Tottenham 1-2 Liverpool: Isak and Ekitike strike to punish ill-disciplined Spurs | OneFootball

Liverpool dug deep to claim a hard-earned 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in a chaotic contest that owed much to resilience, game management and the hosts’ repeated self-sabotage.

Arne Slot’s side made it back-to-back league wins by capitalising on two Tottenham red cards and surviving a frantic finale that exposed both their progress and lingering fragilities.

The match was delicately poised for half an hour, with Tottenham sharper in the early exchanges and Liverpool struggling to impose any fluency or control.

Spurs showed intent through their pressing and movement, forcing Liverpool into rushed clearances and limiting them to set-piece half-chances.

Randal Kolo Muani went closest before the break, heading tamely at Alisson Becker when well placed after Pedro Porro’s cross had been flicked across goal.

Liverpool’s own threat was minimal, restricted largely to a Virgil van Dijk header that failed to trouble Guglielmo Vicario.

The game tilted decisively in the 33rd minute when Xavi Simons was sent off following a VAR review for raking his studs down Van Dijk’s calf.

The dismissal drained momentum from Tottenham and altered the rhythm of a contest that had previously felt finely balanced.

Liverpool failed to make immediate use of their numerical advantage before half-time, allowing Spurs to regroup and retreat into a more cautious shape.

Slot responded at the interval by introducing Alexander Isak, a move that transformed Liverpool’s threat within minutes.

The breakthrough arrived in the 56th minute when Alexis Mac Allister intercepted a loose pass and the ball was worked swiftly to Florian Wirtz, whose measured through-ball released Isak to finish confidently with his left foot.

Celebration was brief as Isak was injured in the act of scoring and was forced off after lengthy treatment.

Tottenham almost responded instantly when Kolo Muani’s deflected effort looped onto the crossbar and bounced away.

That miss proved costly as Liverpool doubled their lead on 66 minutes through Hugo Ekitike, who met Jeremie Frimpong’s deflected cross with a perfectly judged header.

Spurs rallied late and were rewarded when Richarlison bundled home from close range to set up a nervy closing spell.

Liverpool retreated instinctively, defending deep and clearing lines under sustained pressure.

Any hope of a dramatic equaliser faded in stoppage time when Cristian Romero was sent off for a second bookable offence, reducing Tottenham to nine men.

Liverpool held on amid mounting tension to secure a victory built on endurance rather than dominance.

For Tottenham, it was another afternoon defined by promise undone by indiscipline and missed opportunities.

For Liverpool, it was a reminder that recovery sometimes requires survival as much as style.