Match ends, Tottenham Hotspur 2, Liverpool 1.
Joel Matip's own goal deep into stoppage time gave Tottenham Hotspur victory over nine-man Liverpool in an eventful and contentious Premier League encounter.
The Reds were compromised by two controversial red cards, the first given to Curtis Jones for a foul on Yves Bissouma after just 26 minutes following a VAR intervention, before half-time substitute Diogo Jota followed him down the tunnel with more than 20 minutes remaining after picking up a quickfire double booking.
In a game in which the Reds were clearly nursing a sense of injustice, they had an opening goal by Luis Diaz ruled out by another controversial VAR decision, as the officials quickly ruled the Colombian offside without showing the customary offside line graphics.
PGMOL has since issued a statement admitting that a "significant human error" took place, calling the decision to rule out Diaz's goal "a clear and obvious factual error".
They say VAR should have intervened, and failed to do so, adding that a "full review" will be conducted to find out why it did not.
Captain Son Heung-min then slid Spurs in front from Richarlison's pass nine minutes prior to half-time following good work from summer signing James Maddison.
But the visitors responded with an equaliser in first-half stoppage time when Cody Gakpo scored on the turn from Virgil van Dijk's header down, but the Netherlands forward was injured in the act of scoring and did not come out for the second half.
Spurs, understandably, had the better chances in the second half and Liverpool keeper Alisson kept the Reds on terms with outstanding saves from Maddison and Son, and it looked like their resolute rearguard would earn them a battling draw until the drama of the final seconds.
As Spurs mounted one last attack, Matip could only turn Pedro Porro's cross high past the helpless Alisson to spark scenes of jubilation and relief among the home support, inflicting Liverpool's first defeat of the season and maintaining manager Ange Postecoglou's unbeaten Premier League record.
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Spurs' patience rewarded by slice of fortune
Spurs knew they were under pressure to to find a winner against a side who have joined them as one of the early Premier League pacesetters.
It is to their credit that there was no sense of panic in their approach even as the seconds ticked away and Liverpool's red wall of defensive defiance kept them at bay, helped by keeper Alisson proving such a relentless barrier.
Spurs showed their new-found belief throughout the game and, despite some groans when Dejan Kulusevski played the ball back to Porro at the end of six minutes of stoppage time, their patience was rewarded with a large slice of good fortune as Matip's attempted clearance deflection carried such power that even Alisson was rendered powerless.
It was a climax which sparked wild scenes around Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where the atmosphere has been transformed since Postecoglou's arrival.
Maddison was once again pulling the strings, playing a key part in Son's opener, while the intensity and determination is bringing roars of approval from Spurs fans who have suffered under the stodgy styles of previous bosses Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte.
This may only be a pretty fortunate late victory against nine men, but a three points swing over this increasingly formidable Liverpool team will send confidence soaring even higher at Spurs.
Liverpool left heartbroken and fuming
Matip's misery was the final straw for Liverpool after a game in which manager Klopp and his players were convinced officialdom and the fates conspired against them cruelly.
Klopp complained bitterly about Jones and Jota being sent off, while the decision to rule out Diaz's first-half goal for offside was clearly an enormous error.
Their sense of injustice will have felt even more acute given the manner in which they organised themselves in a 5-3-0 formation, with a world-class last line of defence in keeper Alisson, to keep Spurs at arm's length once they were down to nine men.
Liverpool have shown they can get results with reduced numbers this season, having beaten Bournemouth and Newcastle United despite being down to ten men, but this time it just proved a step too far.
Klopp, however, will be rightly proud of the way Liverpool gathered themselves to get within seconds of a valuable point.
The Reds' attacking prowess is well known but this was a show of quality and character at the other end of the field, only for all their hard work to come to nothing after Matip's unwitting late intervention.
Player of the match
AlissonAlisson
Tottenham Hotspur
Avg
- Squad number7Player nameSon Heung-minAverage rating
6.36
- Squad number10Player nameMaddisonAverage rating
6.01
- Squad number13Player nameVicarioAverage rating
5.88
- Squad number37Player namevan de VenAverage rating
5.87
- Squad number23Player namePorroAverage rating
5.80
- Squad number38Player nameUdogieAverage rating
5.80
- Squad number8Player nameBissoumaAverage rating
5.76
- Squad number17Player nameRomeroAverage rating
5.72
- Squad number21Player nameKulusevskiAverage rating
5.70
- Squad number29Player nameSarrAverage rating
5.56
- Squad number5Player nameHøjbjergAverage rating
5.56
- Squad number27Player nameSolomonAverage rating
5.52
- Squad number9Player nameRicharlisonAverage rating
5.52
- Squad number36Player nameVélizAverage rating
5.46
- Squad number4Player nameSkippAverage rating
5.44
- Squad number33Player nameDaviesAverage rating
5.43
Liverpool
Avg
- Squad number1Player nameAlissonAverage rating
7.66
- Squad number8Player nameSzoboszlaiAverage rating
7.10
- Squad number18Player nameGakpoAverage rating
7.02
- Squad number4Player namevan DijkAverage rating
6.98
- Squad number11Player nameMohamed SalahAverage rating
6.98
- Squad number26Player nameRobertsonAverage rating
6.93
- Squad number7Player nameDíazAverage rating
6.88
- Squad number2Player nameGomezAverage rating
6.84
- Squad number10Player nameMac AllisterAverage rating
6.68
- Squad number32Player nameMatipAverage rating
6.58
- Squad number5Player nameKonatéAverage rating
6.29
- Squad number3Player nameEndoAverage rating
6.23
- Squad number66Player nameAlexander-ArnoldAverage rating
6.08
- Squad number17Player nameJonesAverage rating
5.98
- Squad number38Player nameGravenberchAverage rating
5.95
- Squad number20Player nameDiogo JotaAverage rating
5.15
Line-ups
Tottenham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 13Vicario
- 23PorroBooked at 90mins
- 17RomeroBooked at 89mins
- 37van de Ven
- 38UdogieBooked at 45minsSubstituted forDaviesat 83'minutes
- 29SarrSubstituted forSkippat 83'minutes
- 8BissoumaBooked at 88minsSubstituted forHøjbjergat 90'minutes
- 21Kulusevski
- 10MaddisonSubstituted forVélizat 90'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 9Richarlison
- 7Son Heung-minSubstituted forSolomonat 69'minutes
Substitutes
- 4Skipp
- 5Højbjerg
- 12Emerson Royal
- 20Forster
- 27Solomon
- 33Davies
- 35Phillips
- 36Véliz
- 63Donley
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Alisson
- 2GomezSubstituted forKonatéat 74'minutes
- 32Matip
- 4van DijkBooked at 90mins
- 26RobertsonBooked at 87mins
- 8Szoboszlai
- 10Mac AllisterBooked at 40minsSubstituted forGravenberchat 80'minutes
- 17JonesBooked at 26mins
- 11SalahBooked at 65minsSubstituted forAlexander-Arnoldat 74'minutes
- 18GakpoSubstituted forJotaat 45'minutesBooked at 69mins
- 7DíazSubstituted forEndoat 73'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Endo
- 5Konaté
- 9Núñez
- 19Elliott
- 20Jota
- 21Tsimikas
- 38Gravenberch
- 62Kelleher
- 66Alexander-Arnold
- Referee:
- Simon Hooper
- Attendance:
- 62,001
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home65%
- Away35%
- Shots
- Home24
- Away12
- Shots on Target
- Home8
- Away4
- Corners
- Home12
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away17
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Tottenham Hotspur 2, Liverpool 1.
Post update
Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Booking
Alejo Véliz (Tottenham Hotspur) is shown the yellow card.
Booking
Pedro Porro (Tottenham Hotspur) is shown the yellow card for excessive celebration.
Goal!
Own Goal by Joël Matip, Liverpool. Tottenham Hotspur 2, Liverpool 1.
Post update
Foul by Oliver Skipp (Tottenham Hotspur).
Post update
Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Booking
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Manor Solomon.
Post update
Attempt saved. Richarlison (Tottenham Hotspur) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Pedro Porro with a cross.
Substitution
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Pierre-Emile Højbjerg replaces Yves Bissouma.
Substitution
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Alejo Véliz replaces James Maddison.
Booking
Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur).
Post update
Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt blocked. James Maddison (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Dejan Kulusevski.
Booking
Yves Bissouma (Tottenham Hotspur) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Yves Bissouma (Tottenham Hotspur).
Post update
Wataru Endo (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Comments
Join the conversation
Was the red card a clear red, no, therefore VAR should absolutely NOT be telling the ref he's got it wrong. All this we don't want to re-ref games rubbish!
... the ref.
After today’s other results I would have been happy with a draw
After Jones got sent off, I would have been ecstatic with a draw
After Jota got sent off, I would have been over the moon with a draw
So unfortunate that an own goal stopped this from being an astonishing final result
A valiant effort nevertheless today.
YNWA
VAR made a clear mistake by disallowing Diaz's goal who was nowhere near offside. It's a daylight robbery. Those VAR officials in charge should be banned...
Proud of LFC...!!
Well done Spurs and Liverpool, top top notch entertainment.
Both Hooper and VAR, simply totally incompetent.
Diaz obviously onside, pathetic officiating at this level.
Well done Spurs.