Belief restored but frustration the overriding emotion

Jurgen Klopp threw his arms up in despair and raged at referee Jon Moss for blowing up just as substitute Jordon Ibe was about to burst forward.

A few yards to his left Mauricio Pochettino pounded the turf in frustration.

A stalemate suited neither Liverpool nor Tottenham after a gripping Premier League contest at Anfield. But in truth neither did enough to warrant any more than a share of the spoils.

Klopp got the morale-boosting response he had demanded to the miserable debacle at Southampton prior to the international break.

Liverpool will head for their manager's emotional reunion with Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-final first leg of the Europa League on Thursday night with belief restored.

This was a performance brimming with desire and commitment as the Reds put a serious dent in Spurs' hopes of a first title for 55 years.

Liverpool had the game's outstanding individual in Philippe Coutinho.

The little Brazilian magician made light of the gruelling 13,000-mile round trip to South America which meant he only returned to Melwood on Thursday.

Coutinho took his tally for the season into double figures with a classy finish as he netted for a third successive game.

But Harry Kane's emphatic equaliser deservedly drew Tottenham level and during a frenetic finale both teams squandered some golden opportunities to clinch victory.

For Kopites, the sight of Liverpool matching and outplaying for periods a team involved in the title race in April will have been bittersweet.

There is no way Klopp's side should be sitting in ninth place and in danger of registering the Reds' lowest top-flight finish since they were relegated in 1953-54.

They are better than that. They should be in the hunt for a Champions League spot but glaring inconsistency and some stupid slip-ups like at St Mary's a fortnight ago has cost them dear.

What's clear is that if they replicate this kind of tempo and intensity in the final stages of the campaign, Klopp will at least have a platform to build on heading into his first summer at the helm.

When the clubs met at White Hart Lane back in October it was a frenetic goalless draw high on perspiration but low on inspiration. For the opening 45 minutes it followed a similar path as both sides battled in vain to make the breakthrough.

Both Liverpool and Tottenham hunted in packs and pressed tirelessly to win the ball back. Time and space was in short supply with both teams forced into hurriedly clearing their lines.

Simon Mignolet had to be alert early on to beat away Christian Eriksen's rasping left-footer.

Adam Lallana, who was voted the PFA Fans Player of the Month for March, epitomised the Reds' work ethic as he continued his recent resurgence. Lallana never gave Spurs a moment's peace and was at the heart of some slick build up play.

Most of the problems Liverpool encountered were of their own making.

Mignolet got lucky when he dallied and ended up slamming a clearance into Kane, which rebounded into the Kop.

What a contrast between Klopp's two centre-backs. Dejan Lovren was calm and composed, while alongside him Mamadou Sakho was erratic.

Time and time again in the first half it was Sakho who played Liverpool into trouble and Lovren who got them out of it.

The £20million Croatian has come a long way since the dark days of autumn when he admitted he wanted to “hide under a table” after his blunder against West Ham.

After Sakho's error left Liverpool exposed, Kane burst through but dragged wide of the far post.

Doubts persist about Alberto Moreno defensively but going forward he looked the part on his return to the side.

One menacing cross from the Spaniard was inadvertently directed towards his own net by Heung-Min Son with Hugo Lloris alert to turn it behind.

The Spurs keeper continued to keep the Londoners on level terms but nine minutes before the break he should have been taken out of the equation.
Coutinho's pass put Daniel Sturridge through but he hammered straight at Lloris.

For most of the contest Sturridge was on the periphery with Klopp barking orders, urging the striker, whose movement was sluggish, to put himself about more.

Too often it was Jordan Henderson or Lallana chasing down lost causes which should been the work of Sturridge.

Twice, Lallana forced sprawling saves from Lloris, while at the other end Kane got away from Sakho but Lovren was alert to the danger and came across to make a crucial block.

The Reds needed an injection of class and Coutinho provided it six minutes into the second half.

After exchanging passes with Sturridge, he rolled an exquisite finish into the bottom corner. It's the first time he has reached double figures in his Liverpool career.
Anfield was rocking and Liverpool had their chances to wrap up the points.

Coutinho turned provider with a wonderful delivery from the left flank but Sturridge nodded over.

Henderson kept the Reds on the front foot – with one thunderous tackle from the captain prompting a fist pump from his manager.

But Liverpool were unable to deliver the killer blow and Spurs rallied.

In the 63rd minute Pochettino's men were level. Eriksen did brilliantly down the left to hook a pass into Kane, who turned away from Lovren and hammered an unstoppable strike past Mignolet.

With parity restored, neither side had any thoughts about settling for what they had.

Mignolet was at full stretch to push away Eriksen's low strike before Coutinho drilled agonisingly wide of the far post.

Liverpool's push for a winner didn't involve Sturridge, who looked less than happy about the decision to bring on Divock Origi in his place.

Head bowed, Sturridge took an age to get off and then exchanged pleasantries with a fan a few rows back in the Paddock.

Joe Allen followed for Lallana as Klopp sought one final push.

Coutinho could have won it when he latched on to Origi's lay-off but drilled wide with Lloris rooted to the spot.

Anxiety spread late on with Eriksen and then Mousa Dembele going close for Spurs but Liverpool held firm.

Next stop Dortmund.

Man of the match: Philippe Coutinho. At the heart of everything best about Liverpool.

Source: Liverpool Echo

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