By Matija Šerić
Matches between Tottenham and Liverpool are almost always spectacular, and Saturday’s game was one of the most unusual ones — a match that will be remembered for a long time. Extremely rough play (reminiscent of the Turkish league), two red cards, injuries, momentum swings, controversial refereeing decisions, and uncertainty until the very last second gave football fans a bitter-sweet spectacle.
A promising start and a controversial refereeing decision
Since both teams have been performing well below expectations this season, the match carried significant importance. The opening looked deceptively calm. In the 5th minute, Kolo Muani fired toward goal, but his shot was blocked. In the 13th minute, Virgil van Dijk rose highest to meet a free kick, but it was an easy save for Vicario. Muani tried again with a header in the 27th minute.
The key moment of the match came in the 30th minute when Xavi Simons absolutely unnecessarily stepped on Van Dijk while the Dutch defender was returning the ball to Alisson. Although referee John Brooks initially showed a yellow card, after a VAR review he upgraded it to a red. The decision is controversial because there was no clear intent. Many believe Brooks was far too harsh toward Simons. In any case, the decision decisively shaped the match.
Game highlights
Spurs take the initiative with a man down
The Reds were handed a pole position, but given their dreadful form this season, it hardly showed on the pitch. Florian Wirtz threatened in the 36th minute, yet in the remainder of the first half the home side, despite being a man down, created the better chances. In the 38th minute, Mohammed Kudus and Muani nearly scored on the counterattack, but Alisson saved the situation at the last moment.
In the 45th minute, Spurs left-back Djed Spence went on a remarkable run from almost his own penalty area to Liverpool’s box, where he fell in a collision with Conor Bradley. No penalty was awarded, despite clear contact.
Liverpool go 0–2 up with help from the referees
In the 56th minute, Spurs captain Cristian Romero made a mistake, hitting the ball into Alexis Mac Allister, who launched a quick attack in which Wirtz assisted Alexander Isak for what was only his second Premier League goal. However, it was a bitter moment for the Swede, who was injured in a duel with Micky van de Ven and will be sidelined for an as-yet-unknown period.
Football experts would have assumed that this was the decisive moment, and that the visitors, with an extra man and a two-goal lead, would comfortably see the match out. That did not happen. Spurs took control of the game. In the 64th minute, Muani shot, the ball deflected off Miloš Kerkez and struck the crossbar. An equaliser seemed imminent, but in the 66th minute substitute Jeremie Frimpong crossed from the right to the edge of the six-yard box, where Hugo Ekitike outjumped Romero using both hands. A clear foul in attack that Brooks and the VAR team, for some inexplicable reason, “failed to see.” An unbelievable robbery.
Total madness at the end
Just how poor Liverpool have been this season was evident even at 0–2 up, as they were unable to keep possession or stabilise the game. They played sluggishly, without ideas, and at a painfully slow tempo. Every Spurs approach to Liverpool’s penalty area caused outright panic among the visitors, as if they were facing a lower-division side.
From one such chaotic situation in the 83rd minute, Richarlison scored after Kerkez, then Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté all missed the ball in confusion. Once again, the so-called “trio fantastico” delivered a performance at HNL level. After a Curtis Jones mistake in the 86th minute, Richarlison nearly scored his second goal.
Until the 101st minute, total madness reigned, with Spurs’ second goal constantly in the air. It would very likely have happened had Romero not clattered into Konaté in the 92nd minute and received a second yellow and then a red card. Even that did not stop Spurs, who, with two men down, continued to control the game and created several more chances to equalise.
Arne Slot after the match
Refereeing below every professional standard
With its sheer number of fouls and injuries (Frimpong was also injured), the match resembled Balkan leagues or Dinamo–Hajduk clashes from the era of all-out brawls. In addition to two red cards, the home side received five yellow cards, while the visitors got three. The refereeing was dreadful. Tottenham were denied a legitimate goal, arguably a sending-off, and a clear penalty. The overall impression is that the hosts would have taken at least a point — and very likely all three — had the refereeing been objective. Even the final whistle was blown while Spurs were creating a promising chance. A major embarrassment for the English refereeing organisation (PGMOL).
A Pyrrhic victory for the Reds
Liverpool’s 1–2 win can be described as Pyrrhic and misleading, because despite collecting three points, almost every element of their play was disastrous. The statistics illustrate this clearly: Tottenham had more shots on goal (15–8), both teams had two big chances, and in expected goals the Whites recorded 1.07 compared to the Reds’ 0.66. Although Liverpool enjoyed 65% possession, this only highlights how poor they were, as they failed to create clear chances. Once again, it is evident that this season they lack a true playmaker to connect their play.
The Reds have now strung together three consecutive wins, and it seems manager Arne Slot is safe for the time being. However, Liverpool’s positive results are the consequence of circumstances, matchups, and luck, not genuine improvement. Something is deeply rotten at Anfield this season — and it hasn’t gone away. This Liverpool side cannot win anything.
Thomas Frank after the match
An encouraging defeat for the dispirited Spurs
Although Tottenham lost, their performance after the red card was encouraging, and the impression is that the players showed more in this match than in several previous ones combined. Wing play proved very effective, as did the attackers Kudus, Muani, and Richarlison, who could form a lethal attacking mechanism if properly supplied.
The midfield remains the key problem. Rodrigo Bentancur and João Palhinha are unable to play vertical forward passes or make individual moves that would create space and fluidity through the centre. They are inert and slow in many duels, and even when they win the ball, they fail to deliver quality creative passes. Spurs rely heavily on wing runs, crosses, and the individual quality of Richarlison, Simons, and others. Their play is predictable, and that must change if they are to achieve better results this season.
A solution may come in the January transfer window, when they could bring in a quality midfielder to North London. Manager Thomas Frank faces a tough task, and his seat is also seriously wobbling. In this calendar year alone, Tottenham have lost 11 matches at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and collected just 15 out of a possible 54 points. Almost unreal.
Tough challenges for fallen giants
In terms of points, both Liverpool and Tottenham still have a chance to salvage their seasons thanks to the exceptional competitiveness of the Premier League. At the time of writing, after just under 17 rounds, Liverpool sit 5th with 29 points, while Spurs are 13th with 22 points. For anything resembling a worthwhile achievement this season, these fallen English giants will have to get to work — a very difficult task, but one their fans are desperately calling for. Frank and Slot will be the first casualties if current trends continue.
