Antonio Conte speaks ...
“It’s not easy to play in this moment against a great team like Tottenham [he means Liverpool], especially in this atmosphere,” the Tottenham manager tells BT Sport. “It was very difficult to have a lot of noise around them but I think we played a good game. Before the game, I said defensively we should be good and pay great attentino, and I think we did.
“We crerated problems for Liverpool, not only on the goal because we had other chances, especially at the end. I see my players now and they are disappointed but I think it’s not easy for anyone to play against us.”
Match report: Liverpool 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Premier League: In the most demanding and unforgiving Premier League title race it is Liverpool who have blinked first, writes Andy Hunter from Anfield.
Jurgen Klopp speaks
“I’m really happy with the performance and proud of the mentality we showed against an incredibly good opponent with a game plan,” the Liverpool boss tells BT Sport. “I said before the game we have to win and they sit back and do the counter-attacks. A few things today were on a different level.
“They scored a goal and we had to keep our calm but we got an equaliser, so it’s not the result I wanted but I’m very happy with the performance. We said before the game that the box would be full so there’s always a chance of a deflection.
“It’s incredibly difficult to play against an opponent, with world class players and a world class manager when they have a week to prepare and we play every three days. That’s so tricky.”
Updated
The table: Liverpool move ahead of City, courtesy of a goal difference of one but crucially, City have a game in hand which they play tomorrow. Spurs stay in fifth, a point behind Arsenal having played one game more.
What now? A result which isn’t great for either side probably makes the jobs of Manchester City and Arsenal a little easier tomorrow. However, I have spent the week utterly convinced that City are going to drop points at home to Newcastle United, while Arsenal are unlikely to have it all their own way against Leeds at the Emirates either. We have another fun and fraught day of top flight football action ahoy!
Full time: Liverpool 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Peep! Peep! Peeeeeep! Wifi gremlins mean I can’t bring you news of the final two minutes but nothing much happened ... apart from Hojbjerg missing a BRILLIANT OPPORTUNITY to win it for Spurs. Liverpool move level on points with Manchester City at the top of the table, having played one game more. Tottenham stay fifth, a point behind Arsernal, having played one game more.
Updated
90+3 min: Lloris boots the ball long and Kane is fouled by Naby Keita as it drops from the sky. It’s a yellow card for the subsitute, who has just replaced Fabinho.
90+2 min: Tottenham substitution: Son makes way for Steven Bergwijn, who has form in the field of scoring late, late goals this season.
90 min: Salah has a curled effortt deflected wide off Davinson Sanchez for a corner. Tottenham half-clear before a Salah cross ends up in the warm embrace of Hugo Lloris. We’ll have at least five minutes of added time.
88 min: Thiago tries to pick out Trent Alexander-Arnold with a ball to the far post. He curls it wide.
87 min: Ben Davies makes a run on the overlap and has the ball played into his path by Son. He shoots high and wide from a tight angle, with Harry Kane calling for the ball at the far post.
87 min: Tottenham are time-wasting a bit and look like they’d happily settle for the draw that would leave them one point behind, Arsenal having played one game more. Arsenal face Leeds tomorrow before next week’s potentially epic North London derby at White Hart lane.
Updated
84 min: Tottenham substitution: Harry Winks comes on for Dejan Kulusevski.
83 min: Diogo Jota runs into traffic in the form of Cristian Romero after being picked out in the Tottenham penalty area by Luis Diaz. Good defending.
82 min: Son’s next delivery from the corner flag is thumped clear by the head of Ibrahima Konate.
80 min: Tottenham corner. Son pings the ball to the near post, where Thiago puts it out for another one.
79 min: Fabinho gets the booking that’s been coming his way after catching Son with a rogue forearm. There’s a break in play as Son gets treatment for a shoulder injury.
78 min: Spurs substitution: Ryan Sessegnon is replaced by Davinson Sanchez. He takes up position in the back three, while Ben Davies moves to left wing-back.
77 min: A Tsimikas cross into the Spurs box is cleared and Sadio Mane falls over. The Kop appeal for a penalty but the Senegal international does not.
76 min: Well, that low drive has certainly perked up the Anfield faithful, who are now in full voice as they get behind their team.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 Tottenham (Diaz 74)
Liverpool equalise! Luis Diaz cuts across the edge of the Spurs penalty area and unleashes a shot. The ball takes a nick off the toe of Rodrigo Bentancur, which completely wrongfoots the helpless Hugo Lloris. It’s all square with 15 minutes to go!
Updated
73 min: One-man Welsh and Tottenham blocking machine Ben Davies does his thing again, this time stretching out a leg to prevent Mo Salah from getting a shot on goal.
71 min: Trent Alexander-Arnold is penalised for barging into Son on the edge of the Tottenham penalty area. He boots the ball wide of the goal in frustration then tries to help (or drag, depending on your point of view) Son to his feet. Sonny, understandably, is in no particular rush and opts to sit on the ground gathering his thoughts for a few seconds longer.
70 min: Now Sessegnon is booked for hanging out of Mo Salah as the Egyptian got goal side of him with the ball at his feet.
70 min: A Son cross from the right aimed towards Romero is intercepted by Konate, who heads clear.
69 min: Tsimikas is booked for putting his arm across Kulusevski and dragging the Spurs man backwards as he tried to break upfield.
68 min: Tsimikas tries to square the ball from the left but Romero intercepts again and boots it clear.
66 min: Liverpool keep plugging away but a Tsimikas cross towards Alexander-Arnold is cleared. Moments later, Cristian Romero dives to head another ball into the Spurs penalty area well clear.
65 min: Liverpool double-substitution: Diogo Jota and Kostas Tsimikas on for Jordan Henderson and Andy Robertson.
63 min: That Tottenham goal seems to have briefly knocked the stuffing out of Liverpool’s fans, if not their players. Anfield has gone very quiet. PIcked by another wonderfrul pass from Thiago, Henderson has a cross put out for a corner. Tottenham have to defend stoutly and again Ben Davies makes a crucial block, this time from Luis Diaz.
61 min: Liverpool win a corner but Robertson’s outswinger is headed clear.
58 min: That’s a massive goal on the counter for Spurs. Lloris picked out Royal with a long kick and he found Kane. He played a diagonal ball out left into the path of Sessegnon, who could have shot from a tight angle but elected instead to square the ball for the completely unmarked Son. He was never going to miss from there. That’s a wonderfully crafted goal.
GOAL! Liverpool 0-1 Tottenham (Son 56)
Crikey! Son taps in from six yards out to fire Tottenham in front after having the ball squared his way by an extremely unselfish Ryan Sessegnon.
Updated
55 min: Tottenham win a corner. Son sends the ball into the Liverpool penalty area but his delivery is dreadful and Thiago clears at the near post.
55 min: That’s been in the post for Davies, who got away without a booking a couple of meaty challenges during the first half.
54 min: As soon as I type that, Oliver takes Ben Davies’s name for a wrestle on Mo Salah under a dropping ball.
51 min: Fabinho is penalised for a foul on Harry Kane and the Tottenham captain asks Michael Oliver why the Brazilian hasn’t been booked. Using his fingers, he does a quick tot of Fabinho’s fouls to demonstrate why the yellow card should be brandished. Nobody likes a grass, Harry! In fairness to Kane, the referee does seem to be in a very lenient and forgiving mood tonight.
51 min: From the byline, Trent Alexander-Arnold stands the ball up at the far post. Tottenham clear.
49 min: His cross-hairs realigned, Thiago picks out Henderson’s run to the far post and the Liverpool captain tries to square the ball. Ben Davies makes a crucial interception.
48 min: Thiago tries to pick out Robertson on the left touchline with a 10-yard pass along the ground but sends the ball out of play. You don’t see him misplace too many deliveries like that.
47 min: Near the edge of his own penalty area, Romero gives away the ball to Sadio Mane, who is unable to tee up a team-mate for a shot.
47 min: Tottenham had just 30% possession in the first half and seem unlikely to have much more the longer the game goes on. Despite Liverpool’s dominance, they did create a couple of chances so will be looking to do more of the same.
Second half: Liverpool 0-0 Tottenham Hotspur
46 min: Play resumes with Liverpool kicking off and no changes in personnel on either side.
Updated
Half-time: Liverpool 0-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Peep! It’s scoreless at half-time and Spurs have done well not to buckle under some serious pressure from dominant Liverpool. Virgil van Dijk went closest for the hosts, hitting the bar with a header at a corner. For Spurs, Hojbjerg hit the woodwork at the end of one of their occasional, often menacing counter-attacks.
Updated
45 min: Rodrigo Bentancur mishits a pass under pressure and sends the ball out of play but is awarded a free-kick halfway inside his own half.
43 min: Now it’s Spurs who go close, with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg hitting the outside of the left upright with a speculative low drive from distance.
Updated
42 min: Spurs are creaking in the face of a relentless Liverpool onslaught. Luis Diaz has a low shot saved by Hugo Lloris.
42 min: Liverpool corner. Andy Robertson’s delivery is good but Tottenham clear.
40 min: Liverpool win a free-kick a couple of yards outside the Spurs penalty area, to the right of the D. Trent Alexander-Arnold whips his effort straight into the wall and Tottenham eventually clear the ball in a series of instalments.
39 min: Oof! At the corner, Virgil van Digk gives Emerson Royal the slip and hits the bar with a header.
Updated
38 min: Bentancur sells Davies short with a poor pass and the Wales international is forced to foul Thiago. Again, he escapes a card. From the ensuing free-kick, Eric Dier shoulders the ball out of play for a corner.
37 min: Ben Davies is penalised but not booked for a foul on Mo Salah after a kamikaze pass from Cristian Romero put SPurs in trouble.
32 min: From the free-kick, Trent Alexander-Arnold sends the ball in to the Spurs penalty area and it’s cleared. Thiago pings a delightful ball towards the far post and Luis Diaz leaps but can’t steer his header on goal or into the path of Sadio Mane under pressure from Lloris.
30 min: Thiago plays the ball out wide to Henderson in a pocket of space and the Liverpool captain sends Mo Salah on his way down the touchline. He’s running down a blind alley but Rodrgio Bentancur fouls him anyway to concede a free-kick out by the touchline.
28 min: Thiago clips the ball towards Henderson at the far post. Sessegnon had read the run but heads the ball across the face of his own goal, forcing Hugo Lloris to claw it away. It was a combination of good and almost catastrophic defending from the Tottenham wing-back.
Updated
27 min: Son kicks the ball against Luis Diaz and out of play to win Tottenham a throw-in halfway inside their own half.
26 min: Fabinho gets a ticking-off but no yellow card from Michael Oliver after catching Harry Kane on the ankle with a late challenge.
Updated
24 min: Ben Davies gives the ball away just outside his own penalty area but Tottenham are able to keep Liverpool at bay. Trent Alexander-Arnold tries a shot from distance but sends the ball fizzing high and wide.
22 min: Cristian Romero takes out Jordan Henderson with a lunge at the byline that leaves the Liverpool skipper clutching his shin. Corner for Liverpool. Andy Robertson sends the ball into the mixer, where Virgil van Dijk leaps highest to steer a header wide.
20 min: Good defending from Ben Davies, who stands his ground and doesn’t do anything rash as he prevented Mo Salah getting a shot off on goal after picking up the ball in the Spurs penalty area. Liverpool should get a corner but Michael Oliver infuriates Salah by awarding Tottenham a goal kick.
Updated
18 min: Trent Alexander-Arnold whips a splendid cross from the right into the Spurs penalty areas after good hold-up play from Mo Salah on the touchline. Emerson Royal heads clear.
15 min: Ryan Sessegnon beats Trent Alexander-Arnold for speed down the left flank and sends in a cross for Kulusevski at the far post. The ball bounces up and hits the Tottenham man’s hand and the denizens of the Kop leave referee Michael Oliver in no doubt that Kulusevski handled the ball.
13 min: Liverpool are bossing the game but Tottenham look threatening on the counter – much like you’d expect. There’s a break in play as Dejan Kulusevski receives treatment after appearing to twist his ankle.
12 min: Spurs get in behind Liverpool’s high defensive line and Harry Kane takes down a Hojgbjerg cross from the right in the Liverpool penalty area. His shot is blocked brilliantly by Henderson, who did well to get back.
Updated
10 min: A little over 10 minutes in and Tottenham are struggling to play through the Liverpool press. Mo Salah has a shot blocked by Eric Dier at the end of a Liverpool counter-attack. It’s a corner for the Reds. Andy Robertson’s outswinger is cleared by Dier.
9 min: Ryan Sessegnon combines with Son down the left touchline but Fabinho puts a stop to the South Korean’s gallop.
7 min: Tottenham attack on the break but Ibrahima Konate disrupts Son’s rhythm, without quite winning the ball. The ball is spread wide to Kane, whose cross into the penalty area towards Son from the right is intercepted by Alisson, who was quick of his line to parry the ball clear.
Updated
5 min: Eric Dier heads a scooped Mo Salah pass into the Spurs penalty area clear, albeit unconvincingly. He was leaning backwards and couldn’t get much force behind the ball.
5 min: Jordan Henderson overhits a pass to Trent Alexander-Arnold near the right touchline and sends the ball out of play for a Spurs throw-in halfway inside their own half.
4 min: Sadio Mane tries a shot from distance but it’s straight down the gullet of Hugo Lloris. Liverpool are in the ascendency early doors.
1 min: Tottenham attack the Kop end in the first half but it’s Liverpool who enjoy the first sortie forward. Emerson Royal wins the ball for Spurs in the Spurs left-back position and passes to Rodrigo Bentancur, who immediately loses it. The ball breaks to Sadio Mane, who completely misses the ball with an attempted scissor-kick.
Updated
Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur is go ...
Premier League: Tottenham get the ball rolling with the strains of a typically rousing rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone still echoing around the stadium.
Not long now: The teams convene in the Anfield tunnel and both sets of players are led out by referee Michael Oliver and his team of match officials. A win for Liverpool will take them two points clear of Manchester City at the top of the table, while three points would bring Tottenham Hotspur one clear of Arsenal into fourth place, just three behind Chelsea.
Full time: Brighton 4-0 Manchester United
Premier League: Brighton were outstanding as they made a mockery of their famous shyness in front of goal at the Amex Stadium by spanking four past Manchester United without reply.
Updated
Brighton v Manchester United: The visitors are being embarrassed at Brighton’s Amex Satdium, where Brighton lead 4-0 with a little over 15 minutes to go and should probably be further ahead. Scott Murray is monitoring the latest humiliation of Manchester United ...
Those teams: Luis Diaz and captain Jordan Henderson return to Liverpool’s starting line-up after starting on the bench against Villarreal in midweek. Diogo Jota and Naby Keita make way. Bobby Firmino is not in the matchday squad.
Tottenham manager Antonio Conte makes just one change from last weekend’s 3-1 win over Leicester, with Dejan Kulusevski replacing Lucas Moura, as predicted.
Updated
Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur line-ups
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson, Fabinho, Thiago, Salah, Mane, Diaz.
Subs: Milner, Keita, Gomez, Jones, Jota, Tsimikas, Origi, Matip, Kelleher.
Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Romero, Dier, Davies, Emerson, Bentancur, Hojbjerg, Sessegnon, Kulusevski, Kane, Son.
Subs: Sanchez, Winks, Rodon, Gollini, Bergwijn, Lucas Moura, White, Scarlett, Matthew Craig.
Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland)
Liverpool: Jurgen Klopp has backed supporters’ union Spirit of Shankly after it accused Uefa of hypocrisy for condemning the greed of Super League clubs while increasing its ticket revenue by 38% over the past four years. Andy Hunter reports ...
Tonight’s match officials
- Referee: Michael Oliver
- Assistants: Stuart Burt and Simon Bennett
- Fourth official: Martin Atkinson
- VAR: Darren England
- Assistant VAR: Marc Perry
Early team news
Somewhat remarkably, considering they are still fighting on four fronts at this late stage of the season, Roberto Firmino is Liverpool’s only slight concern but the Brazilian has been back in training after recovering from a foot injury and could feature.
Jurgen Klopp may rotate his squad following their midweek exertions against Villarreal and some or all of Jordan Henderson, Joel Matip, Kostas Tsimikas and Luis Diaz might start tonight.
Tottenham Hotspur remain without Sergio Reguilon, Matt Doherty, Japhet Tanganga and Oliver Skipp but have no fresh injury concerns. Dejan Kulusevski was rested for over half of their game against Leicester last weekend but may start instead of Lucas Moura tonight.
Premier League: Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur
It’s an uncharacteristically late Saturday evening kick-off at Anfield, where Liverpool will hope to ramp up the pressure on Manchester City in the title race with a victory over Spurs. A win for Jurgen Klopp’s side would see them take a two point lead at the top of the table ahead of City’s match against Newcastle United tomorrow.
Currently in fifth place, two points behind Arsenal with four games left to play, victory for Tottenham would send them into the Champions League places overnight, with their north London rivals scheduled to play relegation-threatened Leeds United at the Emirates tomorrow afternoon.
There’s plenty at stake for both sides at Anfield, where kick-off is at 7.45pm. Stay tuned in the meantime for team news and build-up.
Updated
