Liverpool Echo

Dominik Szoboszlai urges Liverpool fans to stick with the team in "difficult times", admitting they felt the support wane during Sunday's draw with Tottenham Hotspur

Dominik Szoboszlai has urged Liverpool fans to stick with the team in "difficult times" - after many left in the closing stages of Sunday's draw with Tottenham Hotspur. The Reds were held 1-1 by struggling Spurs and were also subjected to boos following the full-time whistle.

Szoboszlai scored his 11th goal of the campaign in the first half with another free-kick for his growing collection but relegation-threatened Tottenham secured a 90th-minute equaliser via former Everton striker Richarlison.

Scores of match-goers headed for the exits in stoppage time, while those who stayed at Anfield jeered as Arne Slot's Reds missed the chance to properly capitalise on defeats for Chelsea and Aston Villa over the weekend.

Szoboszlai revealed the players are affected by those who choose to leave early and has asked the Anfield faithful to remain firmly behind the team as the quest for Champions League qualification goes on.

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“I think it should be normal that in hard times we stick together more because that’s what we need, we need each other," the Hungary captain said.

"We want to make them happy, it’s not that we do it on purpose. We want to make ourselves happy, make all the Liverpool supporters happy, but we need them.

"Last year it was for sure enjoyable to watch all the games but this year maybe it’s not that enjoyable, for sure, I can imagine. But still support us also when we are in difficult times.

“Of course. But as I said they can be angry but stick with us because we are a family, we need you guys. We would like to make them happy so just stay together.

"For sure. I don’t say they have no right to leave the stadium, they can leave if they want. We need them and they should know this. We are one less without them.

“If you talk about Liverpool then the Champions League is normal. You have to be there. When I first came we played in the Europa League, so it happens sometimes that we don’t achieve [Champions League qualification].

"But our aim is to get in the top four or go as far as we can in the Champions League. I am going to do everything that is possible to finish in the top four but alone I’m not enough so we need everybody.

"We had already a couple of weeks ago a talk between each other saying: ‘Guys we don’t have such a lot of time to do this right so we have to wake up and start to go in a way that we want to play Champions League next season’.

"We have Galatasaray on Wednesday and that will be a tough game because we felt it there. I don’t think it helps us also that after 80 minutes people start to go home, it doesn’t help us at all. Stick with us.

"Everyone is noticing that and when we concede a goal still people are leaving the stadium – you don’t leave when we score. I understand the frustration but we need them, we need everybody, and that’s the most important."

The draw moved Liverpool into fifth place, which is expected to be the final Champions League spot, but there was little sugarcoating what was a frustrating day for Slot and his players against a Spurs side who had lost all four previous games under new coach Igor Tudor and haven't won a Premier League game since December.

Szoboszlai added: "Where do we go from here? It’s a good question. If I knew the answer I would be the first one to go to the team and say it.

"We have to find solutions. As I’ve said many times before, it’s a little bit boring when I say this, but we still need to find a solution because we are running out of time.

“We played a completely different game in the second half to the first half. The answer for this. Why? I don’t know.

"First half we controlled the game, we played well, we were winning the balls, they had hardly created any chances – maybe a couple of headers – but we were in control and I feel in the second half we lost this control a little bit and it [the game] went there and back, there and back a lot of times.

"Sometimes we have to stay calm more on the ball and also, again, [conceded] in the last minute.

"Somehow this year is like this but we have to stick together and that’s the most important thing because the good times are always easy to stay together, but in the hard times it is the most difficult to stay together.

"But we have to because it is a long way to go still."

National media react to 'sleep-walking' Liverpool's draw v Tottenham - 'No wonder the locals jeered'

A look at how the national media reacted to Liverpool's 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League at Anfield on Sunday afternoon

Liverpool might have moved into the Champions League places they are coveting this season but a 1-1 draw with a beleaguered Tottenham Hotspur did little to calm the noise around their head coach on Sunday.

The ECHO, as always, was at Anfield to provide our exhaustive match-day coverage. Our player ratings, on-the-whistle reaction, big-game verdict, considered analysis and the reactions of both Arne Slot and Igor Tudor were covered in detail.

Our national media colleagues were also on hand to provide their own takes on a deeply disappointing draw for the Reds. Here's what they made of it.

The Daily Mirror's Andy Dunn writes: "One has a single point from his four Premier League matches, one won the Premier League title in his first season. But Arne Slot looked like the manager under pressure when Richarlison mis-hit a scruffy equaliser as the Anfield clock ticked towards added time.

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"Igor Tudor, whose calamitous spell as Spurs manager could still end soon, leapt into and punched the air, while Slot could only shake his head in disbelief. This result was a significant blow for Slot and Liverpool but a bigger issue for the Dutchman is the growing discontent around Anfield.

"The nature of the setback - Liverpool yet again conceding a late goal - was certain to prompt some jeering but there was not a great amount of enthusiasm for the home performance ahead of Richarlison's leveller. In fact, Liverpool had only been ahead through a goalkeeping error.

"This season, Liverpool have now conceded eight Premier League goals in the 90th minute or later and they have dropped seven points from winning positions at Anfield. No wonder the locals jeered."

Mike McGrath, of The Telegraph, writes: "Dominik Szoboszlai fears Liverpool could fall into the Europa Conference League next season after they dropped more points against relegation-threatened Tottenham Hotspur. The Premier League champions conceded another late goal, with Richarlison levelling for Tottenham in the 90th minute, which means Arne Slot’s team missed a chance to climb into the top four and the automatic Champions League places.

"With jeers at the final whistle after the 1-1 draw, there were questions raised about whether Arne Slot is the right man to lead the club forward beyond this season. 'Could a new manager revitalise these players and bring the intensity back to this team? I’m not sure. It goes back to the summer signings,' said Telegraph Sport columnist Jamie Carragher, on Sky Sports.

"Late goals have been an issue for Liverpool this season, with 21 conceded after the 75th minute. They have conceded 90th-minute or stoppage-time winners against Crystal Palace, Chelsea, Bournemouth, Wolves and Manchester City. Leeds and Fulham snatched very late draws and their defeat by Manchester United was also through a late winner."

Over on The Independent's pages, Richard Jolly reflects: "The ends have not justified the means. Arne Slot was considering the various ways he has tried to protect leads this season. He brought on Joe Gomez against Fulham, he remembered. The result? 'We conceded'. Then there was the method that worked last year, of using Wataru Endo 'to have that midfielder that picks up all the second balls'. Yet, in each of the first two times he brought the Japanese on as a defensive impact substitute, they conceded. That ploy was abandoned.

"Slot has gone for the counter-intuitive approach. 'I've done attacker-for-attacker substitution, not to bring a defender in,' he said. 'We've tried many things but the way we are conceding goals is also constantly different. It hasn't led yet to us not conceding in the last minute.' Slot cited a deflection at Wolves.

"Others have been set-pieces. Tottenham scored in open play on Sunday. Liverpool dropped two points in the 90th minute, a third costly late equaliser to add to the five injury-time winners that have gone into their net. The problem, as Slot ran through the things he has tried, is that it made him sound a manager struggling for solutions; if that is true in a wider sense, a lack of answers would bode badly for him and them.

"But the broader issue of Liverpool concede late goals reflects a host of problems. The fact is that they do: 12 after the 80th minute of league games this season, the joint most in the division. Those conceded in the 90th or later have cost them 11 points. A theme is that even their supposed inferiors are empowered to attack, perhaps by a sense Liverpool’s fragility means they might concede."

The Times' Paul Joyce writes: "Cry, Igor Tudor had said, or fight. The sight of the Croat, fist raised as he celebrated on the touchline, showed Tottenham Hotspur opted for the latter and, for now, the sob stories can be cast aside.

"It appeared that the spirit and resilience summoned by a team, shorn, remember, of a host of senior players, would go unrewarded and their interim manager would be left to resemble a dead man walking.

"Tudor may well remain that in the eyes of many, but Richarlison’s perseverance on an afternoon when he waged a one-man assault on Liverpool’s back line eventually paid off.

"Perhaps it will earn his coach a stay of execution. Maybe it will prove the moment to revive Tottenham’s fortunes. For now, all that is certain is that this precious point keeps them above the relegation zone with the crunch Premier League game with Nottingham Forest to follow on Sunday.

"How much of Tottenham’s competence was down to Liverpool’s insecurities can be debated, although the boos from the home supporters spoke volumes and confirmed the paucity of the hosts’ offering. No-one inside Anfield was surprised at yet another late sting in the tail, or the calamitous defending that preceded it, with Arne Slot’s side sleep-walking to another terrible result in their pursuit of Champions League football."

And the ECHO's verdict reads: "Richarlison's 90th-minute equaliser means Liverpool conceded another deeply damaging late goal and their inability to manage games in the closing stages is maybe the biggest problem of the myriad of issues Slot and his players have been made to work through on the pitch.

"Add Spurs to the list that includes Wolves, Manchester City, Fulham, Leeds, Bournemouth, Chelsea and Crystal Palace for goals shipped after 90 minutes. Eight, unsurprisingly, is new record for the club across the course of a season. The 'game-management' has been horrendous.

"And how galling it should be for the Premier League champions to become the first side not to beat Igor Tudor's Tottenham, a tragicomedy team who are perilously close to playing Championship football in August themselves.

"Somehow Spurs find themselves scrapping to stay afloat in the top flight after a torrid term and they came into this game following the debacle at Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night, which led to legitimate and widespread calls for Tudor to be immediately removed from what is only a temporary post.

"But outside of another Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick, Liverpool failed to break down a side who had conceded 21 goals to their hosts in the previous six games. That list includes the match from 11 months ago, when a 5-1 win at Anfield preceded some of the greatest scenes ever witnessed at this famous old venue as the title was confirmed in front of 60,000 fans.

"That feels a like a lifetime ago now for everyone concerned but the flickering of those joyous memories has maybe kept Slot's job safe from serious, internal scrutiny this long.

"Liverpool insiders have always insisted their head coach is the right man to lead this team forward after a chastening season, much of which has been beyond the control of those in the technical area.

"But when results suffer and performances become this chronically ordinary, it opens the door to genuine questions that cannot be dismissed as knee-jerk reactions or the immediate outbursts of a reactive social media."

Igor Tudor got his first point as Tottenham Hotspur manager in a 1-1 draw at Anfield

Tottenham Hotspur manager Igor Tudor believes merely addressing “simple things” was sufficient to inflict more gloom on Liverpool at Anfield.

The Reds were held to a dismal 1-1 Premier League draw at home to the relegation-threatened Londoners on Sunday afternoon.

Former Everton striker Richarlison scored the equaliser in the 90th minute after Dominik Szoboszlai had struck an opener with a free-kick early in the first half.

It was the first time Tudor avoided defeat as Tottenham boss at the fifth attempt despite being without a host of players through injury and suspension.

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And Tudor said: “It feels nice. Some fresh air. Some good things for the confidence of the players around the club and with the fans. There was a good team spirit, in the circumstances coming here without players, this is something big.

“We stayed in the game and believed we could scored a goal. It was nice.

“With the ball I said we should do simple things, second balls, fight in the moment. You have to do the simple things right. They showed this. It’s a good start.

“We prepared in training with Conor (Gallagher) in the middle but in the morning we had to change. It is what makes this point even more valuable. Congratulations to the guys, they were happy in there.”

Tottenham have now moved a point clear of the relegation zone with eight games left to play.

And Tudor added: “We hope the goal can kickstart us. It’s a long way to our goal of staying in the Premier League, there are a lot of games to play. But today it was important to show what we can do.

“They were honest and they showed everything. It was not easy.

“We need to see what we can do in the next two games, who is injured and who can play. It’s not easy in terms of numbers, that’s why this result was even more important.”

Rio Ngumoha has reacted after making his first start in the Premier League for Liverpool against Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on Sunday afternoon

Rio Ngumoha has spoken of his pride at making his Premier League debut for Liverpool even though he was disappointed his side couldn't hold on against Tottenham Hotspur. The 17-year-old, who impressed during the recent 3-1 FA Cup victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers, was handed his first top-flight start by Arne Slot at Anfield.

And Ngumoha and his team-mates got off to the perfect start when Dominik Szoboszlai fired the Reds ahead with a wonderful free-kick after just 18 minutes. Ngumoha was withdrawn just after the hour mark, with Hugo Ekitike coming on in his place, and a minute from time Richarlison struck to secure Spurs a huge point in their battle to avoid the drop.

And taking to social media after the game, the England youth international told supporters his side will “go again" as they continue their quest to secure Champions League football next season.

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He wrote: “Disappointed with the result today but happy to make my first Premier League start. We go again.”

Explaining his thinking behind handing Ngumoha his first start in the Premier League, Reds boss Slot told BBC Radio 5 Live post-match: "I have 12-13 players that are able to bring good performances.

"Rio is doing that well it makes sense to play him. It is a mix of playing the ones that are fit and using the quality that these players can bring."

Ngumoha also saw appeals for a penalty waved away by referee Chris Kavanagh in the first-half, and former Reds defender Jamie Carragher believes the correct call was made.

He said: “I don't think it's a penalty. He's almost on the way down. He just comes across, but the legs just don't clip.

"Porro has a real tug of his shirt. He (Souza) almost just brushes him around the midriff. It's definitely not a penalty."

Liverpool were booed off at full-time, and when asked about the reaction, Slot said: “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.”

Arne Slot says Liverpool have become their own worst enemy after a 1-1 draw with relegation-threatened Tottenham Hotspur

Arne Slot admits Liverpool have become their own worst enemy after another goal conceded after 90 minutes saw Tottenham Hotspur earn a 1-1 draw at Anfield.

After Dominik Szoboszlai's free-kick gave the Reds the lead, Igor Tudor's relegation-threatened Spurs fought back and levelled late on through former Everton striker Richarlison.

It means Liverpool have conceded in the 90th minute or later a whopping eight times this season with Spurs joining Wolves, Manchester City, Leeds United, Fulham, Bournemouth, Chelsea and Crystal Palace on that list.

"Of course, it’s damaging but how many times has this been damaging for us?" Slot said. "We don’t help ourselves at all. So many times this season, we have created much more xG (Expected Goals) or chances than the amount of goals we score.

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"Usually, in the Premier League, you see a lot of teams outperforming their xG but that is definitely not what we are doing throughout the season. The game stays tight until the end and we struggle to keep clean sheets.

"We haven’t had as many clean sheets as you’d want if you want to go higher up in the table and that’s a bad combination for picking up the amount of points we want to pick up."

Slot added: "In large parts of the game, we were the better team. That is a moment you have to score a second.

"We had moments to do so, quite a lot and in the part where it was more equal, the last 15-20 minutes, on both sides it was waiting for one of the two teams to score.

"They created chances in a similar way, the four or five moments they had. Long ball, picking up the second ball and trying to be a threat. We also picked up a lot of those second balls where we were able to counter-attack them.

"From all these counter-attacks, four-v-threes, three-v-twos, I felt with all these quality players we have that we should be able to get a bigger chance or when we have it, be able to score it. But we didn’t and conceded the equaliser and there’s not enough time left to make up for it."

Verdict from Paul Gorst at Anfield as Liverpool are held to a 1-1 draw with relegation-threatened Tottenham Hotspur

As Tottenham Hotspur earned a corner in stoppage time while searching for a rare victory, it was impossible to avoid the sight of so many Liverpool supporters streaming for the nearest Anfield exit.

Those who remained voiced their frustrations after the final whistle of this 1-1 draw, further hammering home the message that what they are witnessing simply isn't good enough.

A draw on a weekend when Chelsea and Aston Villa both lost means Arne Slot's side do actually move up to fifth and into that all-important final Champions League qualification spot in the Premier League.

But that, clearly, isn't enough to pull the wool over the eyes of many match-going fans who are starting to vote with their feet and, judging by the sound of the boos at full time, their voices too. It's not the first time they have been audible at the final whistle either lately.

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Richarlison's 90th-minute equaliser means Liverpool conceded another deeply damaging late goal and their inability to manage games in the closing stages is maybe the biggest problem of the myriad of issues Slot and his players have been made to work through on the pitch.

Add Spurs to the list that includes Wolves, Manchester City, Fulham, Leeds, Bournemouth, Chelsea and Crystal Palace for goals shipped after 90 minutes. Eight, unsurprisingly, is new record for the club across the course of a season. The 'game-management' has been horrendous.

And how galling it should be for the Premier League champions to become the first side not to beat Igor Tudor's Tottenham, a tragicomedy team who are perilously close to playing Championship football in August themselves.

Somehow Spurs find themselves scrapping to stay afloat in the top flight after a torrid term and they came into this game following the debacle at Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night, which led to legitimate and widespread calls for Tudor to be immediately removed from what is only a temporary post.

But outside of another Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick, Liverpool failed to break down a side who had conceded 21 goals to their hosts in the previous six games. That list includes the match from 11 months ago, when a 5-1 win at Anfield preceded some of the greatest scenes ever witnessed at this famous old venue as the title was confirmed in front of 60,000 fans.

That feels a like a lifetime ago now for everyone concerned but the flickering of those joyous memories has maybe kept Slot's job safe from serious, internal scrutiny this long.

Liverpool insiders have always insisted their head coach is the right man to lead this team forward after a chastening season, much of which has been beyond the control of those in the technical area.

But when results suffer and performances become this chronically ordinary, it opens the door to genuine questions that cannot be dismissed as knee-jerk reactions or the immediate outbursts of a reactive social media.

The football has become too pedestrian and too ponderous for too long. Those disgruntled by what has been served up are within their rights to expect more from a squad that had £450m spent on it after winning the title by 10 points last time out.

Slot will of course counter that a lot of quality left during the summer months but the decision to plunder £320m into just three deals - for Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike - means the squad has looked so short and unbalanced after a handful of injury issues. The head coach shouldn't be solely blamed for that squad planning at least.

Slot rested Ekitike, Mohamed Salah, Ibrahima Konate and Milos Kerkez for this, keeping one eye on Wednesday's Champions League clash with Galatasaray.

That meant a first Premier League start for Rio Ngumoha, who once more showed flashes of his burgeoning talent but few others grasped their opportunities. An injury-ravaged Spurs side were rarely put under the sort of duress they have come to expect at Anfield and chances were at a premium.

"I feel flat," Szoboszlai admitted after the game. "We have to wake up because if we carry on like this, we should be happy with the Conference League [next season]. I don't know why this is happening, I honestly don't know."

The mere mention of the UEFA Conference League should send a shiver down the spine of owners Fenway Sports Group given the club's reliance on the Champions League bounty. But the team are unable to rise above this dogfight they find themselves in and their European fate remains in the balance as the March international break approaches.

Szoboszlai's latest sublime effort opened the scoring but the decision-making and execution of the final passes or shots continued to suffer as the game wore on. That meant the visitors - who had lost all four previous games under the combative, cantankerous Tudor - sensed a way back into things.

And it just had to be Richarlison, didn't it? The player who gets under the skin of Reds fans like few others snatched a late leveller that will feel like a Liverpool defeat. It certainly did for those shuffling towards the exits at least.

Arne Slot was speaking after his side conceded a late goal to draw 1-1 at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday

Arne Slot admits he doesn’t blame Liverpool fans for venting their frustration after his team were booed off at Anfield.

And the Reds boss has challenged his players to make amends for another dismal performance when they attempt a Champions League comeback against Galatasaray in midweek.

Liverpool allowed a lead to slip late on once again as they were held to a 1-1 home Premier League draw by struggling Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon.

Dominik Szoboszlai had put Slot’s side ahead on 18 minutes only for former Everton striker Richarlison to equalise in the 90th minute having earlier spurned a number of chances.

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The final whistle was greeted with jeers from the Anfield faithful who sounded their displeasure at another disappointing result and performance.

And Slot accepted the boos made “complete sense” as he looked ahead to Wednesday’s European clash with Liverpool looking to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit.

“I think it's understandable for fans to be frustrated because it has happened so many times that they have seen the home team not picking up the points they are expecting, us conceding goals in the last minute," said the Reds boss.

“Now it is up to us to bring that frustration to Wednesday and come up with a big performance because we are all frustrated. That is completely clear.

“It is now up to me and the players to take that frustration to Wednesday evening and show the fans the performance and the result they deserve because they have been supportive throughout the whole season to us.

“If it happens so many times that they are frustrated in the end of the game or after the final whistle, that makes complete sense to me.”

Liverpool have actually moved up to fifth in the table and are now just two points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa in the battle for Champions League qualification.

But Slot admits the draw was a significant setback in keeping with much of his team’s shortcomings in the Premier League this season.

“Of course it is damaging but how many times has this been damaging for us (this season),” he said

“We don’t help ourselves at all. It is so many times this season we have 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.

“Then the game 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.”

Jamie Carragher made his feelings clear on Liverpool's players following the 1-1 Premier League draw with Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on Sunday afternoon

Jamie Carragher questioned the character of Liverpool’s players and revealed why he believes Arne Slot’s side have become so easy to play against. Boos rang around Anfield at the final whistle after Richarlison’s 90th-minute equaliser earned Tottenham Hotspur under-fire interim head coach Igor Tudor a huge point.

Liverpool headed into the game at Anfield having watched both Chelsea and Aston Villa slip up in the battle to secure Champions League football next season. And even though the Reds were hardly fast out of the blocks, they took the lead through Dominik Szoboszlai’s fine free-kick after just 18 minutes.

But Arne Slot’s side were lacklusture to say the least in the second-half and after Richarlison deservedly drew Spurs level, the Reds were ultimately forced to settle for a point.

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And Carragher, speaking in the immediate aftermath of the full-time whistle going, not only claimed that a change in manager would not transform his old side’s fortunes but also believes that Liverpool’s players don’t have it in them to dig in and make it difficult for the opposition.

He said: "It was an awful performance. No disrespect to Tottenham, but they are the worst team in the Premier League now, probably for the last couple of months.

“They are exactly who you want to play, playing at home, the incentive of your results this weekend, and to put in a performance like that. But it's been like that all season.

"And the big question on everybody's lips is that down to the manager or the makeup of the squad? Could a new manager completely revitalise these type of players and bring that energy and sort of intensity back into this team? I'm not sure.

"I think a lot of it goes back to what happened in the summer, the profile of the players that came in, and there's just too many players who just want to play when the ball's at their feet.

“They don't want to dig in and make it difficult. That's why it's so easy to play against this Liverpool team."

And speaking after Richarlison’s equaliser, Carragher claimed: "Well it was coming. I've been saying all second-half, Liverpool have been sleepwalking into this result.

“And it was always going to be him, he's looked the most dangerous Tottenham player. And Liverpool just don't challenge for the long ball.

“Andy Robertson doesn't challenge for the long hopeful ball. Does the jump, gets in-between, not sure where Van Dijk's going - doesn't react quickly enough and then Liverpool are all over the place.

“But I can't say Tottenham don't deserve it, they've had chances in the game. The majority fell to this man, but this was definitely their best one.

Ian Doyle with the Liverpool player ratings and scores from the Premier League clash at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon

Liverpool missed the chance to move into the top four when they were held to a dismal 1-1 Premier League draw at home to struggling Tottenham Hotspur. Dominik Szoboszlai scored the opener with a free-kick in the first half only for former Everton striker Richarlison to net his customary goal against the Reds in the 90th minute.

The result nevertheless means Arne Slot's side have actually moved up to fifth and now stand only two points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa.

The ECHO was in attendance at Anfield and here we run the rule over the performances of the Liverpool players.

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Alisson Becker 8

Smart stop to turn over Souza shot from range before two excellent stops to deny Richarlison either side of the interval. Impressive return after missing out in midweek.

Dominik Szoboszlai 7

Thumped home the opener with a trademark free-kick and stuck to defensive tasks up against the tricky Tel until lack of right-back experience began to tell second half.

Joe Gomez 6

Dealt sufficiently with Tottenham’s physical threat before break and played ball well into midfield. Stood tall up against increasing number of long balls second half.

Virgil van Dijk 6

Involved in a right tussle with Richarlison throughout and did well to put off the Tottenham man for big chance second half. Got dragged out of position a bit too often, though.

Andy Robertson 6

One good piece of covering ushered away dangerous Solanke cross early on but unable to properly make an impact going forward.

Ryan Gravenberch 6

Fired one effort over when invited to shoot by Kop and some good pressing in midfield but among many who lost their way after break.

Alexis Mac Allister 5

Strong run won the free-kick for the opener and set up Gakpo for opportunity but otherwise flitted in and out before becoming very peripheral second half. Subbed.

Jeremie Frimpong 6

Started with intent with a few probing runs but became less effective as the game wore on other than some flashes second half. Subbed.

Florian Wirtz 6

Took a while to settle in the number 10 role but began to find his passes more towards half-time. Frustrated crowd with reluctance to shoot at times. Subbed.

Rio Ngumoha 7

Pretty quiet first half and let down by control when fed by Wirtz inside area for one chance, but improved after break and caused Porro problems. Subbed.

Cody Gakpo 6

Led the line but not afraid to drop back and get stuck in, and hit post with one effort first half. Moved to left wing after an hour and won ball back at key moments. Subbed.

Mohamed Salah (for Frimpong 64) 6

Close with one effort and caused problems during lively showing down the right, although quality not always there.

Curtis Jones (for Wirtz 64) 5

Didn't really get into the game at all.

Hugo Ekitike (for Ngumoha 64) 5

Not able to get on the end of a few teasing passes and had late shot blocked.

Trey Nyoni (for Gakpo 84)

More minutes for the teenager.

Federico Chiesa (for Mac Allister 90+1)

Came on for a bit.

Team news confirmed from Anfield as Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike drop to the bench in a changed lineup

Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike start on the bench for Liverpool as Arne Slot's side host struggling Tottenham Hotspur.

The Reds entertain Galatasaray in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday night and will be aiming to turn things around after Tuesday night's 1-0 loss in Istanbul.

And Slot has made a handful of changes for Sunday's visit of Spurs as Salah and Ekitike are replaced in the starting lineup by Jeremie Frimpong and Rio Ngumoha.

Explaining his decision to leave out Salah and Ekitike, Slot said: "It is three games in seven days for us with on Wednesday a possibility of more than 90 minutes, but this game is crucial for us, so yes you are looking at how many games you have to play and how may games we have played with mainly the same players."

It's 17-year-old Ngumoha's first Premier League start and Cody Gakpo leads the line in place of Ekitike.

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Dominik Szoboszlai is expected to start at right-back with Joe Gomez central alongside Virgil van Dijk. Ibrahima Konate drops to the bench as a result and Andy Robertson replaces Milos Kerkez on the left side.

Alisson Becker returns in goal after missing Tuesday's defeat in Turkey with a minor muscle issue. Giorgi Mamardashvili drops to the bench.

Federico Chiesa is back in the squad after overcoming illness that saw him miss the Galatasaray trip.

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