After two weeks without a match, Tottenham Hotspur came out ready to play and went toe-to-toe with Liverpool in a 2-2 draw in north London.
Spurs started the match strongly
Any concern that Tottenham was going to be lethargic following their two-week Covid layoff was quickly put to rest and fans were treated to an open and exciting football match. Rather than a tentative, unsure team, Spurs looked like a proper football squad to start the match, quick to move forward and dangerous on the counter-attack.
Strong in the challenge and attack-minded with the ball, signs that Antonio Conte is in charge continue to develop for Spurs. Harry Winks – who got his second start under Conte in league play – was particularly bright for Tottenham, as he launched multiple balls forward which created opportunities for Spurs.
It was a Winks tackle, which got the opening goal going for Tottenham. Winksy was the first to a loose ball in the middle of the park winning the ball on the slide. Dele Alli – starting for the first time under Conte – played the ball first-time back to Davinson Sanchez, who collected and pushed the ball back forward to Tanguy Ndombele.
The ball backward gave Harry Kane just enough time to reset himself and get back onside as Ndombele was turning and sliding the ball through to Kane past the defenders. Kane ran onto the ball and finished well into the far corner past an onrushing Allison for the 1-0 Spurs lead with just 13-minutes expired in the match.
The goal was the kind of quick start and early lead Tottenham needed to put the pressure on Liverpool, however, a surprising lack of quality in the final third, left the door open for Liverpool to come back.
Tottenham is unable to capitalize on first-half chances
After that first goal, Spurs had Liverpool a bit on the ropes but were unable to capitalize and get a second. Kane and Heung-min Son both had multiple chances on the counter to increase Spurs margin but both failed to come up with the key pass and finish when the opportunity presented itself.
On one break, Kane’s pass was just a bit too bouncy and Son’s lunging effort went wide. On another Kane’s pass was just too far in front of Son allowing Allison to come out and collect the ball just in front of Son.
Possibly the biggest missed opportunity was when Son held the ball up and managed to cut the ball back to an onrushing Dele whose first-time effort was on target but parried aside by the fingertips of Allison.
Had Tottenham managed to finish any of those opportunities, it could have been a different match. Instead, Spurs failed to leverage a few good first-half chances and Liverpool slowly turned the screws and picked up the pressure.
Eventually, the consistent pressure and an animated Jurgen Klopp led to Robertson getting around the corner and chipping a little cross back into Diego Joto who headed it home. As Liverpool continued to push, Spurs held firm and the match went into halftime tied at 1 a-piece.
The second half started with more of the same for Spurs, as more chances popped up and more chances were spurned in the process. An on-form Kane probably would have scored twice in three minutes, however, this current version of Spurs’ talisman missed two golden opportunities.
First, Dele Alli timed a perfect run over the top in the box. Dele controlled the ball and then squared to Kane as Allison came to cut the angle. Kane hit the ball on his first touch but the scrambling Allison came over and blocked the attempt.
If Kane were on form he probably takes a touch, rounds the keeper, and tucks it home, or even chips a dink over Allison. However, this current version of Kane went for the first time tuck and the opportunity was lost.
Less than three minutes later, Kane found himself all alone at the back post as a corner somehow deflected right to him. Kane got up and turned the ball well on goal but it bounced a bit high off his head and fell harmlessly over the crossbar. If he were on form, Kane likely buries both, instead, two more chances were missed and Liverpool made Spurs pay.
Liverpool leverage Tottenham distraction
Liverpool’s second goal started with Tottenham in the box on the attack. Dele again timed a good run over the top and brought the ball down on his chest. As he was running through on goal, it looked like Trent Alexander-Arnold push him in the back with two hands as Dele went down and Allison got the ball.
The crowd and Spurs players were quite upset over what had just transpired but Liverpool was on their way in the other direction. A ball that Mo Salah seemingly handled off his head in the box was punched away by Hugo Lloris but not far enough.
Liverpool recycled the ball across the goal and into the back of the net as Andrew Robertson headed the ball in at the far post just in front of Emerson Royal as players from both teams were lying all over the pitch, including Salah in the goal.
Reportedly VAR looked at everything and in the end, it was deemed a Liverpool goal and it looked like Liverpool would again win.
Two moments of madness from Liverpool change the game
The first moment of madness from Liverpool came as Allison came rushing out to the edge of the box to try and beat Son to the ball. Winks played a good through-ball forward as he had most of the game.
Allison was out of control and as he slid to clear the ball and missed leaving Son alone in on the goal. This was one Spurs were not going to miss and Son easily passed the ball into the empty net to tie the score at two.
As both teams looked to find three points the intensity continued to rise and this led to a rash moment from Andy Robertson. First, Robertson had lost the ball in the attacking third out on the edge. As Emerson Royal was moving up the pitch, Robertson came through with a reckless kick taking Royal out.
Initially, Paul Tierney did as he did all day, he got the call wrong, showing a yellow card. However, VAR was quickly in Tierney’s ear and the referee was at the sideline monitor reviewing the play. There was never any doubt the challenge was reckless and unnecessary and Robertson saw red.
Tottenham leveraged to the one-man advantage enough to hold on and split the points with Liverpool.
The draw leaves Spurs in 7th place, six points back of Arsenal in fourth with three games in hand. Liverpool stays in second, three points back of Manchester City at the top of the table. Both Spurs and the Reds return to action on Boxing Day next Sunday, as Liverpool host Leeds and Tottenham host Crystal Palace.