Big miss in Qatar: Salah shows Liverpool old-fashioned way

Liverpool tonight revenged for defeats against Nottingham Forest and Leeds United. Last season’s number two in England was too strong for Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 in London. Mohamed Salah was the absolute standout for The Reds with two goals. The Egyptian underlined yet again that his absence during the World Cup in Qatar will be a big miss for fans.

Whereas a few months ago Liverpool came close to becoming champions of England and reaching the final of the Champions League, this season they are struggling. Jürgen Klopp’s team did qualify for the eighth finals of the Champions League, but will not be the group winner on Monday afternoon. In the Premier League, things are even more difficult: Liverpool only beat eighth. The last two league matches were thus lost.

Klopp’s team therefore had something to put right on a visit to Tottenham Hotspur. The Londoners also went down in their last two league games, so it remained to be seen what kind of match the public would be presented with. Liverpool at least got off to a good start. Indeed, Salah opened the scoring after only 11 minutes. 0-1 also seemed to be the score at half-time, were it not for the fact that Salah struck again a few minutes before the halftime signal and gave the visitors, where Virgil van Dijk of course had a starting place, a comfortable lead.

ottenham Hotspur therefore had to get going in the second half. But it took a long time for Antonio Conte’s team to return the tension. Harry Kane’s tying goal did not come until 20 minutes before time. Tottenham Hotspur then went on the hunt for the equaliser, but Liverpool and Van Dijk held firm and pulled the 1-2 lead across the line. It is only Liverpool’s fifth league win this season. They are now seven points behind number four Tottenham Hotspur. The Londoners have played one more game, though.

Liverpool play two more games before the start of the World Cup in Qatar. The superpower takes on Derby County in the third round of the League Cup on Wednesday and gets a visit from Leicester City in the league a few days later.