With their tails up and the crowd becoming giddy, you wondered what damage Liverpool might inflict and it was certainly not out of the question to think they could emulate Newcastle, with Klopp purring about what he was seeing. Liverpool have been too wretched at times to attribute things to one man's absence but there can be no disputing the picture would have been different had Diaz not missed six months. Starting for the first time since last October, how the Colombian enjoyed this moment. In the fifth minute, Liverpool motored forward again, passes zipping between Alexander-Arnold, Gakpo, Salah and Harvey Elliott like a ricocheting pinball before Gakpo reached the byline to square for Luis Diaz. Incredibly, they were two behind quicker than was the case at St James's Park. The first goal arrived from the first attack, Cody Gakpo and Salah working an angle for Trent Alexander-Arnold to cross, which he did with a sniper's accuracy, dropping a ball to the back post for Curtis Jones to drill home. From nowhere, Salah scurried back and picked his pocket, leaving Klopp hollering his delight and demanding those behind him acknowledge what he had just seen.īy that point, Tottenham were as good as dead and buried. Kane, midway inside his own half, was looking to play a pass forward, deliberating and dallying. Liverpool, by contrast, buzzed around, snapping away like piranhas that get the scent of blood. In those first 20 minutes, not one Tottenham player looked like they were prepared to chase or make a tackle or go into the areas that uncomfortable. Criticise Daniel Levy all you want but, sometimes, things come down to a lack of effort and care. You may have thought Tottenham would have been prepared for opponents starting quickly but here, again, they were stripped bare before some players had even had a meaningful touch of the ball.
Here was another reminder that you should never leave a stadium before the final whistle: Tottenham fans were heading for the exits when they went 3-0 down after 14 minutes, Liverpool fans did likewise when Richarlison looked like he had secured a draw.
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