The match's pivotal moment stemmed from the home side's lack of discipline, resulting in two red cards. With the score at 0-0, Xavi Simons put Tottenham at a disadvantage in the 33rd minute after a dangerous tackle on Virgil Van Dijk. Referee John Brooks initially issued a yellow card but, following a VAR review, upgraded it to a direct red card.

Simons (in white) receives a red card from referee Brooks at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London on 20/12. *Reuters*

Just as hopes of an equalizer flickered late in the game, captain Cristian Romero dashed them by striking Ibrahima Konate, earning a direct red card and leaving the home side with only 9 players.

Without Mohamed Salah, who was away for the Africa Cup of Nations, Liverpool adopted a cautious approach in London, typical of manager Arne Slot's style. The visitors' defensive play resulted in a tightly contested first half.

A clear opportunity arose in the 25th minute, but striker Kolo Muani squandered it, heading Pedro Porro's deep cross directly at Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson.

With a man advantage from the 33rd minute, Liverpool intensified their pressure after the break. Early in the second half, manager Slot replaced Conor Bradley with Alexander Isak to bolster the attack.

This decision quickly paid off. In the 60th minute, Isak broke free after a through ball from Florian Wirtz, slotting a precise diagonal shot past the goalkeeper to open the scoring. The visitors' joy was short-lived as Isak subsequently sustained an injury and had to be substituted.

Isak (in red) scores Liverpool's opening goal at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London on 20/12. *Reuters*

Tottenham nearly equalized in the 60th minute when Kolo Muani's shot struck Liverpool's crossbar. As Spurs rued the missed opportunity, they conceded again. In the 70th minute, Hugo Ekitike powerfully headed Jeremie Frimpong's cross, with the ball hitting the post before finding the net, extending Liverpool's lead to 2-0.

Despite being reduced to 10 men, the home side still generated an expected goals (xG) of 1,01 and scored against Liverpool, who only managed an xG of 0,6. In the 80th minute, Richarlison capitalized on a rebound in the penalty area to pull a goal back, making it 1-2. The Brazilian striker then had an opportunity to equalize, but his shot was bravely blocked by visiting center-back Ibrahima Konate.

Liverpool endured nine tense minutes of stoppage time, but their anxieties eased when Cristian Romero was sent off in added time after a clash with Konate.

With a two-player advantage, Liverpool secured a crucial victory, significantly boosting their bid for a European qualification spot. Slot's side temporarily sits 5th with 29 points, 10 points adrift of league leaders Arsenal.

Tottenham, meanwhile, recorded their 5th defeat in their last eight home Premier League matches, plummeting to 13th and putting significant pressure on manager Thomas Frank.

Vy Anh