Tottenham 0 Liverpool 1
Luis Garcia scored on the stroke of half-time to give Liverpool a 1-0 victory and bring Tottenham's run of home success to a halt.
Spurs had won their previous 12 games at White Hart Lane but were undone in first-half stoppage time when Liverpool took advantage of poor defending.
Liverpool have been poor on the road this season - this was just their third away win in the Barclays Premiership - but they looked comfortable until the hosts started chasing the game.
Reds defender Steve Finnan hit his own crossbar, but goalkeeper Jose Reina was largely untroubled until late on, when he beat a Jermain Defoe drive away.
Defeat dented Spurs' hope of breaking into the top six, while Liverpool's victory gives them an ideal platform for being in the Champions League places during the second half of the season.
Spurs were without captain Ledley King and his stand-in at centre-half, Calum Davenport, had an unfortunate hand in Liverpool's opener.
Without King, Spurs' defence looked less assured from the opening exchanges - Lee Young-Pyo giving Paul Robinson a dreadful back-pass with two minutes gone.
The England goalkeeper, captain for the day, scrambled clear as Dirk Kuyt closed in, but the pattern of slack passing continued from both sides.
Spurs fashioned the first real effort on goal, but Mido flashed wide when he had plenty of time following a slip from Jamie Carragher while under pressure from Steed Malbranque.
Defoe had a couple of efforts off target and had also been caught marginally offside when Tom Huddlestone played him behind the Liverpool defence, but it was the visitors who applied the first spell of pressure.
Craig Bellamy forced Robinson into a low save after move started by Steven Gerrard and helped along by Kuyt.
The Dutch striker, linked with a move to Spurs two summers ago, then curled an effort just wide of the upright after Bellamy had laid the ball back to the edge of the area.
Tottenham boss Martin Jol has always been an admirer of his compatriot, and it was Kuyt who was soon a threat again - trapping a poor kick from Robinson beautifully but having his eventual effort blocked.
Xabi Alonso flashed a drive wide as the interval drew closer, but the visitors broke the deadlock before the whistle by taking advantage of Spurs' defensive frailty.
Gerrard robbed Didier Zokora before stubbing his shot into the floor from the edge of the area. The ball was headed by Davenport towards Luis Garcia and the Spaniard had little trouble finishing from the edge of the six-yard area.
Bellamy had a long-range drive saved by Robinson two minutes after the restart, but it was the last action he saw, as he was replaced by Jermaine Pennant and headed down the tunnel for treatment.
Zokora came off for Danny Murphy, a former Liverpool player, just after Garcia had missed a glorious chance to double the lead by directing his free header into the ground.
In the 59th minute Jol answered the chants from the crowd to introduce Dimitar Berbatov, who replaced Mido. The Bulgaria striker had been ill this week and was left on the bench until the hosts needed to chase the game.
Reina fumbled a straightforward free-kick, but there was little else for the Spaniard to do for the first hour.
Davenport diverted Pennant's cross into his own side-netting as Liverpool went in search of another rather than sitting back.
They brought on Peter Crouch in place of Kuyt for the last 25 minutes, which also featured a storm as conditions got worse.
Spurs almost grabbed a leveller when Berbatov's cross was headed by Finnan against his own bar from point-blank range.
Malbranque then came close with a drive as the rain eased slightly, while Hossam Ghaly sliced horribly wide from close range as Spurs applied late pressure.
The visitors held on for victory, but Reina had to beat away a drive from Defoe and Berbatov had an effort ruled out for offside.
Spurs had won their previous 12 games at White Hart Lane but were undone in first-half stoppage time when Liverpool took advantage of poor defending.
Liverpool have been poor on the road this season - this was just their third away win in the Barclays Premiership - but they looked comfortable until the hosts started chasing the game.
Reds defender Steve Finnan hit his own crossbar, but goalkeeper Jose Reina was largely untroubled until late on, when he beat a Jermain Defoe drive away.
Defeat dented Spurs' hope of breaking into the top six, while Liverpool's victory gives them an ideal platform for being in the Champions League places during the second half of the season.
Spurs were without captain Ledley King and his stand-in at centre-half, Calum Davenport, had an unfortunate hand in Liverpool's opener.
Without King, Spurs' defence looked less assured from the opening exchanges - Lee Young-Pyo giving Paul Robinson a dreadful back-pass with two minutes gone.
The England goalkeeper, captain for the day, scrambled clear as Dirk Kuyt closed in, but the pattern of slack passing continued from both sides.
Spurs fashioned the first real effort on goal, but Mido flashed wide when he had plenty of time following a slip from Jamie Carragher while under pressure from Steed Malbranque.
Defoe had a couple of efforts off target and had also been caught marginally offside when Tom Huddlestone played him behind the Liverpool defence, but it was the visitors who applied the first spell of pressure.
Craig Bellamy forced Robinson into a low save after move started by Steven Gerrard and helped along by Kuyt.
The Dutch striker, linked with a move to Spurs two summers ago, then curled an effort just wide of the upright after Bellamy had laid the ball back to the edge of the area.
Tottenham boss Martin Jol has always been an admirer of his compatriot, and it was Kuyt who was soon a threat again - trapping a poor kick from Robinson beautifully but having his eventual effort blocked.
Xabi Alonso flashed a drive wide as the interval drew closer, but the visitors broke the deadlock before the whistle by taking advantage of Spurs' defensive frailty.
Gerrard robbed Didier Zokora before stubbing his shot into the floor from the edge of the area. The ball was headed by Davenport towards Luis Garcia and the Spaniard had little trouble finishing from the edge of the six-yard area.
Bellamy had a long-range drive saved by Robinson two minutes after the restart, but it was the last action he saw, as he was replaced by Jermaine Pennant and headed down the tunnel for treatment.
Zokora came off for Danny Murphy, a former Liverpool player, just after Garcia had missed a glorious chance to double the lead by directing his free header into the ground.
In the 59th minute Jol answered the chants from the crowd to introduce Dimitar Berbatov, who replaced Mido. The Bulgaria striker had been ill this week and was left on the bench until the hosts needed to chase the game.
Reina fumbled a straightforward free-kick, but there was little else for the Spaniard to do for the first hour.
Davenport diverted Pennant's cross into his own side-netting as Liverpool went in search of another rather than sitting back.
They brought on Peter Crouch in place of Kuyt for the last 25 minutes, which also featured a storm as conditions got worse.
Spurs almost grabbed a leveller when Berbatov's cross was headed by Finnan against his own bar from point-blank range.
Malbranque then came close with a drive as the rain eased slightly, while Hossam Ghaly sliced horribly wide from close range as Spurs applied late pressure.
The visitors held on for victory, but Reina had to beat away a drive from Defoe and Berbatov had an effort ruled out for offside.
posted by dgarden at 8:19 am
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