Liverpool continue their fine start to the season by maintaining their 100% record with a victory over Tottenham at Wembley stadium. It was their toughest game of the season and the first of a tricky run of fixtures and while once again the performance wasn't necessarily their best, they once again scored the goals and held on to pick up the 3 points. Just about!
Jurgen Klopp hailed it as their best performance of the season so far, and while there were moments of brilliance from the team there was yet again multiple errors throughout the game. Liverpool's front 3 which caused so much devastation last season, but so far this season things have not been clicking between them. Mane has scored 4 so far with Salah and Firmino both scoring twice each. But their passes to one another and decision making has been poor on the whole, had they went for better options and been sharper they could have easily added 3 or 4 more goals between them and put this game to bed. Mane has been criticised for not passing to Salah when he was in a better position on Saturday but the Egyptian was just as guilty of being selfish and going for goal when he had a better option too. With a 2 goal lead, you may argue strikers can afford to start being selfish however this game always felt on a knife edge and one in which Spurs could get back into easily should they score a goal.
Ultimately they did score after a corner sailed over the heads of Liverpool's defending players and to the feet of substitute Eric Lamela who was lurking at the back post. He played it off his chest and as it dropped he curled it beautifully into the goal past Alisson. Spurs had been pressing for a goal for several minutes by that point but fortunately, the goal didn't come until into injury time leaving just a few minutes for Liverpool to hang on. There was a late shout for a Spurs penalty when Mane brought down Son inside the area, the referee didn't award it however it was definitely a decision that some referees would have made differently. Once again Liverpool got the luck they needed to hang on to all 3 points, while there wasn't a clear and obvious error which lead to them conceding this time. What is clear is that they need to start making their dominance pay and killing off teams so they aren't put in these situations again.
Liverpool got their opening goal from a corner in the first half as Wijnaldum nodded in his first ever away goal in a Premier League match. Spurs number 1 keeper was injured for this game and Liverpool seemed to take advantage of that fact as they placed 2 players on 2nd choice Vorm for the corner. It was a tactic that worked as the presence of Van Dijk seemed to put him off as he flapped at the ball as it came to him, only managing to send it out as far as to Wijnaldum who headed it back towards goal and over the line. The referee's assistant didn't seem to signal but the goal line technology set off an alarm on the refs watch to signal it was actually over the line and replays would go on to show it was actually a good way over.
Roberto Firmino was having a decent game and causing his usual amount of destruction with his constant pressure and work rate. He had already had the ball in the net within the opening few minutes of the game, but that had been ruled offside with Mane standing in an offside position being seen as interfering with play. He did manage to get the ball over the line again though in the 2nd half and this time it counted. Mane had carried the ball into the box on the left and played it across the goal in the direction of Firmino, it didn't quite reach its destination as Vertongen blocked it. But his effort hit the post and then bounced through Vorm's hands to eventually get to the Brazilian striker who tapped it into the empty goal to make it 2-0.
Firmino had a great game and once again showed why he is so highly rated by Klopp. He doesn't get quite as many goals as the other 2 forwards but he adds a whole lot more than the goals and plays a major role in spring boarding Liverpool's attacks as well as disrupting the oppositions before they even get chance to start. He didn't manage to finish the entire game though on Saturday as he was forced off around 75 minutes into the game. He took one of Vertongan's fingers to the eye which left him on the floor in pain and clearly struggling to see. Images of the incident looked gruesome but it has since been reported that there is no severe injury and Firmino will be okay after a few days of resting it.
Liverpool slip down to 2nd after Chelsea picked up a big result taking them to the top of the league on goal difference after also winning their opening 5 games. There is definitely every reason to be optimistic about this season now for Liverpool fans. This was a massive game with the players under a lot of pressure, they overcame it and that should increase their confidence even more. 5 victories in a row is incredible and the best start to a season the team has had since winning the league in 1990. It's even more incredible considering they have not begun to play at their best yet, though you have to feel going off his reactions to some of the decisions the forwards made that Klopp will be addressing the issue with the players over the next few training sessions. And I have no doubt They will be back to firing on all cylinders soon enough.
Up next Liverpool switch their focus to the Champions League hoping to go 1 step further than last season and lift the trophy for the 6th time. They begin this seasons competition with a home game against the star-studded Paris St Germain of France on Tuesday.