Tottenham Hotspur

Ange gives his assessment on loss at Liverpool

Maddison on unity needed to respond from Liverpool defeat ahead of Thursday night

Ange Postecoglou told us his ‘ultimate goal’ was ‘being ready for Thursday night’ as he reflected on eight changes to the team and a 5-1 loss against Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League on Sunday.

Ange rested Rodrigo Bentancur from the matchday squad and left Cuti Romero, Pedro Porro and Micky van de Ven on the bench against a Reds side needing a point to secure the title.

We started brightly and shocked the Kop with the opening goal of the game as Dominic Solanke rose highest to power home James Maddison’s corner on 12 minutes.

That was just about that for our highlights though as Luis Diaz levelled four minutes later and Arne Slot’s team went into overdrive, forging ahead 3-1 by half-time (Alexis Mac Allister 24, Cody Gakpo 34) before further goals from Mo Salah (63) and a Destiny Udogie own goal (69) completed the job.

As the celebrations continued outside, Ange told our Review Show: “First of all, credit to Liverpool, they are worthy champions, they’ve been consistent all year. We started the game well today, but once they got ahead, with the atmosphere in the stadium, it was going to be really hard for us to claw them back, and that’s how it proved.”

Asked about his eight changes to the team that started against Forest last week, and the tricky balancing act of Premier League/Europa League, with the first leg of our semi-final against FK Bodo/Glimt on Thursday night, Ange added: “It’s tough - tough on the players when I’m making that many changes.

“For us, it's been important... a lot of our players have missed a lot of this season with injuries, and we're just trying to manage them so everyone's in great condition going into Thursday night.

"Guys like Micky, Cuti, they could have played today, but they’ve missed so much of the season, I didn’t want to risk them. Bentancur and Pedro, they’ve played so much. We made those decisions with that in mind, and that’s obviously affecting the team and the team’s performance, and I take responsibility for that, but, with the ultimate goal being ready for Thursday night.”

A tough afternoon at Anfield ended in a heavy 5-1 defeat on Sunday, a result which ensured Liverpool secured the Premier League title.

The home side just needed a draw to clinch the championship but we threatened to spoil the party when former Liverpool forward Dominic Solanke headed home a fine goal in the 12th minute.

That was the highlight of the day for us though as the Reds swiftly levelled through Luis Diaz and then led at the interval as Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo also found the target. Mo Salah added a fourth before the unfortunate Destiny Udogie put through his own net to round off a disappointing day.

We fielded a much-changed side, Ange Postecoglou making eight changes from the team that started against Nottingham Forest last Monday, with Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso both back at the venue on which they made their Spurs debuts in the Carabao Cup semi-final in January.

With so much at stake for the hosts, the atmosphere inside Anfield was raucous as you’d expect and the home side started on the front foot. Salah curled high and wide early on while Gakpo went close with an acrobatic bicycle kick in the 10th minute but a couple of minutes later we were in front, James Maddison clipping over a deep corner and Solanke got up superbly well to send his header past Alisson.

The lead didn’t last long though as the home side levelled on 16 minutes, Salah sliding a ball down the channel for Dominik Szoboszlai and his low cross was turned in by Diaz. There was a brief VAR check for offside but the goal stood. And the champions-elect moved ahead in the 23rd minute as the ball fell to Mac Allister on the edge of the area and he hit a thumping left-foot drive into the net. Another Solanke header from a Maddison free-kick needed tipping over by Alisson shortly after, however we fell further behind on 34 minutes when Gakpo collected the loose ball from a corner and drilled through a sea of legs into the far corner, leaving us 3-1 down at the break.

Gakpo should have added a fourth in the early moments of the second period but elected to pass instead of shoot when played in by Mac Allister and Liverpool continued to have the upper hand as the half progressed. Ryan Gravenberch brought a save out of Guglielmo Vicario with another opportunity they created before they did add to their tally, Salah receiving Szoboszlai’s pass and producing a trademark finish, cutting onto his left foot and driving home from 15 yards out.

A rare attack at the other end saw substitute Pape Matar Sarr fire a low shot which was easy for Alisson while Vicario made a good stop from Szoboszlai before it was 5-1, Udogie getting the final touch on Trent Alexander-Arnold’s low ball to the back post with Salah waiting to pounce. The closing stages were fairly uneventful and the whistle blew to start the party for the home supporters, while our focus quickly turned to Thursday’s big Europa League semi-final.

Robert Vilahamn highlighted the need to improve from defending set-pieces, but he was left overly pleased with the performance in our 2-2 draw at Liverpool in Barclays Women’s Super League on Sunday.

Having fallen behind on 12 minutes at St Helens Stadium after Sophie Roman Haug converted from close range, we fought back once again and turned the game into our favour just after the half-hour mark.

An own goal from Rachael Laws got us on level terms before Clare Hunt, who was one of three changes to the starting XI, forced home Maite Oroz’ corner to put us ahead in the contest. However, six minutes into the second period, the Reds got back onto level terms when Haug grabbed her second of the game with a header.

Both sides pushed for a winner on Merseyside and, although the home side put the pressure on in stoppage time, we came the closest to the winning goal but Martha Thomas could only guide her point-blank header wide of the target.

“A tough game, but a good game,” Robert told us. “I think both teams were pushing to win the game, we had some brilliant attacks and we scored some good goals, but we also need to defend parts of the game better because they’re strong and the set-pieces was a highlight in the game.”

Robert on the response after conceding early…

“We need to get better at not conceding the first goal in the early stages of the game, it was too easy for them to score from that corner. But I’m happy that we continued to play and scored those two goals in the first half. In the second half, we wanted to make sure that we managed the game a little bit better, but they had a good corner kick routine to make it 2-2 and then it’s an even game where they tried to push with a lot of crosses and corners, then we had a really good chance at the end. But, overall, it’s still a decent performance I would say.”

Robert on improving from defensive set-pieces…

“We’re defending with everything we can, we’re really tight when defending but those set-pieces, the first one wasn’t good enough, the second one was good from them, but we need to improve them because set plays can actually win games for you and we could have won this game. But, overall, we take a draw as it’s away to Liverpool and we’re coming in from a bad run of games, so it’s about looking at it in a positive way as well.”

Robert on our two goals in the first half…

“If you look at the first goal, it comes from the build-up with the goalkeeper, how we want to play through lines, how we want to attack, the one-on-one for Jess [Naz] and she has shown some good form now. It was good determination from Bethany [England] and, although it’s an own goal, she’s there to make it happen. It was a good delivery from Maite [Oroz] and it was nice to see Clare [Hunt] there, good to have her back.”

Robert on returning to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next weekend…

“I love our stadium, I love our fans, so I’m really looking forward to that game. Even if it has been a tough run where we haven’t won for a while, I hope we can go there and get the win for them, and make sure we become the first team to beat Chelsea this season because we want to finish on a high.”

We can confirm the starting line-ups and substitutes for today’s Premier League match at Liverpool (kick-off 4.30pm UK).

Ange Postecoglou has made eight changes from the team that started against Nottingham Forest on Monday.

Kevin Danso, Ben Davies and Destiny Udogie come into the back four in place of Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro.

It’s a completely different midfield with Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray and James Maddison replacing Pape Matar Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski, while Brennan Johnson and Dominic Solanke are restored to the attack in place of Wilson Odobert and Richarlison.

Maddison captains the team today.

Here’s our team in full...

Starting XI: Vicario, Spence, Danso, Davies, Udogie, Bergvall, Gray, Maddison (c), Johnson, Solanke, Tel.

Substitutes: Kinsky, Pedro Porro, Romero, van de Ven, Sarr, Bissouma, Kulusevski, Odobert, Richarlison.

Liverpool line up as follows...

Starting XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk (c), Robertson, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Salah, Luis Diaz, Gakpo.

Substitutes: Kelleher, Endo, Nunez, Chiesa, Jones, Elliott, Jota, Tsimikas, Quansah.

A battling and determined display saw us pick up a point on the road in the Barclays Women's Super League on Sunday as we played out a 2-2 draw at Liverpool.

Having fallen behind at St Helens Stadium with just 12 minutes on the clock as Sophie Roman Haug slotted home from close range, we responded well and, by the half-hour mark, we had turned the game on its head.

We were back on terms with 25 minutes on the clock as our hosts made a mess of dealing with Jess Naz's teasing dinked cross with goalkeeper Rachael Laws sending the ball over her own line before Clare Hunt instinctively stuck a leg out at the back post to nudge the ball home and put us ahead five minutes later.

Haug though was on hand to return the game to a level state as she powerfully headed in from a corner six minutes after the break.

Late on, we were forced to sit in and soak up significant pressure from the Reds but, despite their late ascendancy, we could and probably should have won the game in the final minute but Martha Thomas could not direct her header on target from point-blank range.

We're back on the road in the Barclays Women's Super League this afternoon (12pm UK) as we face Liverpool at St Helens Stadium.

Watch the game below via WSL's Official YouTube Channel...

We can confirm the starting line-ups and substitutes for this afternoon’s Barclays Women’s Super League clash with Liverpool at St Helens Stadium (12pm UK).

Robert Vilahamn has made three changes for the trip to Liverpool.

In defence, Clare Hunt comes into the starting XI for Eveliina Summanen, who misses today’s game due to suspension after an accumulation of five yellow cards this term.

Drew Spence is also not available for today’s clash with the Red having triggered a one-match suspension in the WSL for her fifth yellow card last weekend, with Matilda Vinberg coming in from the start.

After coming off the bench against Villa to mark her return from injury, Bethany England will lead the line this afternoon at St Helens Stadium, replacing Martha Thomas in the starting XI.

Academy goalkeeper Erin Radbourne is also named in a senior matchday squad for the first time in her career, while defender Charlotte Grant is back amongst the substitutes after missing last weekend's clash with Villa due to injury.

Here's how we line-up...

Kop, Morris, Hunt, Bartrip, Neville, Rybrink, Oroz, Naz, Holdt, Vinberg, England (c).

We should like to inform supporters that we are in discussions with the Premier League regarding a change in date to our away Premier League match against Aston Villa, currently scheduled for Sunday 18 May.

Further information surrounding this fixture will be announced in due course.