Tottenham 1-2 Liverpool: Nine-man hosts fall short in late fightback

Liverpool held on against nine-man Tottenham as goals from Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike earned them a 2-1 Premier League victory on Saturday.

Spurs played over an hour at a numerical disadvantage after Xavi Simons was sent off for a rash lunge on Virgil van Dijk just past the half-hour mark.

Liverpool made their numerical advantage count in the 56th minute when Isak, on as a half-time substitute, slotted in following a mistake from Cristian Romero.

Isak, however, suffered an injury in the process as he was slammed into by Micky van de Ven, and the Liverpool forward could not continue. He became just the second player to be subbed on, score and then be subbed off for Liverpool in a Premier League game after Yossi Benayoun against Manchester City in November 2009.

The Reds, though, brushed off that blow and, after Randal Kolo Muani hit the crossbar at the other end, Hugo Ekitike made it 2-0 with a towering header.

Yet Richarlison scored just over two minutes after his introduction from the Spurs bench to give Thomas Frank’s side hope at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Romero, though, did not help Spurs’ cause as he ludicrously kicked out at Ibrahima Konate and received his marching orders in stoppage time.

2001 – Xavi Simons red card is the first time a Dutch player has been sent off for a foul on a compatriot (Virgil van Dijk) in the Premier League since April 2001, when Spurs’ Willem Korsten was red carded after fouling Chelsea’s Mario Melchiot. Double. #TOTLIV pic.twitter.com/N3X9MevpYW

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 20, 2025

Data Debrief: No home comforts as Spurs duo receive early Christmas cards

Spurs round out 2025 having lost 11 home league games, their most ever in a single calendar year across club history.

Yet while Frank will be feeling the heat, he was not helped out by daft decisions from a duo that should know better, as Spurs received two red cards in the same home Premier League game for just the second time in competition history, after both Destiny Udogie and Romero were dismissed versus Chelsea in November 2023.

And despite playing most of the match without a full team, Spurs generated more shots (15 to eight) and a higher expected goals (xG) figure (1.01 to 0.6) than Liverpool.

Frank, meanwhile, may wonder why he did not turn to Richarlison earlier. The former Everton forward has a good record against Liverpool and, in his time on the pitch, had as many touches in the opposition box as three of Spurs’ starters, with only Kolo Muani (five) managing more.