Sports
Reds hold on against nine-man Spurs
There were three goals and two red cards as Liverpool beat Tottenham.
Liverpool held on to claim a third straight win as they beat nine-man Tottenham 2-1 after a bizarre second half in North London.
The Reds had lifted the pressure on Arne Slot with wins over Inter Milan and Brighton and Hove Albion, and appeared to be set for a comfortable victory after Liverpool made the most of Xavi Simons’ 33rd-minute red card.
Alexander Isak gave Liverpool the lead with only his second Premier League goal for the club, though he was injured in the act of scoring, and Hugo Ekitike doubled their advantage.
But Tottenham substitute Richarlison pulled one back seven minutes from the end of normal time, with Liverpool then looking ragged as they aimed to protect their lead.
Cristian Romero became the second Spurs player to see red as he was sent off for kicking out at Ibrahima Konate after winning a free-kick, yet Liverpool were still hanging on in the closing stages.
Alisson was required to make a string of saves, albeit relatively comfortable stops, and Liverpool held on in unconvincing fashion to move level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea.
Simons sees red
The first half was short on clear-cut opportunities, with Tottenham’s best chance going begging as Randal Kolo Muani spurned a gilt-edged chance when he headed straight at Alisson.
But the flashpoint came in an incident involving international team-mates Simons and Van Dijk.
Simons had initially been shown a yellow card for catching Van Djik on the back of the ankle and getting none of the ball.
Yet referee John Brooks was sent to the pitchside monitor for an on-field review at the recommendation of the VAR, and after viewing replays that showed raised studs from Simons, promptly changed his decision.
Liverpool went close to making the most of their man advantage soon after, with Florian Wirtz denied by a fine save from Guglielmo Vicario.
Isak and Ekitike secure unconvincing Liverpool win
It was Wirtz who was to the fore as Liverpool did make their extra player count 11 minutes into the second half, the Germany international sliding a superb pass into half-time substitute Isak, who fired beyond Vicario despite suffering a challenge from Micky Van de Ven that led to him limping out of the game.
Kolo Muani saw an effort deflected against the crossbar as Tottenham sought a response, but Ekitike then gave them a mountain to climb.
Jeremie Frimpong, on for the injured Isak, stood up a cross for the Frenchman, who rose above Romero to head in.
Romero was booked for overzealous appeals to the referee, the Argentinian claiming he was fouled, with that caution leaving him on a tightrope he ultimately failed to walk.
Yet hope for Spurs came from Richarlison, who fired into the bottom-left corner after Liverpool failed to take several opportunities to clear a corner.
The game grew increasingly fractious thereafter, and Romero’s moment of madness encapsulated that after he was giveen a second yellow for an inexplicable decision to lash out at Konate while both were on the turt.
Still, it was Tottenham who finished in the ascendancy, Pedro Porro twice denied by Alisson, who then punched a dangerous Wilson Odobert cross away to ensure Liverpool took the points back to Merseyside.
