Table topping Reds smash four past shambolic Spurs

Liverpool were the big winners from this weekend’s fascinating Premier League fixtures.

All Liverpool needed to do to end the weekend on top of the pile was avoid defeat at home to Tottenham Hotspur after Chelsea fell to an unexpected 1-0 defeat at Crystal Palace and Arsenal held Manchester City to a draw at the Emirates.

Thankfully, Rodgers’ Reds accomplished far more than that, as they set about dismantling Tim Sherwood’s dysfunctional Spurs side. From the first to the final whistle, Liverpool were in complete control and punished the away side for a poor performance, which effectively ended their dreams of Champions League qualification.

The North Londoners were particularly vulnerable defensively and the tactically versatile Rodgers set up his side to exploit those weaknesses. Switching from the midfield diamond that has served Liverpool so well in recent weeks, Rodgers went for a 4-3-3 formation, putting pacey youngster Raheem Sterling up against Tottenham left back Danny Rose.

The ingenious strategy paid instant dividends as the hosts enjoyed a dream start to a match that many thought would seriously test the Reds’ title credentials.

Only two minutes in, Sterling fed Johnson after receiving a delightful diagonal pass from Coutinho, who happily pinged passes about all afternoon alongside the equally impressive Gerrard in the centre of the pitch. The England right back then beat Eriksen with ease and Younes Kaboul calamitously turned his cross into his own net.

It was't a good afternoon for Spurs' Younes Kaboul

Sturridge was inches away from heading Suarez’s cross into an empty goal, Coutinho volleyed wide from the edge of the box and Suarez fired a free kick over the bar before another Spurs slip up at the back was ruthlessly punished by the Merseysiders midway through the first period.

Dawson’s miskick put the ball in the vicinity of Suarez, whose greater strength and desire meant Kaboul stood no chance of regaining possession for the visitors. The number seven proceeded to clinically fire the ball past Lloris and into the far corner to the delight of the home crowd.

Suarez enjoyed that one

Immediately afterwards a brilliant block from Skrtel was required to thwart Eriksen’s close range effort, but Spurs never looked like troubling Mignolet’s goal for a sustained spell and it was the home side who went closest to netting the next goal before the break. Sterling robbed the shambolic Kaboul of the ball and crossed to Suarez, whose goal bound header was superbly pushed onto the bar by Lloris.

The fact that their goalkeeper was the only player who could be pleased with his personal performance at the end of the match demonstrated how poor Tottenham were, though, and they failed to noticeably improve during a second half in which their manager Tim Sherwood remained seated in the stands.

Perhaps he was remembering the fate former Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas suffered the last time Liverpool convincingly beat the Londoners?

As usual, Liverpool’s appetite for goals was insatiable and they set about getting the third that would confirm the victory at the start of the second 45 minutes before then looking to further bolster their formidable goal difference.

Jordan Henderson, who  also scored in the reverse fixture at White Hart Lane, wasted a great opportunity to end the match as a contest nine minutes after the restart, as he shot over the bar when well-placed after Sturridge and Sterling had carved open the visitors’ defence. The former Sunderland midfielder would make up for it later, however, and, in the meantime, his midfield teammate Philippe Coutinho grabbed the decisive third goal only minutes later.

In accordance with Brendan Rodgers’ principles, Liverpool decided against hoofing the ball long when under pressure at the back, instead opting to play their way out of trouble. The Reds reaped rewards from the risky strategy, as Flanagan beautifully turned into space and launched a counter-attack that culminated in Coutinho powerfully drilling a low strike into the bottom left corner.

Coutinho joined in the fun

With the game won, Rodgers had the luxury of replacing Gerrard with Lucas and thus sensibly protecting the skipper from picking up a booking that would trigger a two-match suspension, which would rule him out of the Manchester City match at Anfield in a fortnight’s time.

The icing on top of the cake came with quarter of an hour remaining, as Henderson swung a set piece into the danger area, which avoided everyone on its way into the back of the net.

Suarez: "It's your goal Hendo."

Encouragingly as well, Mignolet made a decent save in injury time to deny Eriksen a late consolation, which would have tarnished an excellent afternoon for the Reds.

All table-topping Liverpool have to do now to claim number 19 is win their remaining six fixtures. Unfortunately, the same is true for Manchester City. The title race is going down to the wire and there are bound to be more twists and turns between now and the 11^th May, but it’s just thrilling that Liverpool are in the mix at the top of the table and making us dream once again.

YNWA