Tottenham Hotspur finally produced a performance they can be proud of under Igor Tudor as they held Premier League champions Liverpool to a 1-1 draw at Anfield.
In doing so, they boosted their hopes of avoiding relegation, although they are just a point above West Ham United and Nottingham Forest, who they face next in the Premier League.
Nevertheless, it was a fighting display away from home as they dug deep to score a late equaliser despite being down to their bare bones due to injuries and suspensions.
Several players stepped up at Anfield, but Roy Keane and Jamie Redknapp reserved special praise for Tottenham’s attacking duo on the night as Tudor opted to go with a 4-4-2 formation.
Dom Solanke and Richarlison deliver for Tottenham
Due to injuries and suspensions, Tottenham only had 13 senior fit players to choose from, due to which the Croatian had to improvise.
With Randal Kolo Muani on the bench, Richarlison was chosen to lead the line alongside Dominic Solanke.
And while the Brazilian squandered a couple of glorious chances to score before eventually finding the back of the net in stoppage time, he never stopped running and set the tone for the rest of the team.
Read More: What the Tottenham players were spotted doing immediately after priceless 1-1 draw against Liverpool
Solanke, on the other hand, went toe to toe with the Liverpool backline physically and proved to be a good outlet for Tottenham.
Speaking after the game on Sky Sports, Jamie Redknapp praised the Tottenham forwards for their powerful display as they made Liverpool pay in the dying embers of the game.
“All game, [Richarlison] was a thorn in their side, Gomez and Van Dijk,” said Redknapp.
“He had a bit of physicality. Spurs might have fallen on a system here, with two strikers: Richarlison and Solanke. They’re a handful. They were powerful.
“It wasn’t pretty, but they had opportunities. It just became uncomfortable for Liverpool. The longer it went on, you thought they would get something.
“Jamie Carragher said it best – Liverpool were sleepwalking into it.”
Roy Keane appeared to double down on those claims, describing the Tottenham duo’s performance as a ‘huge bonus’ ahead of what could be a season-defining period for the club.
“[Spurs strikers] gave them an outlet and Liverpool struggled to deal with it,” said the former Manchester United captain.
“You always think there is a softness to Spurs but the physicality of the two players up front were a huge bonus.
“They were knocking people over. Between now and the end of the season, they’ll have battles every week. Forest are their next game – huge.”
Richarlison key in relegation battle
The Brazilian striker wears his heart on his sleeve and is always up for a challenge as he showed his class once again with a fighting display to get his name on the scoresheet at Anfield again.
He has scored nine Premier League goals this season and is undoubtedly Tottenham’s main man in the coming weeks as they aim to build on their newfound momentum.
Speaking after the game, Richarlison signaled his desire to play a big role for Tottenham after his recent goal, admitting that Premier League safety will take precedence over potentially turning the tie around against Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League.
Read More: Pedro Porro shuts down claims that Tottenham players have downed tools under Igor Tudor
“I like to play against big teams, it’s a big opportunity for me,” said Richarlison via Sky.
“I want to stay fit for the club, for the national team, because we have a World Cup in June. I need to stay fit, the club needs me to be available.”
Tottenham face Nottingham Forest next week in a game that could define their season. The two sides are separated by just a point, making it a relegation six-pointer if there ever was one.
