Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez — Liverpool’s starting front three while Mohamed Salah is out injured — all scored for the Premier League leaders in a 3-1 win over Burnley on Saturday.
The Reds responded to Manchester City’s extremely brief return to the league’s summit, after its 2-0 victory against Everton hours earlier, with a triumph that tested their mettle even more than their stretched resources.
While the three points reestablished Liverpool’s two-point advantage, the less-than-convincing nature of victory against the league’s next-to-last side was not quite befitting the occasion of the hosts’ biggest league crowd of 59,896 after the full opening of the Anfield Road stand.
For a time it appeared Liverpool, which was without goalkeeper Alisson Becker and defender Joe Gomez because of illness as well as the injured Salah, was still suffering a hangover from the defeat at Arsenal last week.
It took the familiar right boot of Trent Alexander-Arnold, setting a new mark of 58 for Premier League assists by a defender, and the equally reliable head of Jota to put them ahead at a corner in the 31st.
The sloppy concession of an equalizer, when Dara O’Shea headed in at a corner on the stroke of halftime, posed further problems as did the withdrawal of Alexander-Arnold — only recently returned from a knee injury — at the break.
It was the England international’s replacement, Harvey Elliott, who set up headed goals for Diaz in the 52nd and Nunez in the 78th to ease the pressure.
However, had on-loan Chelsea forward David Fofana been as clinical as he was scoring twice last weekend, then not only would Liverpool be looking up at City but questions would have started to be asked about their ability to match their long-time rivals.
Liverpool should have Salah and Dominic Szoboszlai back from injury in the next couple of weeks.
Tottenham Beat Brighton
Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou hailed “world-class” Son Heung-min after the South Korea star capped a hectic week by inspiring his club’s dramatic 2-1 win against Brighton on Saturday.
Postecoglou’s side were seconds away from being held to a frustrating draw in north London until Son rode to the rescue.
His superb cross provided Brennan Johnson with the chance to fire home in the fourth-minute of stoppage-time.
It was a welcome boost for Son after he jetted back from the Asian Cup this week following South Korea’s shock semi-final defeat against Jordan.
Postecoglou introduced Son and Johnson with 28 minutes left and the duo helped Tottenham maintain their top four challenge after Pape Sarr’s 61st-minute goal cancelled out Pascal Gross’ penalty for Brighton in the 17th minute.
Paying tribute to Son for his crucial cameo, Postecoglou said: “Maybe the nation he plays for works against him but I think he’s a world-class player.
“You look at his record in the Premier League, the toughest league in the world, his goal contributions irrespective of how the team’s gone through the time he’s been here have always been right up there.
“Even this year, before he left, I think he was probably the best attacking player in the competition, just my opinion obviously. Certainly he’d be up there.
“He’s a world-class player. Richarlison obviously stepped up in terms of goal threat, and a few other players, but to have a world-class player for the run-in is brilliant for us.”
Tottenham have up to fourth place as they battle to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Aston Villa would go back above Tottenham if they avoid defeat against Manchester United on Sunday, but Postecoglou was encouraged by his players’ spirited performance against Brighton.
“Obviously Brighton were doing really well but they were working really hard to stay in the game and you know they’re going to get tired,” Postecoglou said.
“The fact we could bring on two attacking players who are going to be a threat, it maybe looks simple but that ball that Sonny plays, that’s a world-class player in a clutch moment.
“It’s not about confidence, I feel like with the squad we have for today and hopefully moving towards, we do have that ability irrespective of where the game’s at, to finish games strong.”
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