NOT even football’s ultimate killjoy could come up with a plan to stop this procession.
Even without Harry Kane, Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho would have backed himself to dent Liverpool’s invincible march towards their first Premier League title.
Roberto Firmino hails his history-making winner in the 37th minute for Liverpool at Spurs, a goal confirmed by VARCredit: AFP or licensors
Brazilian hitman Roberto Firmino strikes as Liverpool make it an incredible 20 wins in 21 Premier League matchesCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
But Jurgen Klopp’s men are as close to flawless as this game has ever seen right now.
After Roberto Firmino’s brilliant first-half winner, the Reds are 16 points clear at the top of the Premier League with a game in hand.
At this rate, there is every chance Liverpool will be crowned champions before the March international break.
Manchester United were the earliest title-winners in English history when they claimed the title on April 14, 2001.
Liverpool could easily finish the job an entire month earlier than that, at Goodison Park on March 14, or perhaps at home to Crystal Palace a week later.
Failing that, the Etihad on April 4 would be a nice spot to officially dethrone champions Manchester City.
It has long since been a matter of when, not if, the European and world champions will finally rule their homeland once more.
EXPECTING 6-7 DEFENDERS
There had been news this week of a radio signal being detected from a different galaxy.
But as far as we are aware, Liverpool were completing the greatest start to a season in the history of the universe – or at least in Europe’s major five leagues – by chalking up a 20th win in 21 unbeaten matches.
In their way stood Mourinho, whose Chelsea team had gone a long way towards denying them the title on Demba Ba Day in 2014.
It was difficult to know the greatest surprise on Mourinho’s teamsheet – that he gave 20-year-old Japhet Tanganga his Premier League debut as a starter, or that he had employed only five specialist defenders.
Many of us had been expecting six or seven.
Mourinho selected a surprisingly lightweight, ball-playing central-midfield pairing in Christian Eriksen and Harry Winks but they were bossed in the first half by a Liverpool side happy to calmly dominate possession.
Then, when Spurs did carve out the better chances in the second half, the absence of Kane was telling.
Home keeper Paulo Gazzaniga can do nothing to stop this left-foot decider from dangerous frontman Roberto FirminoCredit: Reuters
Dele Alli and Co show their dejection after Liverpool went in front before Spurs fought back valiantly but in vainCredit: Getty – Contributor
It is now just one win in six matches for Mourinho, whose decision to substitute Eriksen 20 minutes from time was greeted with boos from sceptical locals.
It did not take long for Tanganga – whose only previous team appearance had come in the League Cup humiliation by Colchester – to have his first serious involvement.
In the second minute, Andy Robertson floated a through-ball over Eriksen’s head, Firmino cut back inside the Dane but had his sight at goal blocked by the new boy.
From the rebound Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain hit the post and the ball cannoned off Tanganga into the arms of Paulo Gazzaniga.
Yet Spurs had some promising early forays of their own, Lucas Moura – the false nine – drilled one narrowly wide.
And then Toby Alderweireld pinged one of his trademark diagonal balls out of defence, releasing Dele Alli, who shot over when he should have done better.
KLOPP AGITATED
It was a lively end-to-end game, with no real bus-parking from the old conductor Mourinho.
But midway through the half, Jordan Henderson chipped to the far post where three Liverpool players had overloaded Spurs, only for Virgil Van Dijk’s header to be pushed out by a tumbling Gazzaniga.
Spurs were having their moments on the break, with Serge Aurier a consistent threat from right wing-back.
But Eriksen and Winks were over-run and a typical Salah-Firmino-Mane combination ended in the Senegalese scuffing his shot into the turf and over – leaving an agitated Klopp attempting to scratch his own brains out in the technical area.
But soon after, the Reds were in front when Spurs failed to deal with a throw-in, which ought to have been awarded to them. Henderson fed Salah and the Eqyptian found Firmino, who twisted past Tanganga with a magician’s sleight of foot and drilled home.
It would be harsh to blame the kid, such was the magnificence of the finish, but Liverpool were worthy of their lead.
Jurgen Klopp urges Liverpool to step it up during a narrow winCredit: Reuters
Jose Mourinho must have been encouraged by Spur’ pushing Liverpool back in the second half but defeat left Tottenham eighthCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Salah somehow shoulder-barged Davinson Sanchez on to the floor, the big centre-half then left flat on his jacksie as he tried to recover but the Liverpool winger firing wide.
When Spurs got their first sniff of the second half, through Alli, Van Dijk halted him with a monster-truck challenge in the penalty area.
Son Heung-Min slid an effort just wide from an artful Eriksen pass.
And after the Dane was replaced, to the ire of many Spurs fans, his replacement Giovani Lo Celso robbed Gini Wijnaldum only for Son to sky his shot.
RODE THEIR LUCK
In moaning about his lack of offensive options Mourinho had said Son wasn’t a striker – and the Korean proved him correct.
Before that, Robertson got lucky when a poor touch left him going studs-up on Tanganga’s shin – ref Martin Atkinson, and VAR, not noticing the offence.
Lo Celso missed Tottenham’s best chance in the 83rd minute when he dived in at Aurier’s cross but dragged his shot wide.
Liverpool had ridden their luck a little, as they often do, but there is no way of stopping them.
This lot have simply forgotten how to not win football matches.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
