If Tottenham had their way, Cody Gakpo would have been scoring goals for them by now. Instead, he scored against them and even as they ended one barren streak, another looks set to continue.

It was quintessential Gakpo, in the manner of the goal, the right-footed finish angled across the goalkeeper. More pertinently, it felt typical Tottenham. A hideous start to the season was compounded as a club without domestic silverware for 18 years were eliminated from one of the two competitions they could have designs on winning. They have had few returns on their colossal spending spree but suffered at the hands of the man they tried to buy.

ലിവർപൂൾ നിരയിൽ അലക്സിസ് മാക് അലിസ്റ്ററും നിർണായക പങ്കുവഹിച്ചു. ആന്ദ്രോണി ഇരോളയുടെ തന്ത്രങ്ങൾക്കനുസരിച്ച് ടീമിൽ 10 മാറ്റങ്ങൾ വരുത്തിയിട്ടും ലിവർപൂൾ കരുത്തുകാട്ടി. ടോട്ടനത്തിന്റെ തോൽവി പരിശീലകൻ റോബർട്ടോ ഡി സെർബിയുടെ വീഴ്ചയായാണ് വിലയിരുത്തപ്പെടുന്നത്. മത്സരത്തിന്റെ അവസാന നിമിഷങ്ങളിൽ ഗിയോർഗി മമർദാഷ്‌വിലിയുടെ മികച്ച സേവുകൾ ലിവർപൂളിന് രക്ഷകനായി.

Liverpool progressed because of one they considered selling, in the Dutchman, and another who went public in his gripes that they have not done enough to keep him, in Alexis Mac Allister, with a win that was clinched by Dominik Szoboszlai’s latest wonder goal. His spectacular long-range half-volley rewarded Andoni Iraola for his policy of holding some of his premier players back and making a team showing 10 changes team stronger with his substitutions. The committed display of a youthful side was an endorsement of the Basque. Tottenham’s defeat, with a lack of urgency for too long and a needless decision to bench most of their big-money buys, was an indictment of Roberto De Zerbi.

കോണർ ഗല്ലാഘറിലൂടെ ടോട്ടനം തങ്ങളുടെ ഗോൾ വരൾച്ച അവസാനിപ്പിച്ചെങ്കിലും, അവസാന നിമിഷം സൊബോസ്ലായിയുടെ തകർപ്പൻ ഗോളിലൂടെ ലിവർപൂൾ വിജയം ഉറപ്പിച്ചു. ഗാക്പോയെ വിൽക്കാതെ ടീമിൽ നിലനിർത്താനുള്ള വിർജിൽ വാൻ ഡിക്കിന്റെ തീരുമാനം ശരിയാണെന്ന് തെളിയിക്കുന്നതായിരുന്നു താരത്തിന്റെ പ്രകടനം. രണ്ട് ഗോളുകളും നാല് അസിസ്റ്റുകളുമായി ഈ സീസണിൽ ഗാക്പോ മികച്ച ഫോമിലാണ്.

As Gakpo arrowed a shot past the debutant goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, perhaps it showed the wisdom of Virgil van Dijk when he urged Liverpool not to sell his fellow Dutchman. Gakpo’s season has already brought two goals and four assists. How Spurs must wish he – or anyone else – had been that productive in their colours.

Liverpool already led by then. Mac Allister is compiling a case to get a new contract, one classy goal at a time. Six days after a special strike against Atletico Madrid, he showed the name on the back of his shirt after finding the top corner from the edge of the box. At this rate, Liverpool should delay any offer of a new deal, if only to incentivise him to score more high-quality goals in the meantime. A senior figure with some distinctly inexperienced players around and in front of him, he had an added responsibility. He ended with an assist, too, playing the pass to Gakpo.

Szoboszlai had been benched, emerging to unleash an unstoppable shot in added time. It completed a terrific night for Liverpool.

Iraola had described the performance in Saturday’s stalemate against Fulham as a step backwards. This was a sizeable step forwards. He had a forward duo with a difference, replacing the £241m double act of Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz with the academy products Lewis Koumas, making his first Liverpool start in two-and-a-half years, and James McConnell.

At least Tottenham scored, their first goal against Premier League opposition – if not in the top flight – since Joao Palhinha’s May winner against Everton. Amid a downpour, Conor Gallagher ended their drought, heading in Mateus Fernandes’ corner. The otherwise excellent Mamardashvili missed it.