phase Alexander-Arnold whipped in a dangerous cross which Van de Ven put behind. Lovely take from Elliott in the box, but he flag goes up for offside. Romero then hammers a pass straight through for a Liverpool goal kick.
29 minutes: Liverpool 1 Spurs 0
Liverpool know Spurs are struggling defensively on their left flank. Alexander-Arnold found space, but his touch let him down. Liverpool are starting their moves over on the left and then switching play to Royal’s flank. Liverpool have a corner. Spurs need to ride this out.
23 minutes: Liverpool 1 Spurs 0
Vicario smothers at the feet of Diaz after the ball broke back to him in the penalty area, but everything continues to look chaotic in the Spurs penalty area.
Liverpool have a corner, which has been a signal for Spurs fans to watch through their fingers of late. The ball flicks off Romero’s head and they will have to defend another from the opposite side.
Swung in by Robertson, but Vicario does well to come through the crowd and catch.
GOOOALLL! Salah shuts out the noise to put Liverpool in front
Spurs have played well with the ball, but their defensive vulnerability has reared its head again. Gakpo received the ball on the left and cut inside, clipping an inswinging cross to the back post. Salah kept himself onside and Emerson’s body shape was closed, and the Liverpool forward’s header was too strong for Vicario. Should the goalkeeper have done better after getting a hand to it.
So many theories about Salah’s form recently. On the evidence of the first 16 minutes, he just needed a week off. Emerson Royal could be in for a torrid afternoon. The Egyptian is in the mood.
14 minutes: Liverpool 0 Spurs 0
Tottenham living dangerously again, although Kulusevski was unfortunate not to be given a foul in the build up to a Liverpool corner. From the set-piece, the ball looped up for Salah who was free at the back post and his volley hit the foot of the post. The flag was up for offside in any case.
11 minutes: Liverpool 0 Spurs 0
Bissouma with a loose ball after winning the ball in a promising position with Son ahead of him. As expected, an open feel to the contest so far. Chris’s observation from Anfield sums up where Spurs are at this stage in their development:
Spurs have started well on the ball, but not so good whenever they lose it. Salah is looking sharper than in the last few weeks.
8 minutes: Liverpool 0 Spurs 0
Tottenham seeing most of the ball so far, which few teams do at Anfield. Liverpool possibly a little more circ*mspect in their defensive shape, sitting a little deeper and narrow.
But then Liverpool have a flurry of chances! A Salah cross deflected on to the crossbar, before Elliott robbed Sarr and fed Salah. The Liverpool took on a low shot which was saved by the leg of Vicario, before Elliott’s rebound was stopped on the line by Romero.
The Spurs defender did well not to handball that. Very good defending.
3 minutes: Liverpool 0 Spurs 0
Quite a confident start from Spurs, moving the ball neatly in small triangles. They have a corner, Postecoglou was shouting at this players to stop playing backwards at Chelsea, so they have that message ringing in their ears. Liverpool deal with the corner, but then Alexander-Arnold fouls Son in a crossing position. Can Spurs profit from a set-piece instead of shipping a goal from one? Not on this occasion. Bissouma shoots wildly over.
A reminder of Tottenham’s situation
Villa’s defeat at Brighton means they are seven points off the Champions League places with two games in hand. Unfortunately, those games are this one at Anfield and Man City at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
But...if* Spurs could squeak a win today, they play Burnley next weekend while Villa host Liverpool. Those results could well put Champions League qualification in their hands.
*it is a big if. But Spurs have the pace to cause Liverpool problems.
Postecoglou on Spurs and beefing up his midfield
This is the most challenging part of the season for us and you’ve got to be up for it. In 12 months time it could be a different challenge, and we’ll need to be up for that.
It’s massive, particularly in the context of Liverpool’s season, they need to win to keep their title
We’re going to need some legs today and it was a short turnaround. I’m sure there’s going to be some energy and intensity in the early parts of the game.
Klopp speaking
I know you need a reason or a spark for giving your absolute all, so we try to do that. We trained intensely this week, how we should. Tricky opponent with a specific way to play. You cannot turn up against Tottenham and say ‘let’s have a look’. They will go through you and cause massive problems.
[On Salah starting] There was no doubt that he was going to start today.
The inner sanctum
The Reds 🙌🔴 pic.twitter.com/oXmcItvT1m
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 5, 2024
Salah with a point to prove?
Mohamed Salah’s inclusion in Liverpool’s starting line-up will surprise no-one. Klopp’s contention his touchline spat was a ‘non-story’ was slightly disingenuous. The thousands of column inches since disprove that.
Nevertheless, it’s a fair assumption the reason the Egyptian was in such a foul mood at West Ham was because he was a substitute. After a week off, a refreshed world-class striker with a point to prove is usually bad news for the opposition.
Dip in expectations
This would have been billed as the game of vengeance three weeks, a title-chasing Liverpool side seeking to right the wrongs of that strange afternoon in October when a legitimate Luis Diaz goal was chalked off, Spurs went on to win 2-1 with a last-minute own goal from Joel Matip, and while Jurgen Klopp was incredulous, the rest of the Premier League shrugged its shoulders and echoed ‘Big Ange’s’ view that ‘these things happen, mate’.
Although the memories linger, there is unlikely to be much hostility inside Anfield now given how little is at stake for the hosts – the mathematical possibility of a Liverpool title convincing no-one it is a realistic proposition.
“We can at least play some better football,” is Klopp’s moderate expectation for his penultimate home game.
Postecoglou may give the same speech after a wretched dip in form.
Spurs can still qualify for the Champions League. Their staff were avidly watching the Brighton vs Villa game in the Anfield press room ahead of kick-off. Given recent form, they may also need to watch their backs to ensure they do not end up in the Conference League.
At the very least, if both teams can get through the afternoon without the words ‘good process’ being uttered by incompetent VAR officials, it will be a blessed relief to everyone.
Here are those teams in black and white
LIVERPOOL XI TO FACE TOTTENHAM: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, van Dijk, Robertson, Elliott, Endo, Mac Allister, Salah, Gakpo, Diaz. Subs: Gomez, Konate, Szoboszlai, Nunez, Jones, Gravenberch, Bajcetic, Kelleher, Bradley.
The big news is that Mohamed Salah returns to the Liverpool starting XI after his touchline spat with Jurgen Klopp last week. Virgil van Dijk was an injury worry but he starts with Ryan Gravenberch dropping to the bench.
TOTTENHAM XI TO FACE LIVERPOOL: Vicario, Porro, Romero, van de Ven, Emerson, Bissouma, Sarr, Bentancur, Kulusevski, Son, Johnson. Subs: Skipp, Hojbjerg, Dragusin, Richarlison, Maddison, Gil Salvatierra, Lo Celso, Austin, Moore.
There is just one change for the visitors, with Richarlison dropped and Rodrigo Bentancur coming back into the starting XI.
Here’s the Tottenham XI
Up the Spurs! 🤍 pic.twitter.com/4SsbL3OZbc
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) May 5, 2024
Here’s the Liverpool XI
How we line up for #LIVTOT 👊🔴
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 5, 2024
Revenge and entertainment in the air at Anfield
Liverpool and Tottenham’s seasons have nose-dived at just the wrong time, but a game between two cavalier sides with their share of defensive problems promises entertainment.
The two teams produced a thrilling 4-3 game at Anfield last year, and revenge is in the air for Liverpool who were wrongly denied a Luis Diaz goal at Spurs earlier this season in a calamitous VAR debacle.
The title has now gone after defeats to Crystal Palace and Everton as well as a draw at West Ham, but Liverpool surely cannot let Jurgen Klopp depart on the back of further disappointment. This is his penultimate home game in charge before Wolves on the final day.
Tottenham’s hopes of a top-four finish have also receded following a brutal week which saw them lose derbies against Arsenal and Chelsea. Spurs were certainly in the game against Arsenal, but their limp display at Chelsea had Ange Postecoglou raging on the touchline. There has been enough to encourage Spurs fans in Postecoglou’s first season, but his pre-match words suggest thoughts are already turning to his second campaign.
Postecoglou said: “Will we be ready in 12 months’ time? That’s the challenge I’ve got.
“What I keep trying to emphasise is that for a club like this, wherever you think you are in your rebuilding cycle, you have to try and win something every year. That’s part of the responsibility.
“I can’t sit here and say we’re going to finish fourth, fifth, sixth and then in the third or fourth year we’re going to win something. I’m not built that way.
“I want to win things all the time. We start next year trying to have success, but the underlying thing is growth. We’ve got to have growth.
“Belief is the word. I want people to believe we can be successful.”
Full team news on the way shortly.
