What a game.
Liverpool and Tottenham shared the points this afternoon after an enthralling encounter. Records were broken, screamers were scored, dives were made and justice was served, according to some anyway.
All the action was concentrated into the final ten minutes of the game. Liverpool had an early lead and the game stayed at 1-0 for the vast majority, with Spurs struggling to deal with Liverpool’s intensity.
Ten minutes from time, Victor Wanyama unleashed a rocket straight into the top corner. It was the type of shot that would have continued for miles if nothing were in its way. It was the moment of unexpected genius that the game needed, forcing Liverpool to get on the front foot and attack in search of a winner.
In the 87th minute, Harry Kane was played through on goal, took the ball round Loris Karius and initiated contact as he stepped over the goalkeeper, winning a penalty. There was debate as to whether it was a dive, whether he was offside, and after much deliberation, Jon Moss pointed to the spot. But Karius called his bluff, stayed in the middle of the goal and saved it.
Three minutes later, Mohamed Salah bagged his second goal of the game and 21st league goal of the season with what everyone thought would be the clincher. Spurs, with one last roll of the dice, threw on Fernando Llorente in a desperate attempt to equalise again.
Llorente won a header from a long throw and as the ball dropped in front of Virgil van Dijk, Erik Lamela appeared in front of him and Van Dijk fouled the Argentinian, not realising he was there.
Kane made no mistake this time and buried the penalty. The two penalties stand out as the main talking point from the game. These clashes have so much riding on them that those decisions have to be correct.
The first penalty required discussion between the referee and his assistant, the latter provoked debate about whether Van Dijk had pulled out of the tackle with Lamela.
This got everyone talking about, you guessed it: Video Assistant Referees. VAR, do we need it?
If ever a game was an advert for why we need VAR , it was Liverpool v Spurs. After all that drama result about right.
— Ian Darke (@IanDarke) February 4, 2018
“VAR takes too long” but we’ve just watched a couple of incompetent match officials spend 3 minutes trying to literally guess what happened.
— JB™️ (@gunnerpunner) February 4, 2018
Jokes aside, we need VAR for real.
— chuboi 🇳🇬🇨🇦 (@ChuBoi) February 4, 2018
I am now a fan of VAR… that was shocking!#LIVTOT #LFC #YNWA
— Sam Quek (@SamanthaQuek) February 4, 2018
I’ve never seen something so ridiculous. VAR HURRY UP! https://t.co/j1D7lIYl8H
— Zac Bell (@ZacLBell) February 4, 2018
https://twitter.com/Evertxn/status/960221252777627650
https://twitter.com/MessiMinutes/status/960221258775396355
However, the drama of the last ten minutes has made some people think the opposite, making the case that controversy and drama is what makes the sport exciting, and that the referees got everything correct in the end, so there it would not have been necessary to consult VAR.
The last 10 minutes of that game makes a great case for not using VAR.
— David Preece (@davidpreece12) February 4, 2018
https://twitter.com/DavidVujanic/status/960217743017508866
Tell you what, fuck VAR, this games been brilliant, full of controversy & exactly what Footballs about, it’s just not needed.
— Greg (@gergmitch) February 4, 2018
https://twitter.com/CallMeMubzy/status/960218038137163783
https://twitter.com/AFCSigurd/status/960217662189162496
