Hugo Ekitike underlined his effectiveness and the growth Arne Slot noted on the eve of the match, scoring the winner against Tottenham as the club now sweat over an injury to his strike partner.
Tottenham 1-2 Liverpool
Premier League (17) | Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
December 20, 2025
Goals: Richarlison 83′; Isak 56′, Ekitike 66′
1. Do the ends justify the means?
LONDON, ENGLAND - Saturday, December 20, 2025: Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot after the FA Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Liverpool FC at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
When Liverpool were suffering consecutive defeats to Manchester City, Nottingham Forest and PSV, you could not move for suggestions that they simply needed to go back to basics.
Well that is exactly what Arne Slot has done, and so it would probably be unfair to complain that his team are now a difficult watch as a result.
Across an unbeaten run that was stretched to six games here, the Reds have largely ensured that little has happened in either box, and that was the case again as the two sides mustered 1.16xG between them from open play.
They also won again to move level on points with Chelsea in the final Champions League spot, confirming that Slot has been successful in his bid to steady the ship.
Still, for all the positives, it is entirely fair to ask if this is going to be enough in the long term, or whether getting outplayed by nine-man Tottenham is acceptable.
2. Cruel injury blow for Alexander Isak
LONDON, ENGLAND - Saturday, December 20, 2025: Liverpool's Alexander Isak lies injured after scoring the first goal during the FA Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Liverpool FC at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
It was perfectly in keeping with Alexander Isak‘s Liverpool career thus far that an important goal here was followed immediately by an injury that forced him from the field.
Since arriving this summer, the Swede has simply been unable to catch a break, and thus has failed to build any momentum as he looks to justify his price tag.
His goal here, a trademark dart in behind and smart finish, should have done wonders for the confidence of a player who is still trying to overcome the various fitness setbacks he has faced this season.
Instead, Isak is facing another stint on the sidelines as a result of a reckless Micky van de Ven challenge that surely should have been examined more closely.
3. Hugo Ekitike is the real deal
LONDON, ENGLAND - Saturday, December 20, 2025: Liverpool's goalscorer Hugo Ekitike celebrates after the FA Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Liverpool FC at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Fortunately for Liverpool, if they are to be missing Isak for any length of time, they have another centre-forward who is perfectly capable of leading the line.
And that is Hugo Ekitike, who netted his eighth Premier League goal and 11th of the campaign so far to effectively seal the points.
That it saw the Frenchman bully one of the league’s most physical defenders was fitting given it underlined how quickly he has adapted to the demands of English football.
Ekitike is surely emerging as one of the signings of the season and, just like the team as a whole, is getting better week by week.
4. Key milestone for standout Wirtz
LONDON, ENGLAND - Saturday, December 20, 2025: Liverpool's Florian Wirtz during the FA Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Liverpool FC at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Perhaps there is little honour in being man of the match in a game of such low quality, but either way, Florian Wirtz was it.
Nobody created more chances than the German’s two, or completed more dribbles than his four, and he also took on two shots in constantly menacing the Spurs defence.
But his most significant takeaway from this match will surely be a first Premier League assist, registered in late December.
Anyone who has watched Wirtz of late will know this has been coming given his recent uptick in performances, and there hope is that it can spur him on to more.
5. Another set-piece nightmare
LONDON, ENGLAND - Saturday, December 20, 2025: Tottenham Hotspur's Richarlison de Andrade scores his side's first goal during the FA Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Liverpool FC at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
How many more times can we talk about this issue before Liverpool make a decisive move to solve it?
Clearly, Slot’s side had not played well in this game, but they had done enough to bring themselves into the final 10 minutes of normal time with a chance of comfortably seeing out a hard-earned 2-0 victory.
Then, a complete inability to defend set-pieces reared its head once again and suddenly the last moments of the game turned into a desperate, backs-to-the-wall nightmare.
This was an 11th goal from such situations conceded this season, with only Bournemouth boasting a worse record on that front.
Liverpool were simply lucky that it did not cost them this time, but there is no doubt it will again before the campaign is out.