Match Report: Liverpool 2 – 0 Tottenham

A two minute stretch of unprecedented dominance allowed Liverpool to earn a two goal lead over Tottenham Saturday that they would not give up.

Sadio Mané was the man behind both goals in the 16th and 18th minute, while Tottenham failed to take advantage of the few chances the had on the other end.

Some fans might have comforted themselves in the opening 10 minutes of this match that Spurs were simply bidding their time. They conceded possession and momentum in favor of a solid shape. Perhaps, one could be forgiven in thinking, Liverpool would tire themselves out.

There were hints, though, that Spurs were not up for the occasion. Liverpool not only dominated possession but inched closer and closer to Hugo Lloris’ goal. Individual heroics from Toby Alderweireld are always welcome, but they’re not enough on their own.

What quickly became apparent is that Tottenham had little to no answer for Mané. Ben Davies, usually known for his superior defensive capabilities, simply wasn’t up to the task of containing the Senegalese.

It took all of 16 minutes for the dam to break. Mané got the better of Davies and raced forward, scoring his first goal since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations.

With Tottenham on their heels, Liverpool pressed the advantage. A long ball over the midfield press ended up at the feet of Eric Dier, who doddled just long enough for Coutinho to reclaim possession. He crossed the ball across the box, where a Roberto Firmino shot was deflected off of Lloris’ glove. Mane — who else? — was there to score off the resulting confusion.

More from Match Reports

• From glory, glory to gory, gory, for Mason and Tottenham Hotspur
• Ryan Mason’s Elegant Solution to Tottenham’s Problems
• Tottenham – Defensive needs show over last two games
• Tottenham Hotspur hold off Brighton in much needed 2-1 win
• Mason moves make the difference for lucky Tottenham against Brighton

Davies almost welcomes Mané through to goal just minutes later, only for Lloris to narrowly deflect the ball wide.

That five minute period was unquestionably the best Liverpool had throughout the game, and it was enough thanks mostly to Spurs’ ineptitude elsewhere on the pitch.

No, Davies wasn’t the only weak point here. Tottenham rarely were able to take advantage of what possession they got thanks to a sheer inability to find accurate passes through the midfield. Even when not under particular pressure, Victor Wanyama and Christian Eriksen consistently missed the mark.

What chances Spurs did get in Liverpool’s third were wasted in the first half. Heung-min Son found himself one-on-one against an error-prone Simon Mignolet, only to shoot the ball directly at the keeper.

Mauricio Pochettino undoubtedly made it clear at half-time what was expected of them for the remaining 45 minutes. Whatever he said, though, did not stick. Tottenham came back out more solid than before, but no more able to find any traction in midfield or Liverpool’s third.

Tottenham’s notorious lack of depth has never been more apparent than in Saturday’s loss. When a chance of plans was needed, Pochettino could only call upon inexperienced youngster Harry Winks and expensive soon-to-be-flops Moussa Sissoko and Vincent Janssen. Their introductions into the game failed to improve Spurs plight on the day.

Some solace, perhaps, can be taken from the fact that Tottenham looked much more capable of keeping Liverpool at bay after Mané’s double. The midfield and attack — specifically their failure to find a way through a porous Liverpool defense composed of spare parts — ultimately decided this contest as much as Davies and Dier’s mistakes.

Next: Vincent Janssen's Time Will Come at Tottenham

This is the last Premier League match for two weeks as Tottenham shift gears for the Europa League and FA Cup. Pochettino needs to find a solution to the many problems made manifest in Saturday’s loss by then.

Check back here Sunday for a more in depth take on Tottenham’s failure to tightened their grip on second place.