Defending champions Liverpool climbed to fifth in the Premier League after a chaotic 2-1 win over nine-man Tottenham in north London on Saturday, with Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike on target.
Isak endured a bittersweet night as he put Liverpool ahead in the second half before limping off injured. The Swede struck just 11 minutes after coming on at half-time, following Xavi Simons’ red card for a dangerous challenge on Virgil van Dijk, but was later forced off after Micky van de Ven injured him while trying to stop the goal. It was only Isak’s third goal in 16 matches since his British record £125 million move from Newcastle.
Ekitike doubled the lead in the 66th minute with his fifth goal in four games, rising above Cristian Romero to head home Jeremie Frimpong’s deflected cross, before Richarlison pulled one back late after van Dijk miscued a clearance. Any hopes of a Spurs comeback ended in stoppage time when Romero was sent off for a second booking after kicking Ibrahima Konate.
However, Isak’s injury comes at a bad time following Mohamed Salah’s departure for the Africa Cup of Nations. Slot said on Friday that Liverpool had “moved on” from Salah’s recent controversy after his interview claiming he had been thrown under the bus by the club, before being dropped for a Champions League match and then returning as a substitute last week.
With Salah now away on international duty, Slot will be anxiously awaiting news on Isak’s fitness over Christmas.
For Tottenham, the pressure is mounting on Thomas Frank, whose side sit 13th after just one win in eight league games. Last week’s 3-0 loss at Nottingham Forest intensified debate over his future, especially after Ange Postecoglou was sacked last season despite winning the Europa League.
Spurs’ task became harder in the 33rd minute when Simons was initially booked for raking his studs down van Dijk’s calf, only for VAR to upgrade it to a red card. Liverpool made the breakthrough soon after the break when Ekitike found Florian Wirtz, who slipped Isak through for a clinical finish past Guglielmo Vicario, before Ekitike’s header and late drama sealed a tense victory for the visitors.
