Spurs snatch late victory to shock Liverpool, halt slide with comeback win

Tottenham Hotspur's dismal losing streak was finally halted on Sunday, thanks to Richarlison's equalising goal in the 90th minute, securing a 1-1 draw against Liverpool and keeping their Premier League survival hopes alive.

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The draw was a significant turnaround, as Dominik Szoboszlai's free-kick had initially put Tottenham on course for a seventh consecutive defeat in all competitions, which would have been a club-record loss.

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Liverpool's lacklustre performance ultimately cost them, as Richarlison's late goal punished their inability to capitalize on their lead, and the point gained by Tottenham edged them one point ahead of relegation rivals Nottingham Forest and West Ham with eight games remaining.

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The draw also had implications for Liverpool, as they moved above Chelsea into fifth place, but wasted an opportunity to climb into fourth and strengthen their chances of securing Champions League football next season under Arne Slot's management.

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Interim Tottenham boss Igor Tudor had faced calls for his sacking after a 5-2 thrashing by Atletico Madrid in the Champions League in midweek, but his team's spirited display against Liverpool, despite being ravaged by injuries and suspensions, rewarded the faith shown in him.

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Tottenham have not experienced life outside the English top flight since the 1977/78 season, and although they remain without a league win in 2026, the unexpected point gained at Anfield will be a welcome boost given their terrible recent record at the stadium.

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Liverpool have also been struggling with their form of late, and Arne Slot took a calculated gamble by resting some of his star players ahead of Wednesday's Champions League visit of Galatasaray, with Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike among those dropped to the bench.

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Teenage winger Rio Ngumoha seized his rare start with an impressive performance, but it was Szoboszlai's set-piece expertise that ultimately made the breakthrough at Anfield, as he has done previously this season against Arsenal and Manchester City.

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Szoboszlai's free-kick was not fully kept out by Guglielmo Vicario, who had been recalled by Tudor after Antonin Kinsky's error-prone performance against Atletico, and Vicario's latest mistake proved costly for Tottenham.

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At the other end of the pitch, Alisson Becker demonstrated his world-class goalkeeping skills, denying Richarlison with fine saves on two occasions, either side of half-time.

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Ekitike and Salah were introduced for the final 25 minutes, and although Salah had a chance to seal the three points, his finish was woeful, with only Vicario to beat, and that miss ultimately proved costly for Liverpool.

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Randal Kolo Muani's ability to outmuscle Andy Robertson set up Richarlison for the equalising goal, which he scored by beating Alisson low to his right, securing a vital point for Tottenham.