Liverpool FC

On the result and Liverpool's performance...

In the large parts of the game that we were the better team, I think that is a moment where you have to score the second. I think we had moments to do so quite a lot and in the part of the game where it was more equal – the last 15 to 20 minutes – on both sides, it was waiting for one of the two teams to score. They created the chances all in a similar way, the four or five moments they had: long ball, picking up the second ball and then try to be a threat in moments like that. We also picked up a lot of those second balls where we were able to counter-attack them, but from all these counter-attacks, all these four versus three, three versus two, all these moments that I felt with the quality players we have that we should be able to either get a bigger chance or when we have it, to score it, we didn't and then in the last minute we conceded the equaliser and then there's not a lot of time left to make up for it.

On whether the result is 'damaging' to Liverpool's hopes of securing Champions League qualification...

Of course it's damaging, but it's how many times this has been damaging for us. We don't help ourselves at all. It's so many times this season that we've created much more xG or chances than the amount of goals we score. Usually in the Premier League you see a lot of teams outperforming their xG, but that definitely is [not] what we are doing throughout the whole season. Then a game still stays tight until the end and we struggle to keep clean sheets. We haven't had as many clean sheets as you would want if you want to go higher up in the table. That's a bad combination for picking up the amount of points we want to pick up.

Read our match report from Anfield

On the reaction at full-time...

I think it's understandable for fans to be frustrated because it happened already so many times that they've seen the home team not picking up the points that they're expecting to, us conceding goals in the last minute. Now it's up to us to bring that frustration to Wednesday and come up with a big performance. Because that we are all frustrated, that's completely clear. And it's now up to me and the players to take that frustration into Wednesday evening and show the fans the performance and the results they deserve, because they've been supportive throughout the whole season to us. Then if it happens so many times that they are frustrated in the end of a game or after the final whistle, that makes complete sense to me.

On why Liverpool were 'not clinical enough today'...

I was expecting you not to add 'today' towards the question. I think we've not been clinical enough throughout the whole season. Yeah, tell me why? It's not the quality of the players, I can tell you that. We have unbelievable attackers that are able – and throughout their whole career were able – to score a lot of goals. But it's not only not scoring the goals, like I said, it's also if you want to have a successful season, if you are not able then to score the second or the third goal then you make sure you don't concede. But we did. I keep thinking that with the quality players we have we will find moments, we will find games where we're hopeful of outperforming the chances we are getting. That's not what we are doing through large parts of the season.

On why he thinks the team has periods where they don't have control of games...

I think because we're not able to score the second goal, because that would immediately damage the momentum of the other team. But as long as it's 1-0, of course, it's quite normal that with either the substitutions the other manager makes – with going even more offensive, going even more direct, taking more risks – that can lead for them to create chances, which they did, but it also led to them being very open for counter-attacks. And then the way we conceded, we didn't concede our chances by being too open or being too offensive or being outplayed through the midfield or being too late with a press, it's just playing over the press, playing the balls into our last line.

And if throughout the whole game we never picked up any second balls, that is something then where you could say, 'Yeah, this is the whole game the same' but all the chances we had in the second half were when we picked up second balls and then counter-attacked them. But the three, four or five times during the game that we were not able to pick up the second ball, not clear it far enough, they were a threat and that's probably the belief teams have now when they play against us. And I think we might be a bit anxious towards the end as well, when we don't extend our lead. I think that's also normal if it happens so many times, that you start to think like that, and it's normal that the stadium has that same feeling.

On how much he can do to change the approach to games at this stage of the season…

I think approaching a game has not so much to do with the final minutes of the game. I think what you are trying as a manager or as a team is to outperform the other team in terms of chance creation. You always try to create more chances than the other team, because usually that leads to winning more than you lose. So that means attacking-wise, generate as much chances as you can. And defensively, don't give away as much. And I think throughout almost the whole season we've been on the positive side of that in terms of chance creation because we've not been a lot of times on the positive side of scoring goals or conceding goals.

How to approach the last minutes of the game, I think if you look back on it, which is maybe not the nicest thing to do if you're a fan of us, but we've tried, I've tried a lot of things. I brought in Joe Gomez in the last minute of a game to keep the lead at Fulham. We conceded. I brought in Wata [Endo] during the season to have that midfielder that picks up all the second balls. I've done attacker-for-attacker substitution, not to bring a defender in. We've tried many things but the way we are conceding goals is also constantly different. So, unfortunately, the things you can try to do as influencers from the side is in the defensive substitution or offensive substitution. I have tried many of them but it hasn't led yet to us not conceding in the last minute. But we also have our chances in the last minutes of the game, even today. In extra time we had an unbelievable chance that simply doesn't go in. But it wouldn't stay like that, I can tell you that.

“Yeah, it is [a huge disappointment],” Szoboszlai told Sky Sports post-match. “I don’t know [what happened with the performance], to be honest, really nothing to say.

“Again in the last minute, I don’t know how many times it happened in the season already. Really, I don’t know what to say. We have to wake up.”

He continued: “I think in the first half we played very well. We controlled the whole game, I guess they hardly created any chance, maybe they had one or two headers.

“But I think we were under control. But second half, it seems we go out and I don’t know, we just don’t do the same things like in the first half. The question is, why?

“But probably we’ll sit down together and this is the most difficult time, but we have to stick together.”

Read our match report from Anfield

The result means Liverpool are fifth and two points outside the top-four places in the Premier League that guarantee Champions League qualification for 2026-27.

“There is still time to show how much we want [it] and we have to stay together,” said Szoboszlai.

“We have to fight for each other, we have to fight for the club, because everybody wants to play Champions League next season.”

Dominik Szoboszlai’s 18th-minute free-kick from distance had given the Reds the lead, with both sides having further chances including an effort against the post from Cody Gakpo.

However, in the final minute of normal time, Richarlison swept a shot in from close range to claim a point for Spurs.

Team

Arne Slot welcomed back Alisson Becker from injury as Liverpool made five changes from the midweek Champions League clash with Galatasaray in Istanbul.

Jeremie Frimpong, Gakpo, Rio Ngumoha and Andy Robertson also returned to the Reds line-up.

Liverpool: Alisson, Gomez, Van Dijk, Wirtz (Jones, 64), Szoboszlai, Mac Allister (Chiesa, 90), Gakpo (Nyoni, 84), Robertson, Frimpong (Salah, 64), Gravenberch, Ngumoha (Ekitike, 64).

Unused substitutes: Mamardashvili, Konate, Kerkez, Ramsay.

First half

Liverpool had the all of the ball in the opening exchanges, but it was Spurs who had the game’s first chances of note.

After Souza had been denied the opportunity to tap in from a Dominic Solanke cutback thanks to an intervention from Robertson, the midfielder had a swerving shot tipped over the bar by Alisson a minute later.

Nevertheless, the hosts took the lead with 18 minutes on the clock.

Alexis Mac Allister won a free-kick 20 yards from goal, left of centre, allowing Szoboszlai the chance to attempt one his now-trademark set-piece efforts.

The No.8 did not disappoint, lifting the ball over the wall into the back of the Kop net via a despairing glove from Guglielmo Vicario.

Ryan Gravenberch then scooped over from the edge of the area after spinning away from Pape Matar Sarr as Liverpool threatened a speedy second.

On 34 minutes, Florian Wirtz fashioned a good opening for Ngumoha inside the box, but he saw his drive blocked by Pedro Porro.

Then, a ball recovery high up the pitch from Gravenberch allowed Mac Allister to tee up Gakpo on the edge of the area. His near-post hit beat Vicario but cannoned against the base of the post.

Tottenham twice went close to levelling on the brink of half-time, but Richarlison’s header from a Mathys Tel delivery dropped wide of the post from close range.

The same player then nodded a corner at goal, but Alisson sprang to his left to push to safety and keep Liverpool’s lead intact at the break.

Second half

Ngumoha was at the heart of all the early action after the break, arrowing a shot a couple of yards wide from a Frimpong cross before having an attempt claimed by Vicario.

At the other end, Richarlison did well to hold up possession from a long ball forward and get a strike in at goal. On this occasion, it was turned behind by Alisson.

Arne Slot opted to make a triple change just following the hour mark, with Hugo Ekitke, Curtis Jones and Mohamed Salah replacing Frimpong, Ngumoha and Wirtz.

Salah almost capitalised on some hesitancy in dealing with a ball forward from Radu Dragusin; however, his drive across goal evaded the bottom corner as the contest ticked into its final quarter.

Richarlison was a fraction away from an Archie Gray centre and Xavi Simons drew a stop from Alisson with Spurs not giving up in the search for a leveller.

And they did grab a point in the 90th minute when Richarlison swept in from Randal Kolo Muani’s nudge across the area.

Attendance: 60,386

Dominik Szoboszlai’s free-kick 18 minutes into the first half for the Reds was equalised right at the end by Richarlison.

Examine the statistics behind the action with the Opta data tools below.

The former Reds defender returned to a place he called home for eight years, having represented the club between 2016 and 2024.

Signed on a free transfer, Matip went on to make 201 appearances and score 11 goals while wearing the Liverpool shirt.

Along the way, he collected winner’s medals in the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Super Cup.

Now retired from the professional game, Matip was a guest at Anfield to see Arne Slot’s side – including a number of old teammates – meet Spurs.

“It’s wonderful to be back here,” he said. “To be back in the stadium. To hopefully see a wonderful game. I’m really looking forward to it.

“There’s nothing special to update – I’m just enjoying time with the family, that’s all.”

Matip was invited by Reds captain Virgil van Dijk and said: “He’s a wonderful guy, a wonderful player and it’s a pleasure to be here and see him playing again.”

The goalkeeper is back between the posts having missed the midweek trip to Istanbul to face Galatasaray due to a knock.

Elsewhere, there are also starts for Jeremie Frimpong, Cody Gakpo, Rio Ngumoha and Andy Robertson for the Premier League fixture at Anfield.

Liverpool: Alisson, Gomez, Van Dijk, Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Gakpo, Robertson, Frimpong, Gravenberch, Ngumoha.

“After today’s game we will have only eight league matches left to play, which serves to underline that we are now entering the home straight,” writes head coach Slot in the official matchday programme.

“While some of our objectives might have changed since the start of the season, the basic requirement of finishing as high as we can in the league table remains.

“The key to this, of course, is to win as many games as possible and then we will see where it takes us. There is no point dwelling on what might have been or getting drawn into what might have been different, our total focus has to be on reaching the finishing line as strongly as possible.

“Going into this weekend we are sixth in the table, which is not where we want to be and also not where we want to end up. The aim has to be to go higher so that we can push ourselves into the Champions League qualification places and hopefully stay there.

“That particular race is going to be highly contested – as it should be – with a number of teams having the same aim going into the final months. Again, our focus should not be on what they are doing. It should only be on what we are doing. After all, it is our results and performances that will dictate our outcome.

“Today, this means taking on a Tottenham team which has its own reasons for needing a strong finish to the campaign. For someone like me who always followed English football from a distance before coming to this country, it is strange seeing them in their current situation and this is one of the reasons why I do not expect it to last.

“At the same time, their circumstances mean they will arrive at Anfield not just as a wounded animal, but also as a team which knows it has to scrap for survival and which has a point to prove. This makes them a dangerous opponent regardless of recent results or league position and we will treat them as such.

“We also know that we need a response of our own having narrowly lost our last game away to Galatasaray. While we have the opportunity to overturn that result at Anfield on Wednesday night, the best way to go into the second leg would definitely be on the back of a positive result against Tottenham.

“Looking back to midweek, one of the big positives – again – was the support we received from our away fans. Twice this season we have been to Turkiye, twice we have been unfortunate to lose and twice the backing we have received has been phenomenal, particularly given the passionate atmosphere that was created by the Galatasaray fans.

“Because of this I will never get tired of saying that while we always need this kind of support, we can never and will never take it for granted. Knowing that so many of you are willing to go to such great lengths to travel, to be away from home and from work and loved ones in order to back Liverpool can only ever be a huge motivation.

“Today will be no different. A full Anfield always brings opportunity and this is another chance for us to deliver so it is up to us to do so.

“We should believe in ourselves and in one another because if we do that our chances of getting the result we are looking for and taking a step towards our objectives for the rest of this season can only be enhanced.”

Get your copy of the programme at Anfield today or order online here

The Reds welcome Spurs to Anfield on Sunday in a 4.30pm GMT kick-off, the first of two games at home in the coming days.

The second fixture will see Arne Slot's side take on Galatasaray in the second leg of their last-16 Champions League tie on Wednesday as they look to overturn a 1-0 deficit.

In his official matchday programme notes for the meeting with Tottenham, Van Dijk writes: "Every game is important when you play for Liverpool, and in particular when you reach this stage of the season, but there's no doubt that this is a very important week for us.

"We returned from Turkiye and our Champions League game with Galatasaray frustrated, disappointed that another tight game went against us in the end. We weren't at our best level, that is true, but we still had enough chances to come away from a tough game with a positive result, and that is where our frustration comes from.

"There is, however, no time to dwell on things. We know that it is only half-time in the tie, and we will look forward to the second leg at Anfield on Wednesday knowing we have both the opportunity and the quality to reach the quarter-finals.

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"Before we even think about that, though, we must make sure we are fully focused on delivering a strong performance against Tottenham.

"The importance of this game is clear given the Premier League table, and that applies to Spurs too. A lot of people will focus on their recent results, but from our perspective we know that we will be facing a team that will be extremely motivated, and which still possesses a lot of quality. It is therefore down to us to set our own standards, both with and without the ball.

"We always want to create chances and be dominant in possession, of course, but as I say so often, the basis for that is always the same; hard work, togetherness and commitment.

"That means that in every challenge, every duel, and with every recovery run, we have to be at 100 per cent. Stick together, give everything and fight for everything, from the first whistle to the last.

"We are playing at home, and we are all responsible for making sure that the atmosphere is spot on. We know that you guys will be backing us as always, but we also want to give you something to really get behind.

"We know the sacrifices you make to support us all over the world, whatever the weather. We saw and heard you in Turkiye, as we did twice before that in Wolverhampton. As players, that is really important to us and I can assure that your support is never taken for granted.

"Like I say, this is a big game at the start of a big week, and that is an exciting prospect for each and every one of us. We should embrace and enjoy the challenges that lie ahead, and I am confident we will.

"I would also like to mention the fact that the game sees the Liverpool FC Foundation celebrate its Community Day, an event held to mark the incredible work that they do.

"In my time at the club, I have been lucky enough to see the LFC Foundation's work close up, and it is something which always impresses and strikes a chord with me.

"This club, this city, is about standing together, helping one another and being part of a community, and the LFC Foundation represents that in the best way possible.

"I would urge anyone reading this to learn more about their work, and to get involved however you can as they look to support even more people in our communities."

The Reds are back in Premier League action on Sunday afternoon for Spurs' visit to Anfield.

It allows Szoboszlai and his teammates a swift opportunity to return to winning ways after the midweek defeat at Galatasaray in the Champions League.

"I was pretty angry after the game because of the result but not only about that," the No.8 told Liverpoolfc.com. "Because I feel that we didn't play in a way like we should and we can.

"Because we showed it so many times that we are able to win against any team actually or compete against any team in the league or in European football.

"We have to really focus on the upcoming games because now it's Tottenham on Sunday and next week on Wednesday is going to be a big game – I can't wait for it."

Tottenham arrive on Merseyside searching for vital points in their objective to maintain their top-flight status.

But Liverpool also have their own ambitions between now and the end of the league campaign, as they look to ensure Champions League football will be played at L4 next season.

Szoboszlai continued: "To be honest, I'm not thinking about them. I'm thinking about us because also we have some things to fight for. We want to play next year in the Champions League, so there is a spot to go for.

"But first of all, we have to focus on ourselves and do the right stuff, do the right things and then everything is going to be all right."

Liverpool are back at Anfield following three consecutive matches on the road.

Being encouraged by nearly 60,000 Reds is an advantage Arne Slot's men are keen to make the most of.

"It's a huge difference. We need them on Sunday, for sure," Szoboszlai said. "Everybody who is able to come should come.

"I think that's never a problem but also we need them as loud as they can be, especially next week on Wednesday.

"We felt in Istanbul how it is to play in such a loud stadium with such great fans, but I think we can show the same at home. We're going to need each of them."

Season so far

Spurs are 16th in the standings heading into this weekend's round of top-flight fixtures, having won seven, drawn eight and lost 14 of their games.

Current interim head coach Igor Tudor replaced Thomas Frank at the helm last month.

In the Champions League, meanwhile, they have reached the Round of 16 stage, though were beaten 5-2 in the opening leg of their tie against Atletico Madrid in midweek.

Previous meeting

In the reverse fixture, the Reds claimed a 2-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in December.

Goals from Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike gave the visitors the advantage, while Richarlison reduced the deficit late on.

Spurs also saw Xavi Simons and Cristian Romero sent off that day.

Key players

Forward Richarlison sits top of the Tottenham scoring charts having netted nine times this season, alongside his four assists.

Micky van de Ven – though banned for this game – is next on the list with seven goals, while centre-back partner Romero has supplied six, with Dominic Solanke on the same number.

Pedro Porro and Mohammed Kudus, meanwhile, lead the way in terms of assists after recording six apiece so far.

Team news

Van de Ven (suspension), Romero (concussion) and Joao Palhinha (concussion) are all fresh absentees for Spurs heading to Anfield.

Yves Bissouma has also been added to the visitors' lengthy injury list.

Already sidelined are Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall, Ben Davies, Kudus, Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, Wilson Odobert and Destiny Udogie.