Tottenham 4-1 Liverpool
Despite a pre-match reshuffle due to Eric Dier's illness, Tottenham Hotspur produced a fantastic performance to beat Liverpool 4-1 at Wembley.
A brace from Harry Kane and goals from Son Heung-min and Dele Alli earned an impressive Spurs side all three points to move them level with Manchester United, five points behind leaders Manchester City.
Here's how the players rated on Sunday afternoon.
Hugo Lloris
The Frenchman could have done better for Mohamed Salah’s goal, when he was uncharacteristically hesitant to step forward and sweep up Jordan Henderson’s pass in behind. Other than that, though, Lloris was solid between the sticks, making a phenomenal save to deny Philippe Coutinho in the 67th minute. FourFourTwo rating: 7
Football insights from STATS.com: Lloris was kept busy by Liverpool, making six saves.
Toby Alderweireld
Alderweireld’s anticipation and reading of the game helped give him the edge over Roberto Firmino on Sunday. His positioning was excellent, while his long passing from the back is a valuable asset to this Spurs side. FourFourTwo rating: 7
Football insights from STATS.com: Alderweireld finished with a pass completion rate of 97%.
Davinson Sanchez
Sanchez has settled into life in the Premier League with ease, and this was another competent showing from the young Colombian. His speed across the ground made it difficult for Liverpool to threat balls in behind, with Sanchez always in the right place at the right time. FourFourTwo rating: 8
Football insights from STATS.com: Sanchez won 14 balls in a dominant defensive display.
Jan Vertonghen
The left-sided centre-half in Tottenham’s back three, Vertonghen did a good job of covering for Serge Aurier when Mohamed Salah broke in behind. This was a typically understated but effective display from the Belgium international, who might have got on the scoresheet had Simon Mignolet not saved his 56th-minute effort - straight to the waiting Harry Kane, who made it 4-1. FourFourTwo rating: 8
Football insights from STATS.com: Vertonghen made 31 passes, completing 26.
Kieran Trippier
It was Trippier’s hooked pass over the top that set up Harry Kane’s opening goal. The right wing-back, who was forced to defend more than usual, did a good job up against early substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for the most part. FourFourTwo rating: 7
Football insights from STATS.com: Trippier attempted 52 passes, more than any of his team-mates.
Christian Eriksen
This was a more defence-minded display from Eriksen, but he didn’t let his team down as part of Tottenham’s midfield three. The Dane was assured in possession and didn’t switch off without it, while his free-kick helped create Dele Alli’s goal on the stroke of half-time. FourFourTwo rating: 7
Football insights from STATS.com: Eriksen won nine balls in the centre of midfield.
Harry Winks
After his stellar showing against Real Madrid last time out, Winks was again impressive at the heart of the Tottenham midfield. His passing was tidy and measured, while he wasn’t afraid to stick his foot in to win the ball back. FourFourTwo rating: 8
Football insights from STATS.com: Winks neither committed nor suffered any fouls.
Dele Alli
Deployed in a deeper role than usual, Alli produced a magnificent all-round midfield performance. He was energetic both with and without the ball, making tackles and then striding forward to link up with the front two. FourFourTwo rating: 8
Football insights from STATS.com: Alli drew four fouls, more than anyone else on the pitch.
Serge Aurier
Aurier found it difficult to contain Mohamed Salah at times, with the Egyptian’s runs in behind causing him problems in the first half. He did improve after the break, though, and was disciplined in sticking tight to Liverpool’s chief attacking threat. FourFourTwo rating: 6
Football insights from STATS.com: Of Aurier’s 41 passes, 46% were played forward.
Son Heung-min
Deployed alongside Harry Kane up top in Spurs’ 3-5-2 formation, Son produced some fine touches and clever movement as he linked up well with the England international. The South Korean used his pace to break beyond James Milner for his side’s second goal, which he calmly slotted past Simon Mignolet after receiving Kane’s pass. FourFourTwo rating: 9
Football insights from STATS.com: Only Kane had more shots on target (seven) than Son (three).
Harry Kane
Kane made an excellent run in behind Dejan Lovren and then showed great composure to hook the ball past Simon Mignolet and apply the finish to give Spurs the lead. He was a thorn in the Reds’ side all afternoon, creating the second for Son and adding another to his own tally after the break. FourFourTwo rating: 9
Football insights from STATS.com: Kane scored a goal and provided an assist in the same game for the seventh time in the Premier League.
Sub: Moussa Sissoko
Replacing Son Heung-min in the 69th minute with Tottenham 4-1 up, Sissoko was tasked with carrying the ball forward on the break and tracking Liverpool’s runs back into his own half. He fulfilled those duties diligently without showing a great deal of quality on the ball. FourFourTwo rating: 6
Football insights from STATS.com: Sissoko completed all six of his passes.
Sub: Eric Dier
Despite being weakened by illness, Dier was brought on in the 81st minute for Eriksen to shore up midfield as Tottenham held on for an impressive victory. He sat at the base of midfield and looked to deny Philippe Coutinho time and space.
Football insights from STATS.com: Dier made eight passes, completing six.
Mauricio Pochettino
Eric Dier’s illness meant the decision to include Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli in a midfield three was partly enforced, but Pochettino still deserves great credit for the way he set his side up. Not for the first time this season, Spurs were streetwise against a fellow big team, denying their opponents space after going ahead and providing a constant threat on the counter. FourFourTwo rating: 9
Simon Mignolet
Liverpool's goalkeeper could have done little to prevent Son Heung-min and Dele Alli’s goals, but he did not need to commit himself when Harry Kane ran in behind Dejan Lovren for the opener. He was also poor for Tottenham’s fourth, flapping at a free-kick and allowing Kane to put the game out of Liverpool’s reach. FourFourTwo rating: 4
Football insights from STATS.com: Mignolet only made one save.
Joe Gomez
Gomez began the match at right-back, before shuffling inside to centre-half following Dejan Lovren’s early substitution. The youngster looked more assured than both the Croatian and Joel Matip, and Jurgen Klopp may be tempted to use him in the heart of the backline until Liverpool can get much-needed reinforcements in January. FourFourTwo rating: 6
Football insights from STATS.com: Gomez made the most successful passes (82) on Sunday.
Joel Matip
Matip was partly at fault for Tottenham’s third goal, heading Christian Eriksen’s free-kick back to Dele Alli on the edge of the penalty area. His positioning was suspect at times and, along with his defensive colleagues, the ex-Schalke man struggled to deal with Son Heung-min and Harry Kane. FourFourTwo rating: 4
Football insights from STATS.com: Matip only made one foul all game.
Dejan Lovren
Clearly and humiliatingly ill-at-ease, Lovren was at fault for Spurs’ first two goals, trying to play offside for the first and then woefully misjudging the flight of Hugo Lloris’ long throw to allow Harry Kane in behind for the second. He produced a good block to deny Kane shortly before exiting through injury after half an hour. FourFourTwo rating: 3
Football insights from STATS.com: Lovren completed 86% of his passes.
Alberto Moreno
The much-maligned Moreno was probably Liverpool’s best defender on Sunday. He covered for his team-mates well on several occasions, but wasn’t able to exert the sort of attacking influence he would have liked. FourFourTwo rating: 6
Football insights from STATS.com: No player attempted as many crosses as Moreno (eight).
James Milner
Retaining his place in the starting XI after a superb showing against Maribor in the Champions League, Milner endured a more difficult match here. He struggled to cope with Son’s bursts forward from deep and did not offer a great deal in possession either. FourFourTwo rating: 6
Football insights from STATS.com: Of Milner’s 69 passes, 47% were sideways.
Jordan Henderson
Henderson produced a terrific assist for Mohamed Salah’s goal, curling a well-weighted pass beyond Tottenham’s defence to help Liverpool halve the deficit. That was a rare moment of quality from the Reds captain, who struggled to halt Spurs’ counter-attacking surges. FourFourTwo rating: 6
Football insights from STATS.com: Henderson recorded his first Premier League assist of 2017 by setting up Salah’s strike.
Emre Can
After starting in central midfield, Can moved to right-back when Jurgen Klopp reshuffled his side in the 30th minute. He was robbed in possession by Dele Alli in the build-up to Tottenham’s third and did not provide much going forward. FourFourTwo rating: 5
Football insights from STATS.com: Can played 93 balls, fewer than only Joe Gomez.
Philippe Coutinho
Coutinho started on the left but regularly drifted infield to get on the ball, before moving back into midfield on the half-hour mark as Liverpool reshuffled with Lovren's merciful withdrawal. The Brazilian tried to make things happen with some probing passing and drew a splendid save from Hugo Lloris, but it ultimately wasn’t enough to make a difference. FourFourTwo rating: 7
Football insights from STATS.com: Both of Coutinho’s two shots were on target.
Mohamed Salah
Salah scored Liverpool’s only goal and was the man who looked most likely to make things happen for the visitors. His speedy runs in behind Serge Aurier caused the Ivorian problems throughout, but he struggled to make as much of an impact in the second half. FourFourTwo rating: 7
Football insights from STATS.com: Salah has scored in three of his five away Premier League matches this season.
Roberto Firmino
Firmino made a decent start to the game with a couple of neat touches to link the play, but he soon faded and did very little after the interval. The Brazilian did help pinch possession from Harry Kane in the build-up to Mohamed Salah’s goal, but was otherwise quiet at Wembley. FourFourTwo rating: 5
Football insights from STATS.com: Firmino didn’t take a single shot all game.
Sub: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
The former Arsenal man entered the fray in place of the injured Dejan Lovren after 31 minutes. Playing on the left of a front three, Oxlade-Chamberlain looked dangerous when dribbling down the outside on a couple of occasions, but his final ball was frustratingly inconsistent. FourFourTwo rating: 6
Football insights from STATS.com: Oxlade-Chamberlain made five crosses, second only to Alberto Moreno.
Jurgen Klopp
Although it is hard to blame Klopp for individual errors at the back, the manager must take responsibility for Liverpool’s general lack of defensive security. As Jamie Carragjer tweeted during the game, the "problem under [Brendan] Rodgers was conceding goals. 4 out of the back 5 still Rodgers signings two years on that can't be right".
Although commendably ready to reshuffle his team when withdrawing the labouring Lovren – switching Gomez to centre-back, Can to right-back and Coutinho to midfield to accommodate Oxlade-Chamberlain out wide -
Klopp was much more hesitant with changes thereafter, introducing Daniel Sturridge with just 13 minutes left to play. FourFourTwo rating: 5
