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Tottenham 0-3 Liverpool: Raheem Sterling, Steven Gerrard and Alberto Moreno crush sorry Spurs as Mario Balotelli entertains but fails to find the net on debut
- Raheem Sterling opens
the scoring for Liverpool with a shot from seven yards just eight minutes into the game
- Eric Dier pulls back Joe Allen after 47 minutes to give away penalty which Steven Gerrard converts to double lead
- Alberto Moreno bagged the third with a tackle and terrific solo run from halfway before smashing an unstoppable shot
- Mario Balotelli makes Liverpool debut at White Hart Lane following £16million move from AC Milan last week
- Italian striker was full of endeavour, energy and entertainment but he failed to convert a series of good chances
- Tottenham lose their first game of the season while Liverpool make it two wins out of three in the Premier League
That is 14-0 now. Liverpool have scored 14 goals without reply against Tottenham Hotspur, going back to March 10, 2013. On that day, Stewart Downing and Steven Gerrard claimed the last two in a 3-2 victory. The following season Liverpool won 9-0 on aggregate. Now this. It was meant to be a new era under Mauricio Pochettino, but new eras don’t tend to last long around White Hart Lane. Don’t worry, there will be another along in a minute.
This is, of course, the post-Suarez era at Liverpool and Sunday was the brightest it has looked. The visitors were worth the impressive margin of victory and could have had more if Mario Balotelli, in particular, had taken his first half chances. Balotelli missed two free headers and a long-range shot into an unguarded net, but his debut was exciting nonetheless.
His movement, energy and commitment were close to a ten, even if his finishing was a two. There were no great shocks beyond his garish footwear, though, and he even stood gallantly aside to let Gerrard take Liverpool’s second-half penalty. When his number came up after 61 minutes, Balotelli walked calmly to the touchline and shook Rodgers’ hand. It was a smart move, giving him an early debut and Tottenham’s defence looks to have been flattered by opening league games against West Ham United and Queens Park Rangers. They had not conceded going into this match: within 45 minutes they could have been 4-0 down.
league games against West Ham United and Queens Park Rangers. They had not conceded going into this match: within 45 minutes they could have been 4-0 down.
VIDEO Scroll down to watch post-match reactions from Brendan Rodgers and Mauricio Pochettino
Killer blow: Liverpool full-back Alberto Moreno unleashes an unstoppable shot that puts the visitors 3-0 up against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane
Cool as you like: Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling scored after just eight minutes at White Hart Lane to put the visitors ahead against Tottenham Hotspur
Celebration: Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling turns to run away and celebrate after putting the visitors ahead in the eighth minutes against Tottenham Hotspur
Embrace: Raheem Sterling is congratulated by his Liverpool team-mates after putting the visitors ahead early in the first half of the match at White Hart Lane
At the double: Steven Gerrard (right) puts Liverpool 2-0 in front at White Hart Lane with a penalty after Eric Dier had fouled Joe Allen at the start of the second half
Trio: Mario Balotelli (left) and Daniel Sturridge (right) celebrate with Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard (centre) after he puts Liverpool 2-0 up from the penalty spot
Elation: Alberto Moreno (right) runs off in celebration after scoring Liverpool's third goal against Tottenham Hotspur to seal victory for the visitors at White Hart Lane
Nearly but not quite: Mario Balotelli (centre) powered a header goalwards just minutes into the match at White Hart Lane but Hugo Lloris produced a brilliant save
Rushed: Debutant Mario Balotelli (left) had the chance to double Liverpool's lead after Hugo Lloris cleared the ball to him but he hurried his shot and it went horribly wide
With Balotelli there is no such thing as a quiet afternoon, and so it proved. He could have scored a goal after three minutes, a hat-trick before half-time, he nearly got snapped in half by Eric Dier and sported a collection of the most outrageous footwear this side of Elton John in Pinball Wizard guise.
As a performance it was close to impossible to evaluate, however. Balotelli contrived to be effective and yet wasteful, and was saved by the finishing of his team-mates. Had the game finished goalless, those first-half chances would have been scrutinised more harshly.
Balotelli arrived in enormous bright red training shoes, a photographer’s dream, and changed into boots, one pink the other pale blue, that were equally made for a lens.
He is box office, no doubt of that and from Liverpool’s first attack could have captured the headlines as well as the pictures. It was Raheem Sterling’s cross that picked him out at the far post, surprisingly unguarded by Tottenham’s napping defence. It should have been a goal, but instead his header found goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. The ball bounced back, but Balotelli could not turn it in.
In the 14th minute, same again. Gerrard struck a free-kick from the left, the sound of gentle snoring emanated from Tottenham’s back four, and Balotelli missed with another far post header. It was just past the half hour when Balotelli had the chance to mark his debut with the spectacular.
It would certainly not have been undeserved after some superbly tenacious work from deep set Daniel Sturridge free on the right. Lloris was quick off his line, but cleared only as far as Balotelli, who had a free shot at goal from 30 yards. His detractors think he lacks the common sense to be nervous, but this suggested otherwise. His effort was, frankly, woeful; rotten enough to provoke a rueful smile from Rodgers on the touchline.
Between those last chances came a thundering tackle from Dier which would have been classified as a welcome to the Premier League moment had Balotelli not been more familiar with the competition than Tottenham’s full-back.
Mistake: Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Lloris (left) rushes out to clear the ball but he ends up mis-kicking it straight to Liverpool forward Mario Balotelli
Chance: Nacer Chadli should have equalised for Tottenham when he capitalised on a Liverpool defensive mix-up but he smashed his shot straight at Simon Mignolet
Frustrating: Mario Balotelli played well for Liverpool on his debut but he was unable to score despite having some brilliant chances against Spurs at White Hart Lane
Applause: Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers laughs and claps on the touchline after Mario Balotelli misses the opportunity which Hugo Lloris had gifted to him
Talking tactics: Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers (left) and Tottenham head coach Mauricio Pochettino (right) give instructions from the touchline on Sunday
Aftermath: Raheem Sterling (second right) posted a picture on his Instagram after the game showing the Liverpool squad hugging and celebrating in the changing room
There were 21 other players on the field, though, and many of the ones in red shirts also did things that were noteworthy; not least Sterling, probably the brightest light in the English game right now.
It was his goal that gave Liverpool the lead after eight minutes, an event made all the more heartening by the fact it was created by two of his England team-mates. Sturridge played a low pass to Jordan Henderson and when Dier made the fatal error of allowing his cross to run, Sterling’s intelligent movement allowed him a simple conversion at the far post.
It could have been more. Sturridge was on three occasions set up for shots from mid-range – twice by Sterling and also a neat Balotelli back-heel – and a quite brilliant second-half run by Sterling ended with the most disappointing finish. “He went through like Ricky Villa and finished like Ricky Gervais,” said Rodgers. Harsh, that: on Ricky Gervais.
Ricky Villa then Ricky Gervais: Raheem Sterling led the Spurs defence a merry dance before shooting straight at Hugo Lloris, much to the chagrin of Brendan Rodgers
Ricky Villa then Ricky Gervais: Raheem Sterling led the Spurs defence a merry dance before shooting straight at Hugo Lloris, much to the chagrin of Brendan Rodgers
It meant Liverpool had to settle for just three this time – Tottenham lost by four and five last season – but both goals were special in their way. After Dier had tugged Joe Allen, Gerrard stepped up to score his 43rd penalty for the club, breaking the record held by Jan Molby.
Lloris guessed the correct side, but the shot was too well-positioned for it to make a difference. Balotelli is something of an expert from 12 yards, too, and had requested the duty when he signed. Rodgers told him that, no, Liverpool’s captain would be keeping the job and his decision was vindicated. So harmony reigns, for now at least.
Bright: Mario Balotelli arrived in bright red shoes and then took to the field with pink and blue odd boots during his Liverpool debut against Spurs at White Hart Lane
Strength: Liverpool's new £16million signing Mario Balotelli (left) hlds off the challenge of Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Nabil Bentaleb at White Hart Lane on Sunday
Challenge: Tottenham's Danny Rose (right) is tackled by Liverpool full-back Javi Manquillo (left) during the Premier League clash at White Hart Lane on Sunday
Shoutout: Balotelli tweeted his thanks to the fans after his debut
Hoping to spark revival, in the 59th minute Pochettino introduced Andros Townsend, and he made an immediate impact, caught in possession for the goal that put the game beyond Tottenham’s reach. Townsend’s first touch turned the ball over to Alberto Moreno, who sped down the left flank, sized up the angle in an instant, and lashed the ball past Lloris, for 14 unopposed.
After his unfortunate appearance against Manchester City last Monday, caught out for the first goal, this was more like it from Liverpool’s new signing.
What did Tottenham offer by way of resistance? In the tenth minute, a speculative long ball by Nabil Bentaleb set Emmanuel Adebayor clear, but his lob was too ambitious and travelled high over the bar.
Another speculative punt, this time from Younes Kaboul was nodded down by Adebayor to Nacer Chadli, who forced the only demanding save of the game from Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet. That Liverpool could be vulnerable to the long ball again is slightly worrying; that this was Tottenham’s most effective route to goal more so.
Still, for Rodgers it was a big win. After a humbling night in Manchester last week, his overhauled Liverpool team now break for international football in a brighter frame of mind. This was a test, and they passed. Back to back defeats against elite teams – or an aspiring one here, at least – would have called into question Liverpool’s status as title challengers without Luis Suarez.
This, however, was impressive: a result on which to build.
He's back! Mario Balotelli (left) laughs and jokes with Liverpool team-mates before the match at White Hart Lane where he made his debut for the Reds
Looking on: Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen (left) watches as Liverpool forward Daniel Sturridge (right) advances with the ball at White Hart Lane on Sunday
Rising star: Tottenham right-back Eric Dier started at White Hart Lane and pulled back Liverpool's Joe Allen to give away a penalty, which Steven Gerrard duly converted
MATCH ZONE
CLICK HERE for all facts, stats and graphics from the big match at White Hart Lane, including how Raheem Sterling's goal was scored (below).
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