16 Conclusions on overdue away joy for Liverpool as Spurs’ comeback kings leave themselves too much to do

Spurs should either stop being rubbish and going behind all the time or make sure they fall behind straight away to give themselves maximum time to complete the stirring comeback. Liverpool, meanwhile, will be extremely grateful for the first-half gifts that helped them to a first away league win of the season…

1. First and most obviously, a huge and vital win for Liverpool. A first away from home in the league all season, ridiculous as that sounds, and one that ensures they at least remain in the top four picture going into the World Cup break. Defeat – or even a draw, really – here after their most recent Premier League results and performances would have left a vast gap and serious questions about whether Liverpool had either the wit or the nerve to reduce it.

2. But this was still a peculiar old game for Liverpool, a team playing well below their best level and clearly still short of confidence and belief. Even when Liverpool were easing into a 2-0 first-half lead, this game felt like it was all about what Spurs were doing, for better or worse. Liverpool’s was a reactive performance, a game spent responding to whatever nonsense Spurs happened to be producing at any given moment. Gleefully so in the first half, when Spurs were their usual on-brand self-destructive foot-shooting diabolically shit first-half selves, and grimly so when Spurs flicked the switch in the second half. The importance of this win for Liverpool is clear, but there should be no kidding themselves on that this was a performance that marks a certain return to better times.

3. Spurs’ players will be kicking themselves. Or at least trying to – there’s a reasonable chance they’ll miss. We all enjoy the contrast they’ve taken to displaying between their first and second-half performances, but this was taken beyond absurd levels here and leaves them ruing a monumentally large missed opportunity. Multiple missed opportunities really, both literal and metaphorical. A chance for only a second win in the last 20 meetings with Liverpool, for one. And there will be no easier opportunity for the ‘statement win’ against elite opposition that Antonio Conte’s side thus far lack this season. Liverpool were absolutely there for the taking, but this time the comeback kings left themselves too much to do.

4. Tactical idea: Spurs simply smash the ball into their own net from the kick-off to maximise the amount of playing time available to play properly and…