That’s it from me – I’ll leave you with Danny Taylor’s match report. Thanks for joining me, bye for now.
Here’s Jürgen Klopp: “We were the deserved winner of that game today. They could have scored a second goal at the end but for 85 minutes, we were dominant.”
“Coming back from abroad, having one training session and sticking to our plan so well, I was really impressed. We had to be compact in midfield, because Spurs are strong playing between the lines.”
“It’s unbelievably difficult – after an international break, playing Tottenham at 12.30pm. Tough game, two very good teams, good to watch – we could have decided it earlier, but I’m fine with the result.”
It’s actually Pochettino up first, and he’s a little spikier than usual, suggesting Spurs should have had a late penalty.
“They were the better team. We competed, we were close – and it should have been a penalty at the end, Mané on Son. We were so far away, not in terms of the result, but the performance. We need to be more consistent. I am not worried, I promise you – we need to win, we need to work. We will try and find a solution.”
He then gets a little irritated by suggestions this is his toughest time as Spurs manager. “Don’t worry about me, I’m good,” he says in reply.
Hoping to get a few words from Jürgen Klopp after the latest slew of betting ads. The big man should be in good form after winning at Wembley for the first time.
After that, don’t forget to join Barry Glendenning for the clockwatch:
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I’ll be back later on for Watford v Manchester United, which should be half-decent. This is a nice insight on Javi Gracia’s methods from Simon Burnton:
The next month will continue to test Liverpool’s growing title credentials. They host PSG and Southampton in the next week, then Chelsea in the Carabao Cup, before a brutal eight days as we head into October – Chelsea (A), Napoli (A), Manchester City (H). If they still have a perfect league record after that, they’ll be favourites.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 5 | 9 | 15 |
| 2 | Chelsea | 4 | 7 | 12 |
| 3 | Watford | 4 | 6 | 12 |
| 4 | Man City | 4 | 8 | 10 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 5 | 4 | 9 |
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Here’s Danny Taylor’s match report:
Spurs won’t play at Wembley again until 3 October, when they face Barcelona – these are their fixtures before then:
18 Sept: Inter (A), Champions League
22 Sept: Brighton (A), Premier League
26 Sept: Watford (H), Carabao Cup (at MK Dons)
29 Sept: Huddersfield (A), Premier League
Lamela’s goal and that late penalty shout disguised what was a bad day for Spurs. They never had a coherent plan, and could have had few complaints if they had lost by four or five goals.
As for Liverpool, Klopp will rightly be annoyed by their wastefulness in front of goal, but they were the better team from the first minute, and passed their first big test of their title ambitions in impressive fashion.
Leaving Wembley and absolutely fuming with Liverpool. Should have won 10-0.
— Sachin Nakrani (@SachinNakrani) September 15, 2018
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Full time: Tottenham 1-2 Liverpool
It’s faintly absurd that Liverpool only won by one goal, but win they did, and deservedly so. They’re top of the table, with five wins from five.
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95 mins: Rose launches it into the box, and it rebounds to Son, who should probably hit it first time, but tries to open up a better angle in the area. Mané makes contact with his heel and Son goes over – he looked slightly off-balance, and doesn’t appeal.
Replays suggest Mané might have got away with one, but it’s a difficult call for the referee to make. VAR, anyone?
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94 mins: Eriksen’s delivery from deep is cleared. Spurs will have one more chance from a long throw...
94 mins: Van Dijk concedes a clumsy foul, and Spurs have a free kick. How on earth have Liverpool not closed this game out?!
GOAL! Tottenham 1-2 Liverpool (Lamela 93')
And from it, Spurs get within a goal! Lamela chests the cross down at the far post, and lashes the ball into the opposite corner!
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92 mins: Two of the five added minutes played, and Spurs force a corner, Rose’s shot deflected behind...
90 mins: Mané fires high and wide with Wijnaldum in support. Wijnaldum and Milner have been terrific in midfield – they’ve been everywhere.
89 mins: This game is drifting to a close as the Liverpool fans entertain themselves in the away end. Joel Matip is on for Alexander-Arnold, with Gomez shifting to right back.
There’s a choice crop of 3pm fixtures this afternoon – Newcastle v Arsenal and Manchester City v Fulham among them. Join Barry Glendenning for the clockwatch straight after this:
“Just a quick one to say credit to Liverpool,” says Alistair Donegan. “Poch got formation and personnel all wrong - three slow centre mids and no Son - and Liverpool have destroyed us. Expect it to be 3-0 by the time I press send.”
On the bright side, it’s still only 2-0.
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85 mins: And here’s why – Lamela gets a yard of space 12 yards out, and is inches from cutting the deficit in half! Liverpool have had 12 shots on target; Spurs have had one.
84 mins: Salah is eager to get on the scoresheet and tries the same trick again, with Sturridge in space. Klopp is furious with him.
83 mins: Salah slaloms through the Spurs defence but can’t get any power on his shot...
82 mins: Two more changes – Wanyama, back from a knee injury, is on for Eric Dier. For Liverpool, Daniel Sturridge replaces Keita.
80 mins: Vorm saves well from Salah, who cuts onto his left foot as Liverpool walk through the Spurs midfield again. Moments later, Mané fires a weak shot at Vorm.
“Harry Kane looks completely out of sorts, like he’s carrying an injury,” says Kari Tulinius. “When he’s fit he can be relied on to convert half-chances and get himself in dangerous positions – but on current form he’s nearly a passenger.”
It was noticeable from that Eriksen cross – it wasn’t straightforward, but Kane at his sharpest would be burying that.
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76 mins: Those stoppages have taken what edge there was out of the game. Now Dier is down and getting treatment.
As tweeted to me by Tony Cowards (possibly not his real name), Alderweireld’s shirt doesn’t have a Spurs badge on it. Anyone know why?
70 mins: Klopp isn’t happy on the touchline – Henderson was about to come on for Keita, but Firmino is down after being poked in the eye by Vertonghen. It seems he’s been told he can’t change the substitution – although eventually, Henderson does come on for Firmino. For Spurs, Son is on in place of Harry Winks.
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68 mins: Lamela looks to set Lucas free with a long free kick, but the Brazilian is offside. He is looking like Spurs’ biggest threat, dropping into that space between Gomez and Alexander-Arnold.
66 mins: Chance! Kane has struggled to get involved, but has a sniff here as Eriksen lashes a cross-shot across goal. It’s behind him and he swings a heel at it, but doesn’t get enough contact.
65 mins: Lucas tries a slide-rule pass to Trippier, but he’s 20 yards away.
63 mins: Liverpool break upfield, three on two, Mané strolling forward with Salah and Keita in tow. He opts to play in the latter, and Vorm tips his shot over the bar. He should have scored, and this could get embarrassing for Spurs.
62 mins: Gary Neville is absolutely roasting Joe Gomez for a minor, inconsequential lapse of concentration.
61 mins: A Liverpool free-kick leads to a goalmouth melee, but Vorm manages to reel the ball in under pressure.
Would Spurs be significantly worse/the same/not much different if Dier went in goal and Worm played in midfield?
— Barney Ronay (@barneyronay) September 15, 2018
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60 mins: Dembele is coming off, replaced by Erik Lamela. As it stands, Tottenham’s midfield consists of Harry Winks, but I assume they’ll reorganise.
56 mins: It’s looking very much like five league wins from five for Liverpool. So – is this Their Year?
Liverpool build up slowly before Robertson finds Mané down the left. He tears past Trippier and fires in a low cross that’s turned onto the post by Vertonghen. Vorm flaps clumsily at the rebound, allowing Firmino to tap in from about an inch out.
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GOAL! Tottenham 0-2 Liverpool (Firmino 52')
Liverpool double their lead, Vorm not covering himself in glory again as Firmino toe-pokes home!
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50 mins: Spurs hit the post! Lucas looks isolated near the left-hand touchline but bustles past Gomez, finds space suddenly opening up, and pings a shot off the near post! That would have been very much against the run of play.
49 mins: Vorm rescues Spurs here though, saving well from Mané after Salah had eased Dembele off the ball! A lively start to this second half...
48 mins: Almost a second weird goal for Liverpool, as Robertson’s mishit cross pings off the bar. Vorm was nowhere near it.
47 mins: Gomez nearly lets Lucas in from nowhere, but he can’t sort his feet out as Van Dijk sprints back, and the ball bobbles through to Alisson.
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46 mins: Dier has dropped into the back three, on the right hand side.
We're back
The second half is go. No changes at half-time for either team.
Surely Spurs have to get Son Heung-min on, sooner rather than later?
Tottenham look like they're at the end of a long season @niallmcveigh. Not good news when so many players look jaded / burned out in September. I understand why, but, if I can, why couldn't Poch and Levy a couple of months ago? Of course, it end up 4-1, but I doubt it.
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) September 15, 2018
Half-time reading
Take your pick:
Half time: Tottenham 0-1 Liverpool
Giorginio Wijnaldum’s first away goal in the Premier League gives Liverpool a deserved half-time lead. More soon.
45 mins: One added minute. Vorm has to race off his line to clear Keita’s through ball to Mané, who was in acres.
44 mins: Spurs haven’t really tested Alisson, but have also left space in behind. Not ideal, and if Liverpool had been more clinical, they would be two or three behind.
42 mins: Milner kickstarts another dangerous Liverpool break, playing Wijnaldum in down the right. He has Firmino in support but delays his decision, then shoots weakly across goal.
41 mins: That’s the fifth goal Spurs have conceded in the league, and all of them have been headers.
Milner swings in the corner, and Vorm makes an awful hash of the punch, spilling it across goal. Dier heads clear, but Wijnaldum heads it back on target. Vorm paws it away, but the ball was a foot over the line!
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GOAL! Tottenham 0-1 Liverpool (Wijnaldum 39')
Liverpool lead from a corner, and Michel Vorm has to carry the can for this one.
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36 mins: Now Spurs have a chance to break – both teams seem determined to play on the counter – and Vertonghen has Kane and Lucas ahead of him. Instead he tries to lob Alisson from 40 yards. Do I not like that, Pochettino says with his eyes.
34 mins: Keita intercepts in midfield and Mané can run at the back four – but he stumbles and can only scuff a shot that Vorm saves easily.
32 mins: Keita bursts into space down the left but his cut-back is intercepted. Both sides are struggling to find the killer pass here.
30 mins: Spurs are more threatening now, Eriksen getting in behind on the right and trying to pick out Lucas in the middle. Liverpool clear for a corner which Van Dijk thunks away.
28 mins: Eriksen lines it up but opts to swing the free kick towards the far corner, where Alisson collects.
27 mins: Sublime touch from Trippier, cushioning a long ball straight into Eriksen’s path. His cross is cut out, and from the corner, Mané bundles Eriksen over, handing Spurs a free kick, two yards outside the box...
25 mins: Spurs string together an attacking move without ever really getting the ball under control, Lucas’s ball-juggling skills eventually setting up Kane, who tries and fails to sneak round the outside of Van Dijk.
23 mins: Salah breaks down the right and slides the ball into Firmino, who is crowded out as he tries to get a shot away. Spurs are leaving a big gap in front of their centre-backs, and need to close it pronto.
21 mins: As if by magic, Dier’s iffy back pass puts Salah through on his left foot – but under pressure from Trippier, his shot is too central and pushed away by Vorm!
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20 mins: Salah tries to trick Rose with a dummy, but the full-back isn’t fooled. I can’t believe I’m daring to say this, but Salah has been quiet.
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18 mins: Trippier is penalised for a foul on Mané in the Liverpool area, before Alisson and Van Dijk almost get in a muddle playing out from the back.
17 mins: Mané looks for Alexander-Arnold with a diagonal ball, but slips and sends it sailing out of play.
15 mins: One of those through passes is cut out by the onrushing Alisson, who belts the ball out for a throw-in.
13 mins: Spurs have settled down after that rough start. Their midfield are working hard to win possession, then looking for long balls in behind towards Kane and Lucas. It’s not quite coming off so far.
11 mins: Dier does well to dispossess Keita in midfield and Spurs threaten to break, but Van Dijk steps in to break up the attack.
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Looking at that disallowed goal again, Firmino might feel a bit miffed with Mané – if he had left the ball alone, he might not have been considered ‘active’, and it was probably going in anyway.
9 mins: Tottenham free kick 30 yards out on the right, whipped in by Trippier towards Alderweireld, who is a yard offside.
8 mins: Spurs have lined up with a back four, and a midfield diamond. That’s leaving Danny Rose to deal with Mo Salah and Alexander-Arnold down the right.
6 mins: A first foray upfield for Spurs, Eriksen chasing a long ball and half-heartedly appealing for a penalty after a tangle with Gomez.
5 mins: Alexander-Arnold gets the free-kick over the wall and dipping sharply, but it’s straight at Vorm.
4 mins: Firmino collects the ball, wriggles free of his marker and finds Mané, who is fouled down the left. Liverpool’s front three not messing around, here.
2 mins: Liverpool attack again down that right-hand side, and Firmino pings a shot wide. Very early warning signs for Spurs here.
Liverpool goal disallowed!
Milner races down the right, cuts back and whips in a terrific left-footed cross and Firmino turns the ball into the corner – but Mané, trying to get a decisive touch in the middle, is flagged offside.
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We're off!
Liverpool, in all-red and playing from right to left, kick off with Wembley still filling up.
A word or two from Klopp on Henderson – he’s being saved for Tuesday’s Champions League tie against PSG, but will likely come off the bench.
Liverpool skipper makes way as Klopp eyes the UCL tie v PSG: "I don't think it makes sense in the moment to play him. We're still adapting to the intensity, Hendo needs his full physical strength. I'm sure he'll have that today when he comes on and on Tuesday as well." #LFC
— Ben Dinnery (@BenDinnery) September 15, 2018
It seems from the warm-ups that Spurs might go with a back three, with Eric Dier dropping into defence. That would put a lot of pressure on Winks and Dembélé in central midfield.
If you’re familiar with the fine work of Bands FC, you’ll know that for them, today’s fixture is Chas & Dave v Echo & The Bunnymen. Only one winner there, I’m afraid.
Here’s Poch!
On Watford: “The players were so disappointed – our performance wasn’t great. Today is a different game, we’re playing a very good team, we’re trying to win. Most important is the performance, showing the right attitude.”
On Winks: “In the circumstances, with an international break, he’s been training really well. It’s a great opportunity for him, to be in the starting eleven more consistently. He’s a great player.”
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Among those 10 things, Michael Butler has neatly summarised just how rough September has been for Spurs so far:
Defeat at Watford was followed by landing in Barcelona’s Champions League group, Daniel Levy confirming more costly delays to the new stadium and a night in Milton Keynes. Dele Alli got injured on international duty and their captain, Hugo Lloris, was ruled out with a thigh problem shortly after admitting being two times over the drink-drive limit.
Pre-match reading
“This won’t be a classic because it is on too early after the ‘break’ for international games,” reckons Ian Copestake. “But a 1-0 ugly thrashing of Spurs would still send a statement.”
So that’s three changes for Spurs following their 2-1 defeat at Watford with Danny Rose, Eric Dier and Harry Winks coming into the side as Ben Davies and Davinson Sanchez drop to the bench while Dele Alli is injured. At a guess, it’ll be a midfield three with Eriksen operating just behind Kane and Lucas.
Liverpool are a little more modest in their tinkering with Jordan Henderson replaced by Naby Keïta in midfield in a distinctively Klopp-like 4-3-3. The lesser-spotted Fabinho is named among the subtitutes.
Here are your teams
Tottenham (4-3-1-2): Vorm; Trippier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose; Dier, Dembele, Winks; Eriksen; Lucas, Kane
Subs: Gazzaniga, Aurier, Davies, Sanchez, Wanyama, Lamela, Son
Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Milner, Wijnaldum, Keita; Salah, Firmino, Mané
Subs: Mignolet, Fabinho, Matip, Moreno, Henderson, Shaqiri, Sturridge
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Preamble
After that inconvenient international break, the Premier League is back with a bang. And where better to get the party restarted than Wembley? Although as with an uninspiring England friendly, those at the ground today may wish they were somewhere else.
This was supposed to be the day Spurs began life in their new stadium, a gleaming reward for the recent lack of squad investment. Instead, the move has been put back, triggering a run of on and off-field misfortune that has eroded any optimism fostered by winning their first three games.
Liverpool come here as league leaders with four wins from four, but their fortunes at the new Wembley are in stark contrast to the old ‘Anfield South’. They’ve lost their last four competitive games here, including a 4-1 thrashing last season that tore their title ambitions to shreds.
Both managers have something to prove – Mauricio Pochettino is desperate to rediscover the team who won 3-0 at Old Trafford, while Jürgen Klopp wants to show that, the odd Brazilian blunder aside, his team has the defensive nous to launch a genuine title challenge.
Kick off: 12.30pm (BST)
Match preview
Liverpool have beaten what has been put in front of them so far but this fixture represents a step up; a defining test. If they can make it five wins out of five for only the third time at the start of a season then title talk would ignite. Tottenham are wounded after their meltdown at Watford while Mauricio Pochettino has had to deal with numerous issues, from new stadium delays to Hugo Lloris’s drink-drive conviction. It could be a classic. David Hytner
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