Tottenham 2-2 Liverpool: Alisson heroics spare Reds' blushes

Ten-man Liverpool missed the chance to close the gap between themselves and Manchester City to just one point as they were held to a pulsating 2-2 draw at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Harry Kane gave the home side an early lead as he scored his first home goal of the season when he calmly fired the ball past Alisson, after being played in behind by Tanguy Ndombele.

Antonio Conte's side should have been out of sight after a handful of chances fell in the direction of Heung-Min Son and Dele Alli but they were unable to convert.

Kane was lucky to still be on the pitch as a reckless studs-up challenge on Andy Robertson was somehow only deemed worthy of a yellow card.

The visitors responded just before half-time when Diogo Jota leapt highest to head Robertson's cross past Hugo Lloris.

Robertson found himself taking up a prominent role in the second half as he edged the Reds ahead after he nodded Alex Alexander-Arnold's cross past a helpless Lloris. But an uncharacteristic blunder from Alisson - after a fantastic showing in the capital - resulted in Spurs promptly drawing level through Son.

The Scot's day wasn’t done there as he was sent off - after a recommendation from VAR - for a high challenge on Emerson Royal with 15 minutes remaining.

Liverpool stay second, three points off Manchester City who beat Newcastle 4-0 earlier in the day. While Conte’s side move up to seventh but have played three games less than those around them.

Story of the match

The home side made a whole host of changes from their last competitive fixture two weeks ago. There was an overhaul in midfield with Japhet Tanganga, Oliver Skipp, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg and Sergio Regulion being replaced by Royal, Ndombele, Harry Winks and Ryan Sessegnon.

Jurgen Klopp made three changes to his side that dispatched of Newcastle United on Thursday evening, with the most notable one being the introduction of 19-year-old Tyler Morton - who was handed his first Premier League start - in midfield alongside Naby Keita and James Milner.

Tottenham showed no signs of letting their three postponed games affect them as they raced out the blocks to the delight of Conte, displaying incredible energy to catch Klopp's men out.

Alexander-Arnold had the first effort of the game as he worked the ball onto his left foot before taking a pop from 20-yards out, in the hope of making it two goals in as many games. However, Lloris was alert enough to get down to his left-hand side and palm it behind for a corner.

Spurs wasted no time in taking a thoroughly deserved lead with just 13 minutes on the clock. Kane - as he always does - was lurking on the shoulder of Ibrahima Konate and he was primed perfectly to slot Ndombele's through ball past Alisson and send the home supporters into dreamland.

Only a few moments later Kane turned to the role of provider as he showed fantastic strength to push Robertson off the ball, before driving towards the edge of Liverpool's box. He then picked on Son at the back post, who was arriving late, but he was unable to control his finish as he scuffed it wide.

The chances kept coming for the home side as Son let another golden chance go amiss. This time he was sent clean through before he foolishly attempted to take the ball around Alisson, but the Brazilian was more than alert to the situation and wasted no time smothering the ball from his feet.

Klopp and Liverpool were rightly furious that Spurs still had eleven players on the pitch as Kane arrived late to put in a reckless challenge on Robertson, which was somehow only deemed worthy enough of a yellow called by Paul Tierney. To the dismay of Klopp and his coaching staff, there was no reversal from those at Stockley Park on VAR duty.

Liverpool looked like a side who spent large parts of the first half feeling sorry for themselves as the absence of Jordan Henderson, Fabinho and Thiago Alcantara left them scratching their heads in midfield.

Half-chances fell the way of Alexander-Arnold and Jota but neither were great enough for the away side to claw themselves back into the game.

Alisson was again called upon to produce his heroics as he did marvellously to tip Alli's close-range effort around the post - to gain applause from those inside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

But with just ten minutes of the first-half remaining, Jota's wonderfully-angled header into the far corner, from Robertson's delightful cross, ensured the away side went into half-time all square.

Expectedly, the second half saw both sides tighten up defensively and chances became something of a premium, with Jota's speculative header the only early chance for the away side. While Kane, Alli and Son all had chances to regain the lead for the Lillywhites.

With 20 minutes remaining Robertson thought he had won it for the away side when he controversially headed home Alexander-Arnold's cross from inside the six-yard box, just moments after the Englishman had brought down Alli in the opposing area.

After consultation with VAR, the goal was given and Spurs were presented with the sizeable task of getting themselves back into a game where they had already spurned plenty of chances.

Though, the monumental task was short-lived, as Liverpool handed Spurs a gift when Alisson over-committed and completely miss-timed his kick. Leaving Son with an open goal to tap the ball into and lease new life into Conte's men.

Leaving the closing stages of the game perfectly set up for the neutral.

Controversy would again strike late in the day when Robertson and Royal had a coming together, resulting in tempers spilling over. Initially, the Scotsman was given a yellow card by Tierney but another consultation with that better-placed officials at Stockley Park saw it upgrade to a red card. Forcing Klopp's men to dig deep for the final 15 minutes.