Liverpool extended their lead at the top of the English Premier League table to 16 points after they beat Tottenham Hotspur in their home. The Reds were not at their free-flowing style but when it mattered Roberto Firmino finished off a Mo Salah lay-off in the 18-yard-box powering home from close range.
The team from Anfield have now gone unbeaten in 39 games and have picked up 61 points from a possible 63. A historic feat it proved to be as they became the first team to have accumulated this many points at this stage of the season.
The game started off jittery for Spurs especially in the first half but as it went on we saw a much-improved performance from Mourinho’s team. Two changes in the second half with Giovani Lo Celso replacing Christain Eriksen and Erik Lamela for Danny Rose gave Spurs a new attacking edge. The game opened up a bit more at the turn of the hour and the home side could have levelled matters but for the misfirings of Son Heung Min and Lo Celso much to the discontent of their fans and manager.
Liverpool pulled out Oxlade Chamberlain and brought on Lalana, later Origi replaced assist king, Mo Salah and just for time-wasting at the stroke of the 90 Jurgen Klopp threw on Shkodran Shaqiri who hadn’t featured for a while.
Both managers spoke after the match and according to BBC Sport;
Tottenham manager Jose Mourinhno said; “This is football. Sometimes you get more than you deserve. Sometimes you get less. This was an occasion when we got nothing when we deserved something. This is the best team in the world against a team in a difficult moment, with injuries, in a difficult part of the season. The boys were fantastic when we tried to change and create problems.”
On a potential handball in the build-up to the goal: “I didn’t watch it. What I watch is 200% that the throw in for the start of the goal was our throw. I am confused with VAR because of that.”
On finishing in the top four: “It is possible to talk about top four when you start the season on zero points. But it is hard to talk about it when you start at minus 12 (the number of points off the top four Spurs were when he took over).”
Jurgen Klopp said; “It was very hard-fought because we didn’t close the game down early. We should have been one or 2-0 up already when we scored. If you have quality opponent like Tottenham and you don’t close the game they will come back. Allison makes things look easy. It is not what we would have wanted. It is intense, you lose the ball and you are facing one of the best counter-attacking sides. We had Robbo (Andy Robertson) free two or three times and he didn’t find a team-mate, so we didn’t help ourselves.”
On his side’s defensive record: “We needed Allison for that today. We had a few dips defensively. Some games he has not had a lot to do with us winning the ball high early. It is good but there is no other chance to win games than to defend well.”
On their record start to the season: “It doesn’t feel somehow special. We know about it and it is special but I can’t feel it. When someone gives you a trophy it is done but until then you need to fight. It is only the start. We need to continue because our contenders are so strong. Pep (Guardiola, Manchester City boss) will not give up. I will do the same. So far, so really good.”
Liverpool extends the points gap to 16 points at the top while Spurs remain at 8th. Mathematically if Liverpool were to continue this way another 38 points will surely secure a first league title in 30 years for the Reds.