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It’s a win for Liverpool, and even more surprisingly, it’s a clean sheet for Liverpool. While no one expected the 5-0 thrashing from last season, this game threatened to go close.
Worse still, this was not a vintage Liverpool performance, and Brendan Rodgers can have plenty to criticise.
But a win is a win is a win, and it was three goals. The first was early in the game, with Sterling finishing off a sumptuous move set up by Daniel Sturridge.
Joe Allen earned (or dived) for a penalty, which Steven Gerrard converted early in the second half.
The performance was capped off by Alberto Moreno’s first goal for Liverpool, and what a goal it was – a fantastic solo effort.
Meanwhile, a debut performance by Mario Balotelli was both industrious and wasteful. Interesting times ahead for the Italian.
Negatives? The defence still requires meaningful questioning, mainly at Sakho and at times Lovren. However, the clean sheet tells its own story, mainly at Tottenham.
To describe Spurs as poor would do disservice to those lacking wealth. At times they were inconsistent, others indecisive, and mostly terrible.
The mirage of the early wins against West Ham and QPR have been well extinguished by this display, and it will be a period of deep reflection in North London as we head towards the international break.
Spurs will face a trip to Sunderland upon the Premier League’s resumption, while Liverpool return home to host Aston Villa. The first international break provides the first break/hurdle/distraction, which will only be told once games resume in two weeks.
FINAL SCORE:
Tottenham Hotspur 0
Liverpool 3
It’s reunions, retribution and reminiscence at White Hart Lane, as Tottenham Hotspur host Liverpool. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary of this third round EPL clash from 10:10pm (AEST).
If Liverpool fans weren’t made aware of the sheer impact of Luis Suarez, the loss to Manchester City last weekend at the Etihad Stadium hit it home.
If the game was viewed as a chance to reaffirm title credentials after a spirited challenge, then Liverpool fell well short, and the absence of their troubled Uruguayan was well noticed.
Tottenham understand only too well. Gareth Bale is now a memory, and few of the players signed in his stead have made the grade at White Hart Lane. The man responsible for both was Andre Villas Boas, who now calls St Petersburg home.
His final game in charge at White Hart Lane was in this fixture last season, when Liverpool demolished an Spurs 5-0. Matters didn’t improve under Tim Sherwood, as Tottenham fell 4-0 at Anfield months later.
Yet two weeks in, the hosts have begun the better. Successive London derby wins away at West Ham and a drubbing of QPR means Spurs start the more confident.
Central to this has been the club’s new manager Mauricio Pochettino. In addition to restoring calm, the former Southampton boss has begun integrating the players who underpinned Villas Boas’ downfall. Additional arrivals in Eric Dier and Federico Fazio are testament to Pochettino’s approach to not frenetically overhaul the club.
Pochettino will likely retain the same 4-2-3-1 formation, with Emmanuel Adebayor to start. The only possible change is the return of Paulinho, who was red carded in this fixture last season. The Brazilian could possibly return at the expense of Nacer Chadli in midfield.
Pochettino is not the only former Saint to feature on Sunday night. No club did more to purge the St Mary’s ranks than Liverpool, with Dejan Lovren, Adam Lallana and Rickie Lambert all now residing in the red half of Merseyside. While Lallana is expected to make his first impact from the bench against Spurs, eyeballs will glance to the frontline to one Mario Balotelli.
Balotelli in for Suarez sounds too simplistic, for they are vastly different players. But both share an appetite for trouble, and Liverpool fans now begin a journey with the Italian that may result in simultaneous grandeur and grandiose mayhem. Antics aside, Balotelli now represents a viable foil and alternative to Daniel Sturridge.
The main issue emanating from the Etihad for Brendan Rodgers was defence, both in terms of performance and personnel. Glen Johnson, Martin Skrtel and Alberto Moreno all hobbled off the Etihad turf late, and remain in doubt. Rodgers can call upon Javier Manquillo, Jose Enrique and Mamadou Sakho to fill the breach if required.
The only other likely change is a first start for Lazar Markovic, who impressed late against Manchester City, with Philippe Coutinho likely to make way.
An ascendant Spurs at home is a difficult task for any visiting team, but Liverpool’s record from defeats under Brendan Rodgers has been excellent since his arrival two seasons ago. While unlikely to be anything resembling last season’s maulings, Liverpool should be sufficiently equipped to spoil Spurs’ early season momentum.
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