Reds hold on against nine-man Spurs

Liverpool held on to assert a 3rd straight win as they beat nine-man Tottenham 2-1 after a weird second half in North London.

The Reds had lifted the strain on Arne Slot with wins over Inter Milan and Brighton and Hove Albion, and gave the impression to be set for a cushty victory after Liverpool made probably the most of Xavi Simons’ Thirty third-minute crimson card.

Alexander Isak gave Liverpool the lead with solely his second Premier League objective for the membership, although he was injured within the act of scoring, and Hugo Ekitike doubled their benefit.

However Tottenham substitute Richarlison pulled one again seven minutes from the top of regular time, with Liverpool then trying ragged as they aimed to guard their lead.

Cristian Romero grew to become the second Spurs participant to see crimson as he was despatched off for kicking out at Ibrahima Konate after successful a free-kick, but Liverpool have been nonetheless hanging on within the closing phases.

Alisson was required to make a string of saves, albeit comparatively snug stops, and Liverpool held on in unconvincing style to maneuver degree on factors with fourth-placed Chelsea.

Simons sees crimson

The primary half was brief on clear-cut alternatives, with Tottenham’s greatest probability going begging as Randal Kolo Muani spurned a gilt-edged probability when he headed straight at Alisson.

However the flashpoint got here in an incident involving worldwide team-mates Simons and Van Dijk.

Simons had initially been proven a yellow card for catching Van Djik on the again of the ankle and getting not one of the ball.

But referee John Brooks was despatched to the pitchside monitor for an on-field evaluation on the suggestion of the VAR, and after viewing replays that confirmed raised studs from Simons, promptly modified his resolution.

Liverpool went near benefiting from their man benefit quickly after, with Florian Wirtz denied by a advantageous save from Guglielmo Vicario.

Isak and Ekitike safe unconvincing Liverpool win

It was Wirtz who was to the fore as Liverpool did make their further participant rely 11 minutes into the second half, the Germany worldwide sliding an excellent go into half-time substitute Isak, who fired past Vicario regardless of struggling a problem from Micky Van de Ven that led to him limping out of the sport.

Kolo Muani noticed an effort deflected in opposition to the crossbar as Tottenham sought a response, however 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 go in.

Romero was booked for overzealous appeals to the referee, the Argentinian claiming he was fouled, with that warning leaving him on a tightrope he finally did not stroll.

But hope for Spurs got here from Richarlison, who fired into the bottom-left nook after Liverpool did not take a number of alternatives to clear a nook.

The sport grew more and more fractious thereafter, and Romero’s second of insanity encapsulated that after he was giveen a second yellow for an inexplicable resolution to lash out at Konate whereas each have been on the turt.

Nonetheless, it was Tottenham who completed within the ascendancy, Pedro Porro twice denied by Alisson, who then punched a harmful Wilson Odobert cross away to make sure Liverpool took the factors again to Merseyside.