LONDON: Mohamed Salah scored twice as Liverpool beat Tottenham 2-1 on Sunday to maintain his hexagon on the London club, returning to winning ways after back-to-back Premier League defeats.
Jurgen Klopp’s men started the game 10 points behind fourth-placed Spurs, with questions growing over their ability to even challenge for the Champions League places next season.
But they dominated the competition early on and took the lead in the 11th minute when the impressive Darwin Nunez landed Salah, who fired into the bottom corner.
The visitors’ intensity dropped as the half wore on, but they doubled their lead in the 40th minute when Salah capitalized on a horrific error from Eric Dier, who headed the ball straight into the lane of the Egyptian striker.
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Harry Kane pulled a goal back in the 70th minute as the decibels rose among the crowd of 62,000 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but they fell to a third defeat in four league games.
Spurs haven’t beaten Liverpool since 2017 and have now lost seven of the last nine Premier League games between the sides.
The result will add to doubts over the ability of Antonio Conte’s men to compete at the top of the table after yet another damaging defeat to a top-four rival.
Tottenham were missing the services of South Korean forward Son Heung-min, who suffered a fracture around his left eye in his side’s midweek Champions League win over Marseille.
Conte put Ivan Perisic ahead alongside England captain Kane, but the home side were slow to come out of the blocks.
Nunez, marauding down the left side of Liverpool’s attack, tested Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris from a tight angle in just the third minute and fired another wide shot minutes later.
The Uruguayan was Salah’s opener provider, controlling Andrew Robertson’s pass and feeding in Salah, who shot unerringly into the bottom corner.
Tottenham found their feet as the half progressed and were only denied an equalizer when Alisson Becker saved Perisic from close range after a precise cross from Kane.
Midway through the opening period, the home fans demanded a penalty when Ryan Sessegnon fell under a challenge from Trent Alexander-Arnold, but referee Andrew Madley dismissed the claims and VAR did not intervene.
Liverpool, who had lost their previous two Premier League games to Nottingham Forest and Leeds, gave Spurs a mountain to climb by doubling their lead five minutes before half-time.
Becker kicked the ball up the pitch and Dier headed it but horribly mistimed it, straight into the path of Salah, who lifted the ball over Lloris and into the net.
Tottenham came out of the blocks early in the second half.
England defender Dier, desperate to make amends, forced Alisson into a diving save before Perisic rattled the bar.
Klopp’s men remained an occasional threat during the break, but Spurs suddenly looked much more dangerous.
They finally made their pressure count with 20 minutes left when substitute Dejan Kulusevski, who had just been signed, set up Kane, who fired home from a sharp angle.
The England captain fell to the ground after an entanglement with Ibrahima Konate but the referee ignored kick requests.
Spurs centre-back Clement Lenglet headed in close as the minutes ticked away, but Liverpool held on to register their fifth league win of the season.
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