Liverpool came away from White Hart Lane with a point following a 1-1 draw with Tottenham.
Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino in action with Tottenham’s Toby Alderweireld
Saturday’s early Premier League kick-off saw Liverpool claim a 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane.
A James Milner penalty just before half-time gave the away side the lead before Spurs full-back Danny Rose equalised midway through the second period.
Sadio Mane also had a goal ruled out for offside in a match Jurgen Klopp felt his side could have won.
But the Reds ultimately had to settle for a point as they now look forward to welcoming champions Leicester City to Anfield after the international break.
Tottenham maintained their unbeaten start to the new season but a lack of goals is a slight issue as it is now nine Premier League matches without an August goal for striker Harry Kane.
Here are five things we learned from the match:
1. Liverpool need a left back, now
This has been obvious for months but even though James Milner’s performance at full-back was encouraging given the the fact that he replaced the ever-increasing liability that is Alberto Moreno, make no mistake that if Jurgen Klopp fails to find an adequate solution to the left-back problem, Liverpool could be in for a much harder season than they really ought to be.
Time is running out as it’s only a matter of days before the transfer window shuts so Liverpool really need to get moving or risk facing the consequences.
2. Liverpool could be a real force this season
Providing they sort things out defensively, the Reds certainly have what it takes to be in for a successful season. New recruit Sadio Mane is proving to be a real coup even at £32m as his pace and trickery is likely to cause trouble for almost any Premier League defence.
With the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino, Adam Lallana and Daniel Sturridge all capable of hitting real form as well, Liverpool could prove to be a true attacking force this season.
Georginio Wijnaldum is still struggling but he has shown that he is capable of being a real threat and his 11 goals for relegated Newcastle United last season shows he knows where the target is. It could be only a matter of time before he finds his feet.
What would be considered a successful season for Liverpool is debatable; a league title may be a tad optimistic but a Champions League place is certainly not out of their reach given the attacking talent in their squad – but they’ll need to be more consistent.
3. Harry Kane is struggling
Speaking of attacking talent, golden boot-winner Harry Kane has now gone nine competitive matches without a goal for club or country.
After a dire performance at this summer’s European Championships, the young Englishman looks out of sorts as he struggles to get chances let alone score them.
It was a similar sort of story for the 23-year-old at the start of last season as well, as it took him seven matches to find his first league goal before he went on to become the league’s top scorer.
That will provide encouragement that it may not be such a worrying sign after all, but with Tottenham struggling for goals fans will be hoping their star striker steps up and finds his goalscoring form once again.
4. Michel Vorm can fill in well for Hugo Lloris
With club captain Hugo Lloris sidelined through injury for around a month, stand-in keeper Michel Vorm has more than stepped up to the task thus far.
The 32-year-old Dutchman put in another solid display against a threatening Liverpool attack, making a number of good saves and catches that ultimately helped Spurs come away from the match with a point.
A fine stop to prevent Coutinho giving Liverpool the lead was a high point in what was a very strong all-round performance from the Spurs stopper.
5. Is Daniel Sturridge’s future in jeopardy?
Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge comes on as a substitute to replace Sadio Mane
If fit, the 26-year-old forward is a sure-fire starter in the Liverpool side, right? Well not according to Jurgen Klopp, as the Reds’ manager instead opted for Firmino to lead his side’s attacking line at the Lane.
It is debatable whether the decision paid off but clearly Klopp has doubts regarding the England international, particularly given the fact that he only came on for the final couple of minutes even though Liverpool were searching for a winner.
Even Divock Origi was introduced ahead of Sturridge, who this week voiced his disappointment at being chosen to play out wide during the EFL Cup victory over Burton Albion.
Now it seems Klopp has found a new position for the Englishman – on the bench.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino
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