Mohamed Salah struck twice in the first half as Liverpool secured their first away win in the Premier League this season with victory at Tottenham.
Liverpool had lost their two previous league games to struggling Nottingham Forest and Leeds United, so manager Jurgen Klopp will be delighted with this win at Spurs, who are shaping up as rivals for a place in the top four.
Salah was the inspiration, sweeping home a sharp left-foot finish from Darwin Nunez’s pass after 11 minutes, then cashing in on Eric Dier’s misplaced headed back-pass to double Liverpool’s advantage with great composure five minutes before the break.
Spurs, without the injured Son Heung-min, were never out of the game as Ivan Perisic hit the woodwork either side of half-time before Harry Kane pulled one back with 20 minutes remaining.
But they failed to complete one of the comebacks that have become their trademark this season.
Liverpool dig deep for victory
Liverpool got their stuttering season back in some sort of shape with the Champions League win against Napoli in midweek to reach the last 16 once again, although in reality that match was little more than a dead rubber.
This victory carries greater significance because of the opposition and also the need to get their Premier League show back on the road after two damaging losses.
Salah showed he is right back to his best after a slow start to the campaign. Both goals featured different elements of a goalscoring masterclass, the first with one touch and an instant finish, the second showing coolness and technique to make Dier pay for his error.
Liverpool also rode their luck as those Perisic efforts hit the woodwork, and Trent Alexander-Arnold was fortunate to escape when Spurs appeals for a penalty were waved away after he appeared to push Ryan Sessegnon to the ground. They are still conceding too many chances.
Nunez was a tireless, constant threat, while Ibrahima Konate’s return has added steel to a Liverpool defence that has been vulnerable at times this season. Goalkeeper Alisson was, as usual, reliability and excellence personified, and the reaction at the final whistle demonstrated just how important this win might be for Liverpool.
Spurs pay for mistakes
Tottenham once again made life difficult for themselves by falling behind early when Liverpool took advantage of the wide open spaces on the home team’s right flank, which had been exposed several times even before they went behind.
In the final reckoning, however, it was Dier’s mistake that left them with a hill that was too steep to climb, even in a season when they have been comeback specialists.
This was not a Spurs side that only showed up in the second half, as has happened before this season, because they had responded well to Salah’s early goal before Dier made his ill-advised attempt to head the ball back to keeper Hugo Lloris. Instead, he only diverted it off his shoulder and into the path of the unmarked Salah, with inevitable results.
Spurs also had a clear case for a penalty, their frustration increasing when referee Andy Madley awarded a free-kick for an almost identical incident shortly afterwards.
Even without the injured Son, Spurs dominated most of the second half but could not take advantage of the opportunities they created, with Dejan Kulusevski showing what they have been missing when he returned from injury to set up Kane’s goal moments after coming on.
Spurs showed plenty of heart and character, but ultimately paid the price for gifting Salah the goal that meant Liverpool were always able to stay just out of reach.
