Liverpool v Tottenham: Premier League – live!

74 min Liverpool did not win the title despite losing only two games in 2008-09. As things stand, they are in danger of going one worse.

73 min Liverpool cannot really afford a draw, so the rest of this match is going to be off the scale when it comes to intensity.

72 min The ball was probably moving slightly when Kane drove that long free-kick to Trippier, although it was a superb spot and a great pass.

It was a slightly scruffy goal but Spurs will not care. The alert Kane drove a quick crossfield free-kick to Trippier on the right. He passed it infield to Eriksen, who screwed a low ball across the area, wrongfooting most of the Liverpool defenders in the process. It fell perfectly for Lucas Moura, who forced it through Alisson from six yards.

69 min Spurs make a change, with Son replacing Davinson Sanchez. That means Rose goes to left-back and Vertonghen into the centre.

69 min Salah drills a shot over the bar from 20 yards. He’s had another relatively poor game.

67 min “I’d like to apply for the position of coroner on this new show you’re cooking up,” says Justin Kavanagh. “Matt Dony would ask me about the state of the victim’s heart at time of death, and I’d say something like “He was a Scouser. It was April. Take a wild guess!”

66 min This is deliciously tense. Another dangerous cross, this time from Eriksen, is put behind by Matip. Eriksen’s outswinging corner is lumped clear.

65 min “Mac Millings as Cannon and Bore’s boss?” sniffs Gary Naylor. “I’m not at all sure he’s the right calibre…”

Wahey!

64 min Rose drives a dangerous low cross towards the near post, where van Dijk smoothly gets in front of Lucas Moura. That was a brilliant piece of defending, made to look routine.

62 min Liverpool are largely playing on the counter-attack now, though they won’t particularly mind that with the pace they have up front. It’s a really excellent game, this.

60 min Salah could and possibly should have played Mane in rather than shooting, as Liverpool briefly had two against one. That said, the angle and distance meant it wouldn’t have been an easy pass, so you can understand why he went for the shot.

59 min Firmino plays a wonderful through pass to Salah, whose placed shot is blocked vitally by Alderweireld. This is a cracking game.

58 min That Eriksen shot would definitely have gone in but for Robertson’s block. The man is a bona fide hero.

56 min: A double chance for Spurs! Kane makes room on the left side of the box for a stinging left-footed shot that is beaten away by Alisson. He pushes it straight out to Eriksen, whose follow-up is blocked brilliantly by Robertson!

55 min Lucas Moura falls over in the area but Martin Atkinson isn’t interested. At the other end, Firmino appeals for a foul after a challenge from Sanchez, but again the referee ignores it.

54 min Milner’s cross is headed over from eight yards by Firmino. It was a good, powerful header under pressure from Trippier, but he had no pace on the ball to work with.

54 min It’s getting tense at Anfield, and it’ll stay that way until Liverpool get a second goal. Spurs are having more of the game now, but they still haven’t really tested Alisson.

52 min “Actually, I don’t want a sidekick,” says Matt Dony. “I want to be Virgil van Dijk’s sidekick. Just generally follow him around, and bask in his brilliance. What a player. What a man. On an unrelated note, Mrs Dony is currently packing for a trip to South America. I just went upstairs, and found her listening to Atmosphere by Russ Abbott. By choice. Should I be worried?”

I’d be more concerned about your erroneous and disrespectful spelling of Russ Abbot, mate.

51 min Spurs are now playing a loose-limbed 4-2-3-1 formation, with Alli in midfield and Rose, Lucas Moura and Eriksen behind Kane.

50 min “If McMahon’s in as the sidekick,” says Mac Millings, “maybe I could be the superior officer they drive crazy. ‘Damn it, Bore! You gotta keep Cannon in check, or either I’m gonna lose my mind, or he’s gonna lose his badge! Also, could you take a look at this thing on my chest? Does it look weird to you?’”

49 min A clever corner from Liverpool almost leads to a second goal. Alexander-Arnold played a short pass infield to Milner, who lost Eriksen and drove a first-time cross beyond the far post. Van Dijk arrived round the back but couldn’t get on top of a header that flew over the crossbar.

48 min Spurs have switched to a back four, with Vertonghen at left-back and Rose on the left of midfield. Meanwhile, Eriksen swishes high over the bar from 22.37 yards.

47 min “I don’t get to watch a lot of football live on the telly box, so this is proving something of a treat,” says David Horn. “I’m wondering though … has someone smuggled Graeme Souness into one of those pods from the Cocoon movie? He looks about 35.”

It’s because he drinks the blood of a small Romanian midfielder every morning.

Peep peep! Liverpool lead deservedly through Roberto Firmino’s goal, made superbly by Andy Robertson. Spurs were hanging on for a while, with Liverpool’s full-backs rampant, but restored order after a tactical switch to 3-4-3 and that should give them greater hope for the second half. See you in 10 minutes.

43 min This is Spurs’ best spell of the game, with a lot of possession and some sharper passing and movement. They need to work Alisson, though, who has looked very nervous.

41 min Eriksen is starting to look dangerous. He floats a delicate return pass over the defence towards Alli that is crucially headed away by the stretching van Dijk.

40 min Moura shoots tamely wide from 20 yards after collecting a good pass from Eriksen.

38 min Spurs have switched to a 3-4-3 formation, although at the moment it’s more of a 5-4-1. Liverpool aren’t giving them a moment’s peace.

37 min Mane, found well by Firmino, curls a sweet effort just wide of the far post from 20 yards. That was so close, and Lloris didn’t move.

34 min Firmino, who has been much more like his old self today, plays a fine return pass over the defence for Mane. Alderweireld comes across to concede a corner.

33 min That’s better from Spurs. Alli plays a one-two with Eriksen and swishes a half-volley just over the bar from 30 yards. Alisson had it covered but it was a good effort.

31 min Spurs are hanging on to their 1-0 deficit. Firmino beats Sanchez on the left of the area before hitting a low cross that is blocked. This could be over by half-time.

30 min “ESPN’s Katie Nolan, who is a delightful sport presenter, asked her followers what EPL team she should follow,” says Hubert O’Hearn. “Liverpool won a narrow vote. Today is Katie’s first EPL match live and in person. I think she chose a good one as she has already tweeted that Anfield took her breath away. True you know – there is nothing in the world that compares to a completely switched-on football stadium in a title race.”

29 min An outstanding cross from Rose flashes right across the face of the Liverpool goal. Robertson did very well to block off Lucas Moura, who would otherwise have had an easy chance.

28 min Alexander-Arnold curls the corner onto the outside of the near post. Lloris had it covered, I should stress.

27 min The indefatigable Robertson wins a corner for Liverpool. After a slow start, Liverpool have had an excellent 15 minutes and are in total control at the moment.

25 min “Tottenham have a hole in the middle,” says Jeremy Dresner. “Everything Erickson touches is going awry and Sissoko seems to be hugging the centre circle while being ringroaded as Liverpool take to the flanks with speed and success.”

Sissoko looked a weak link when the teams were announced, but the biggest danger has been Liverpool’s full-backs. I’m surprised Pochettino hasn’t changed formation, either to 3-4-3 or even 4-3-3, although the latter is difficult without making a substitution.

23 min Rose drives a long ball towards the edge of the Liverpool area, where Alisson gets in a tangle and is again lucky that the ball falls to him rather than Dele Alli.

23 min “Spurs’ defensive problems in a nutshell,” says Paul Binns. “More League Two kicking by Lloris, cross with no pressure on the ball, free header on the six-yard line with the goalkeeper standing on his line. Over and over and over again.”

It was poor defending but I don’t know that Lloris could have come for that. It was a brilliant cross.