LIVERPOOL 1 – 1 TOTTENHAM
Liverpool: Szoboszlai 18’,
Tottenham: Richarlison 88’
Pre-Match
It’s Spurs, again. The last go around wasn’t so bad, but it was at least in memorable in that we won and Spurs went somewhat insane. Things have changed a lot since December, with Alexander Isak just coming back to training following the horror injury sustained on that day, and Spurs themselves looking down the path to relegation. Their levels have dropped so low this season that one of the founding clubs of the Premier League might actually
get the axe. Liverpool on their own have gone back to struggling despite winning four in a row in the league back in February, with questions abounding about who this club have turned into. Arne Slot has made a host of changes to the lineup for the day, including starting Rio Ngumoha and putting Cody Gakpo in the number 9 position, but that means starlet striker Hugo Ekitike is on the bench, alongside Mohamed Salah. Let’s see if it pays off for him/us.
First Half
We get underway at Anfield with Spurs in yellow tops, and it looks like McDonald’s are sponsoring this particular match. Liverpool take possession early on with the fans trying to drown out the funeral dirge of the visiting fans. It appears as if Szoboszlai and Frimpong have traded positions today, with the defender playing in midfield to hopefully help the attack. Spurs are playing physically, as expected, and there’s a brief pause for a head injury check on a visiting player but we’re back in action. There’s an open channel and Wirtz and Gakpo team up to get in front of goal but Gakpo’s shot goes high and wide and play switches to the other end. Dominic Solanke gets close but is closed down and a youngster sends a shot right at Alisson, making things look more dangerous for both sides.
These first fifteen minutes have turned a little sloppy, a little frantic, as neither team can hold onto the ball long enough to get into something resembling an advantage. Thankfully, Mac Allister is taken down just outside the box and Liverpool are awarded a free kick just in the sweet spot for a Szoboszlai stunner. The Hungarian lines up, and HE DOES IT! LIVERPOOL TAKE THE LEAD! Right over the wall, the goalkeeper gets a hand on it but there’s too much behind it to be stopped! Now we just have to hang onto this lead, and not let Spurs take advantage of any of our weaknesses.
It looked like the goal had injected some life into the Reds for a minute there, but we’ve settled into the match a little bit more and are working on keeping possession, again. If we can hold onto this lead we can end the game in fourth place on goal difference, and maintaining our spot in Europe is really one of the few attainable goals this season. Rio is doing well for his first start, with the senior players actually working to keep him involved, and his quick feet have been a definite boon to the squad. Liverpool win a corner in the 31st minute, and the ball gets into the scrum and stays on some heads for a while before coming down. Rio chases it down and nearly gets it to Gakpo for a chance, but is pushed out just by the goal.
This has been more like it from Liverpool as we enter the last ten or so minutes in the half. We have won the ball back, and taken shots that are closer to target, even under pressure. 1-0 is still not a comfortable enough lead for us to take the foot off the gas, but we have Spurs on the ropes and just have to take advantage of their poor decision making. Liverpool have a chance to make it two when Szoboszlai drills in another free kick to the group and it gets pushed out, but comes back in to Virgil van Dijk, who sends a heavy cross in but no one is able to get a second touch on it to go into goal. There’s two minutes of added time to the half, but it appears we’re just going to keep trying to block Spurs from scoring, which is fine.
Second Half
The second half gets underway with no changes for either team, though we should hopefully see the likes of Hugo Ekitike and maybe even Salah come on… eventually. Rio remains bright and exciting, nearly drawing a penalty when he’s pushed down by Souza after running a literal ring around them. This is usually when Tottenham start to get desperate and make even worse decisions, so if we can keep our heads we can find a second goal. Spurs go for a long throw from Kevin Danso but it gets right onto Virgil’s head and is cleared easily. Liverpool catch the visitors out with Frimpong charging down the channel and gets the ball over to Rio, who goes for the shot but shoots it skyward.
There’s a nervy moment where it appears Virgil pulls Richarlison down in front of Alisson while the striker has the ball, but the check deems it legal and Spurs are awarded a corner instead of a penalty. The effort is handled by Liverpool and Alisson gets a good counter attack started on the left side but Spurs get there just in time to shut down Rio. Now its Liverpool’s turn for a corner in the 57th minute, and it’s taken short just as Salah is shown warming up. The Reds go back on the charge two minutes later, and Rio once again gets into a good position to lay the ball off to Wirtz, but the German’s effort doesn’t find the goal. Liverpool are doing their best to play around Spurs today, and so far it is working in their favor but a second goal would feel a little better.
Slot makes his first changes of the day, taking off the best player so far Rio Ngumoha, as well as Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz, for Salah, Ekitike, and Curtis Jones. At least Ekitike is good at tracking back and making goals happen from seemingly nothing, but we’ve lost a lot of pace with that change. Sure, Slot likely has an eye on Wednesday’s meeting with Galatasaray but it’s still frustrating when Rio isn’t even likely to start then.
Virgil makes a dire mistake in the 66th minute, giving the ball to Richarlison but Alisson is there to bail him out with a nice save. Liverpool get going once again, with Salah pushing down the right and gets the ball to Ekitike, who gets into space but his effort goes high. The Frenchman has been on for a few minutes and is already making things happen, showing why he has been one of our best signings of the year. His link up play with Salah today in particular has been a bright spot already in this second half. Maybe it’s because Spurs are just not good this season, but we’ve looked better than we have in a while, even Salah looking closer to his old self.
The game has fully opened up now in the final quarter, with Liverpool getting a lot of chances to make dangerous breaks, but unfortunately Salah’s crosses have failed to find the right marks, whether that be Ekitike or anyone else. Salah has been so good at forcing the attack when he’s come on, though, that the rest looks to benefit him more than the start. It will be so nice when Isak is fit again and we can stop depending on Gakpo so heavily, and let our two tall strikers work some magic.
A second goal looks a little further off now as Spurs have clawed their way back into this match, and we’re doing our best to smother their pressure. Vicario is pressured into giving the ball away too quickly and Salah wins it back, twisting towards goal, but sends it out for a corner (after the refs have decided we didn’t need three clear corners earlier). Salah takes it and it doesn’t end well, and Spurs take it back just before Slot brings on another youngster, with Trey Nyoni coming on for Gakpo. The young legs can only be helpful, right? Although the clean sheet wouldn’t be a bad thing either, especially with Alisson just coming back from a knock.
Clean sheet no more, Richarlison scores to equalize, and the win slips away after Virgil can’t shut down the assist. Five minutes have been added to the half, Chiesa comes on for Mac Allister, and we’re once again fighting back for the win late in the game. Ekitike is able to run ahead after clearing a corner and saving a few minutes through the subs, but he passes to Chiesa who doesn’t know what to do with it in time. The whistle blows and we’re done, with boos around the stadium again.
Final Thoughts
We gave away a win late in the game, again, after holding Spurs for the better part of an hour. It doesn’t feel good.
