If we take results against the top six into account, Liverpool
would be top of that League, being unbeaten with victories over Chelsea, Arsenal, Man City and now Spurs.
The obvious factor is in the games against teams competing
for the Champions Leagues are more likely to be open affairs with victory rather
draws being the modus operandi. But, if
Liverpool fans hadn’t realised it Sadio ‘Super’ Mané is the key for their team
providing the x-factor with his speed, power and movement that was absent when
the player was away on his sabbatical in the African Cup Nations.
Watching him tear Spurs to apart yesterday was a joy, he
gave Liverpool purpose in attack and Ben Davies with the lack of protection
from Son must have wished Mané had stayed in Senegal to recuperate after his
exertions. He should’ve had a
hat-trick. Quite simply Mané is
Liverpool’s surgeon slicing through defences and Coutinho, when he is playing
well, is the icing on the cake.
Watching the hard work of the front three supported by
Wijnaldum and Lallana one can only feel that Daniel Sturridge’s Liverpool
career, unless he can produce a flourish in the last third of the season and
even then one cannot see a future for him.
The fact is Sturridge even with Liverpool in cruise control in the
second-half didn’t make onto the pitch which speaks volumes without turning up
the controls.
The performance was reminiscent of many of those delivered
with style and panache pre-Christmas.
The energy and verve was back in abundance, Klopp agreed,
saying “It was difficult to defend us in the first-half, we had four of five
players in the area, it was like the early part of the season.”
Pressing with such speed and force that Spurs much vaunted
defence was made to look slow and cumbersome. Dier playing at centre-half
looked a fish out of water, slow and ponderous, attempting to fill in for the
excellent Jan Verthongen.
Liverpool were dynamic compared to Spurs who were lamentable
all afternoon. Time and again in the
opening 15 minutes Liverpool broke through down the right, noticeably targeting
the hapless Davies playing instead of the injured Danny Rose. The only thing missing with the players
breaking their necks to get into the box in support was the final ball.
 |
| Mané celebrate's his first with his Coutinho |
A dithering Victor Wanyama saw the ball stolen from his
possession on 16 minutes with Georgino Wijnaldum supplying a gorgeous through
ball to Mané steaming through on goal with Ben Davies trailing in his wake. The brilliant Senegalese made his finish look
ridiculously easy what with sliding on the ground to clip the ball high into
the net past the advancing Lloris. It
was nothing more than we deserved.
Two minutes later and the Anfield faithful
were in Heaven. This time the toiling
Dier was robbed by Mané who drove to the left edge of the area before squaring
across for the arriving Lallana whose powerful shot was palmed out by Lloris
straight to Firmino to shoot only for Lloris to pull off yet another save. Liverpool would not be denied and Mané swung
round on the rebound to hammer home emphatically.
 |
| Mané and Firmino peel away after his second |
Mané was on fire with Spurs barely at the races. His stinging shot was pushed around the post
and then after racing through on goal his shot aimed underneath Lloris was
deflected away by the Frenchman.
It wouldn’t be the Liverpool defence if an advantage wasn’t
thrown away. One pass saw the defence
split open allowing Heung-Min Son to bear down on goal with fortunately Simon
Mignolet saving well.
The second-half saw Liverpool as they haven’t very often
this season manage the game in confident fashion. Spurs top players Kane and Alli were on the periphery
of the game and Spurs desperation saw them accumulate five yellow cards with
Kane booked for the first time this season with Henderson, Milner and Matip joining
them.
Now for the last third of the season.
Man of the match:
Sadio Mané – Precision, Pace and Power.
Teams:
Liverpool: 22
Mignolet, 2 Clyne, 32 Matip, 21 Lucas (Klavan – 82 minutes), 7 Milner, 20
Lallana, 14 Henderson, 5 Wijnaldum, 19 Mané (Alexander-Arnold – 90+2 minutes),
11 Firmino, 10 Coutinho (Can – 77 minutes)
Subs: 1 Karius,
15 Sturridge, 17 Klavan, 18 Moreno, 23 Can, 27 Origi, 66 Alexander-Arnold
Tottenham: 1
Lloris, 2 Walker, 4 Alderweireld, 15 Dier, 33 Davies, 19 Dembele (Sissoko – 77 minutes),
12 Wanyama, 23 Eriksen (Winks – 68 minutes), 20 Alli, 7 Son Heung-min (Janssen –
82 minutes) 10 Kane
Substitutes: 9
Janssen, 13 Vorm, 14 Nkoudou, 16 Trippier, 17 Sissoko, 27 Wimmer, 29 Winks
Referee: Anthony
Taylor
Attendance:
53,159
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