5 talking points from Liverpool 4-3 Spurs as Diaz delivers and injured Klopp salutes Kop 

A match that epitomized Liverpool’s season, and perhaps Tottenham Hotspur’s, ended with triumphant fist pumps from Jurgen Klopp and a strained hamstring.

Liverpool 4-3Tottenham

Goals: Jones 3′, Díaz 5′, Salah Pen 15′, Jota 90+4′; Kane 40′, Son 77′, Richarlison 90+2′

Diaz delivers on return

This was Luis Diaz’s first start for Liverpool since October.

The team he rejoined at the end of this season was in a very different situation to the team he joined in January 2022, who were mounting a title challenge for Man City.

It goes without saying that his return to the fold is very welcome.

He adds an immediacy, speed and guile that few players have, and he managed to score one of those early goals in the first 15 minutes that helped Liverpool beat Spurs – pretty much. Klopp now has a range of attacking options and can even use different players with different strengths depending on the opponent.

However, there won’t be many games where Diaz isn’t a useful offensive threat to the team.

Defensive weakness but not Van Dijk’s fault

Trent-Alexander Arnold has adapted superbly to the new system which positions him in midfield.

But the rest of the players still seem to be working out what happens in the gap left by Trent in defense.

The main problem for Spurs’ opening goal was that Ibrahima Konate moved into midfield to deal with the attack at source, leaving even more space on the right side of the Liverpool defence. Once Konate was rounded and Spurs were in that position, even they would struggle not to make the most of it.

Van Dijk appears to have been blamed, but he and Andy Robertson are fighting a losing battle as the opposition held a three-to-two in their favour.

It goes to show that while some facets of this new ball possession system are working well, players still need to figure out what to do with the space left by Trent.

Maybe a reinforcement in the midfield is needed to prevent Konate from being tempted to step up, or maybe the centre-back just needs to be more responsive and cover the box.

Either way, Klopp’s weaknesses and the players to work on were revealed in the win. As he howled angrily from the touchline after that first goal, he seemed to know what was wrong, which is encouraging. For the other two, however, it may be lost.

A mad game brings an important victory

This Liverpool might not have been great, but on this occasion they were certainly entertaining – not always in a good way.

Fans were on a roller coaster of emotions which ended in celebration when Diogo Jota scored the winner after it looked like Richarlison had bagged a point for the visitors.

Anfield had been fairly calm as Liverpool led 3-0, perhaps it was too easy, leading to complacency. When Tottenham made a game and Liverpool let them in, the volume and nervousness built up.

In the end it was a fight and three easy points turned into three essential points with the prospect of losing two.

Klopp was the epitome of that, and perhaps he is lucky to avoid punishment by celebrating in front of the fourth official. Although a pulled hamstring can be punishment enough.

At the end of the game, the coach gave his signature punch to the Kop which only appears after an important victory. Had Liverpool led to victory they may not have turned up, but as they won in dramatic fashion the celebrations were more intense.

Lineup from local to global

Liverpool’s lineup against Spurs is what every football club should aim for.

A combination of homegrown and academy talent, including some local players, as well as a collection of the best players discovered from around the world.

It preserves a team’s identity and keeps it competitive. Maintains rapport with both local supporters and global fan base. Alexander-Arnold grew up in West Derby and Jones in Toxteth – both are from the city and came through the academy.

Despite being identified by the club’s scouts as the English talent of the generation at Fulham, Harvey Elliott was a growing up Liverpool supporter and is classified as a homegrown player for the club itself, given the young age at which he joined.

But the combination of local prodigies combined with world-class talents is one way to maintain a club’s character and identity in a world where football is beginning to lose its connection to fans.

euro vision

It’s hard to believe that this Spurs team has topped Liverpool and also Brighton and Villa in the league table.

You’d think they’d be lower in mid-table now with Chelsea, but somehow they were still pretty close to the top four until recently. The picture now reflects their demise as well as Liverpool’s recent mini resurgence – as well as the quality that Brighton and Villa have shown recently.

Following Spurs’ fall, Liverpool are set to qualify for the Europa League ahead of the new season.

You wouldn’t bet against them reaching the final in Dublin, a very Liverpudlian city that is just a reasonably short ferry ride away.

Also..

4 key takeaways from Jurgen Klopp’s post-Spurs press conference- includes ‘Ask Mr Tierney’ and injury punishment

A 4-3 roller coaster win gives Jurgen Klopp plenty of emotions and moments to unravel and this time he had his own injury news to share!

Here are the manager’s four main takeaways as he reflected on the performance…

“Among the best” this season

It took just 15 minutes for the Reds to net Tottenham in three, a start Klopp described as ‘amazing’ and ‘one of the best we’ve played this season’.

It wasn’t just the attack that was praised, as Klopp noted, ‘the way we played offensively and defensively was absolutely exceptional’ against a ‘nice defensive formation’.

But what followed when Tottenham leveled the scores ‘wasn’t supposed to happen’ but it ‘happened anyway’.

A new injury – but for the boss!

A sideline sprint to celebrate Diogo Jota’s winner not only resulted in a yellow card, but also a muscle injury for Klopp – a ‘painful’ injury to boot.

Asked about his injury, he said: “Pretty serious but fair punishment for not behaving properly. I will be in pain for a few days, not Mr Tierney.”

It was just a shot at the match official…

“Ask Mr. Tierney!”

Klopp and referee Paul Tierney were once again embroiled in a dramatic affair and after being booked for his over-celebration, the boss received a few words he described as ‘disagree’.

He didn’t want to reveal to the press what those words were. He acknowledged that his own actions were wrong and insisted that “we have to ask Mr. Tierney what is going on”.

Roll back with Klopp’s song

It’s not the first time the manager has encouraged fans to steer his song away from Anfield and it was again after the win.

“I love them all, but my song, don’t sing it,” he urged. “If you want to sing it, sing it afterwards, in the bar, whatever. It would be really nice if we saved it for later.

Klopp almost saw that as an indication that the game was 3-0 this time around, but it turned out that wasn’t quite the case.