Tottenham stole all three points in dramatic fashion as Aaron Lennon scored an injury-time winner to beat Liverpool 2-1 at White Hart Lane.
Skrtel scores at both ends as Defoe misses penalty
Tottenham stole all three points in dramatic fashion as Aaron Lennon scored an injury-time winner to beat Liverpool 2-1 at White Hart Lane.
The Reds broke the deadlock three minutes before half-time as defender Martin Skrtel reacted first to poke past Heurelho Gomes following a free-kick into the box.
Substitute Jermain Defoe squandered an excellent chance to equalise when he dragged a penalty wide on the hour mark following an inexplicable handball from David Ngog.
However, Harry Redknapp's side did not have to wait long for the leveller as Skrtel turned from hero to villain as he diverted the ball into his own net after good work from Luka Modric.
And the comeback was complete in injury time as Lennon latched on to a sweeping ball from the left to run in and slot past the despairing Pepe Reina.
There were two changes for Spurs in the starting XI as Rafael van der Vaart returned and Wilson Palacios replaced the injured Jermaine Jenas in midfield. Liverpool's only change saw Lucas return from suspension in place of Christian Poulsen.
In an even start to the game both sides came close to breaking the deadlock in an open encounter. William Gallas, so strong against Arsenal last weekend, almost got in a muddle with Gomes in the third minute but his pass-back from close range was just cleared by the Brazilian keeper.
Marauding
Lennon looked bright and went on a marauding run forward only to get the ball stuck under his feet with Van der Vaart waiting in space. Modric then volleyed straight at Reina after more good work from Lennon, and at the other end Maxi Rodriguez fired narrowly wide from inside the area.
Tottenham suffered a blow in the 10th minute as playmaker Van der Vaart was forced off with an injury after trying a backheel - the Dutch star, who has been a revelation this season, was replaced by Defoe and the home side went with two up front.
Gareth Bale whipped in a corner but Peter Crouch could not get enough contact on his poke towards goal, while the energetic Maxi then forced a smart stop from Gomes following a stinging shot that was flying towards the bottom corner.
The game continued to ebb and flow from end-to-end but that decisive clear-cut chance proved evasive, despite good play in the final third by both teams.
Alan Hutton charged forward with great pace in the 26th minute but his swan dive inside the area was an embarrassing attempt to con referee Martin Atkinson into giving a penalty - the Scot's blatant acrobatics were not enough to dupe the official.
Two yellow cards followed as Raul Meireles and Paul Konchesky both slid in on Gareth Bale, and Reds captain Jamie Carragher then produced a remarkable goal-saving block. So often has the Liverpool stalwart been their saviour in the past, and he stretched out a leg to deny Defoe a certain goal after Reina had only parried a Modric pull-back.
Younes Kaboul was the second casualty for Spurs when he limped off in the 36th minute as Sebastien Bassong entered the fray.
The deadlock was then broken as Skrtel reacted quickest to poke home in the 42nd minute. Meireles drifted in a free-kick and the Slovakian defender headed into the back of team-mate David Ngog, only for the ball to break loose into his path.
It should have been two in first-half stoppage time when Torres produced a wonderful piece of skill to flick through Maxi, but the Argentinian attacker tried to go round Gomes instead of pulling the trigger and the ball ran away from him.
Torres then wasted a chance before the whistle as Bassong got back brilliantly to put in a last-ditch tackle on the Spaniard, and immediately after the restart it was a case of déjà-vu - Torres was played through one-on-one but he delayed his shot, allowing the defender to get back.
Tottenham began to turn the screw in the second-half as they probed for an equaliser and Crouch nodded a corner back across goal but neither Defoe nor Gallas could turn it home. And Liverpool needed another superb clearance in the 52nd minute when Meireles nodded off the line to keep out Bale's half-volley.
Great chance
Spurs had a golden opportunity to level things up when they were awarded a penalty just before the hour mark. Bale's free-kick hit Ngog's raised arm in the wall and despite protests from the away side, referee Atkinson pointed to the spot.
Skrtel was booked for dissent but he need not have worried, as Defoe sent the penalty wide of the target with a poor effort, not even testing Reina.
However, Harry Redknapp's men did not have to wait long for the equaliser, as Skrtel diverted the ball into his own net in the 65th minute after Modric had drifted through the Liverpool defence to pull-back from the by-line.
There were appeals for a penalty when Benoit Assou-Ekotto slid in on Dirk Kuyt, and Meireles went close with a long-range effort, before Jamie Carragher went off with a dislocated shoulder.
But it was late drama as Lennon latched on to a Crouch knock-down in stoppage time and he showed great composure to slot past Reina and earn his side the victory.
| Tottenham Hotspur |
Team Statistics |
Liverpool |
| 2 |
Goals |
1 |
| 0 |
1st Half Goals |
1 |
| 8 |
Shots on Target |
4 |
| 8 |
Shots off Target |
4 |
| 4 |
Blocked Shots |
9 |
| 5 |
Corners |
8 |
| 6 |
Fouls |
18 |
| 1 |
Offsides |
2 |
| 0 |
Yellow Cards |
5 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 78.8 |
Passing Success |
77.6 |
| 19 |
Tackles |
35 |
| 78.9 |
Tackles Success |
60 |
| 50 |
Possession |
50 |
| 47.2 |
Territorial Advantage |
52.8 |
|
