Tottenham 4 Liverpool 1: Harry Kane stars for Spurs as Jurgen Klopp's defence crumbles at Wembley

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James Benge23 October 2017

Tottenham moved level with Manchester United in second as they tore through a woeful Liverpool on their way to a 4-1 win at Wembley.

In front of the watching Diego Maradona, Spurs and Harry Kane put on an attacking masterclass worthy of the Argentine great - though they were doubtless aided by a Liverpool side who continue to struggle with the basics of defending.

Kane, Heung-min Son and Dele Alli all scored in the first half, though Mohamed Salah struck as the visitors retained the illusion of a contest.

That hope was firmly snuffed out in the second half as Kane added a second to secure a victory that will lead to further questions being asked about Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp’s ability to organise a defence.

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His counterpart Mauricio Pochettino, perhaps eager to impress his one-time room-mate Maradona, had sprung yet another surprise in his team selection, naming a fab four even more formidable than Liverpool’s with Kane, Son, Alli and Eriksen leading the line with Harry Winks in support.

It took only four minutes for Pochettino’s gambit to be rewarded. Kane, played onside by Joel Matip, chased down a Trippier chip, lobbing the ball over a diving Simon Mignolet before volleying off-balance past despairing Liverpool defenders.

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After Matip’s carelessness set the bar Dejan Lovren rose to the challenge, just not quite high enough. Chasing a Hugo Lloris throw he woefully misjudged his header, leaving Kane free to sprint in behind and square for Son to volley home.

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Spurs would have been out of sight by the 20th minute had a Son volley that cannoned back off the bar been an inch lower.

And it briefly appeared they might pay for their profligacy when Salah got in behind auxiliary left wing-back Serge Aurier and scuffed a shot beyond Lloris.

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Liverpool, though, continued to invite pressure from Spurs which eventually told moments before half-time.

Once more Matip would shoulder the blame, his partner in crime Lovren having already been hooked for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, as his clearing header from a free-kick did nothing more than tee up Alli to volley home.

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Goalkeeper Simon Mignolet had performed relatively admirably in the first half travesty but was soon getting in on the act, flapping a Kieran Trippier free-kick into the path of Jan Vertonghen.

The Belgian’s volley was blocked by Liverpool’s star defender, No.9 Roberto Firmino, but Kane pounced on the rebound.

All that was left was the question of whether Spurs fancied chipping further away at Manchester United’s goal difference lead, which had stood at eight at the start of the day, in the final 35 minutes.

Hugo Lloris ensured there would be no calamities at the other end as he palmed a trademark Philippe Coutinho curler onto the bar.

Though you sensed they could have had more at will Spurs seemed happy to cruise their way to the finish line, leaving Liverpool to ponder a defeat that has left them ninth, their defence so woeful that Burnley lead them on goal difference.