The Match, The Stat: Tottenham 1-2 Liverpool

A battle in north London, and not for the first time.

Dec 20, 2025

Top Five Stats

The opener was the first Liverpool goal sequence to feature all three of Hugo Ekitike, Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz.
Xavi Simons’ red card was the earliest for an opponent in a Liverpool away game since Nick Pope for Newcastle in 2023. The last one that was earlier on the road while the score was 0-0 was for Jack Rodwell in a Merseyside derby in October 2011.
The Reds were 2-0 winners in four of the previous five matches in which the opposition received a sending off prior to the 45th minute.
Ten-man Tottenham had two shots in the first 50 minutes following the first red card, then four in the bedlam which resulted in their goal.
Richarlison’s goal was the 11th that the Reds have conceded from a set play in the league this season. Not since 2016/17 (12) have they allowed more in a whole campaign.

Match Review

Playing Tottenham in the last 18 months has been a weird fixture to assess, particularly away from home. They have the third highest average attendance, sixth highest wage bill yet have struggled to get close to those benchmarks in the table. Against a team with four home league wins all year, Liverpool should be looking to dominate proceedings, no matter the relative financial similarities.

The Reds didn’t do that tonight. But Arne Slot probably isn’t too bothered about domination in most games for the time being. He’s data-savvy, he’ll know that his team have a far better record in matches of few chances than in their carnivals of chaotic abandon this season. Shut ‘em down, take the points.

Liverpool are not pretty to watch in the post-PSV era. You scream at them to move the ball faster, spread the play, take a man on. Instead, you hear crickets. We mustn’t overlook the depths they have plumbed, the rebuilding of confidence and cohesion that is required. It will take time for this new-look side to fly.

You don’t have to enjoy watching it. You just need to acknowledge that it is usually the right thing for the Reds to do for the most part.

And ultimately, for 82 minutes of this match Liverpool were fine. The two goals they scored were great in different ways. Neither Randal Kolo Muani nor Hugo Ekitike succeeded with Paris Saint-Germain but the difference between their two headers in this match show why far more is expected of the latter. When Gary Neville is comparing a player to John Toshack in the year of our lord 2025, you know he’s done well in the air.

The link up between the three summer attacking signings for the opener was great to see too. It’s an enormous pity that we are unlikely to see it again for some time, unless Alexander Isak proves to heal remarkably quickly.

There will be plenty of statistics shared showing that Tottenham outshot the Reds despite their man/men disadvantage. Rightly so. It isn’t the total that frustrates so much as the lack of control in the closing stages though.

From 2-1 to full time, Liverpool only had 42 per cent of the possession. They were unable to control a game against tired, undermanned opposition. The visitors didn’t complete a pass further forward than the centre circle in this period, with Curtis Jones committing an Opta-defined defensive error leading to a shot. It was ugly.

That’s it, Curtis, carry the ball into the corner…

Now and again, on the road, it’s meant to be. Just not like this. But then making four injury-enforced substitutions (at least according to the Opta match report) in a bear pit is bound to get ugly. It’s a massive three points. Bank them, focus on the eighty minutes of solidity and have yourselves a very merry Christmas.

Source for graphics: Opta Analyst, markstatsbot.