Tottenham Hotspur 1 – 2 Liverpool EPL Match Report

Tottenham Hotspur 1 – 2 Liverpool  

[ Premier League 2017-18 Match ]

     39′ 0 – 1 Georginio Wijnaldum 
           54′ 0 – 2 Roberto Firmino       
 93′ 1 – 2 Erik Lamela

Liverpool beat Tottenham to maintain their 100% start to the season after a goal in each half gave them a 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

Georginio Wijnaldum picked the ideal time to score his first away goal in the Premier League when he headed Liverpool into a 39th-minute lead before Roberto Firmino steered home a second soon after halftime to ensure Liverpool made it five wins from five.

Liverpool, behind Chelsea at the top of the table on goal differential, nearly kept a fourth clean sheet in five games but were denied by Erik Lamela in stoppage time.

Lamela's goal from a tight angle was deemed a mere consolation, though, as Tottenham slipped to consecutive league defeats for the first time since the final two games of the 2015-16 season, meaning they remain outside the top four.

"We were that good, it was difficult for Tottenham," Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said. "The performance today was better than the result. It was the best game of the season for us."

Determined to right the wrongs of their 4-1 defeat by Tottenham last season, Liverpool started quickly and Firmino had the ball in his net inside the first minute, only to be denied by the offside flag.

Harry Winks, making his first Premier League start since December, helped Spurs to calm the storm initially, but defensive mistakes allowed Liverpool to create openings.

Soon enough, Wijnaldum headed Liverpool in front from a corner, capitalising on a poor punch from goalkeeper Michel Vorm.

Spurs' best chance to get back into the contest came when Lucas Moura drove at the Liverpool defence, drilling against the foot of the post and giving Wembley hope that the tide had turned.

"When Lucas Moura hit the post, that was the key moment," Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino said. "Moments like this are when you can get confidence. This type of game shows we need to improve if we are going to be contenders."

Hope of a recovery vanished minutes later when Firmino was on hand to tap the ball home almost on the goal line.

Liverpool wasted chances to find a third goal and endured a nervy finish after Lamela scored in stoppage time but they saw out the victory that keeps them ahead of the chasing pack.