Liverpool 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur: Mane mars Spurs title hopes

• Blazing start for Liverpool
• Hard tackles abound
• Reds congest Top Four

Sadio Mane‘s first half brace (WATCH HERE) moved four teams within a single point of second place, as Liverpool belted Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 on Saturday at Anfield.

Spurs failed in a bid to ensure its second-place status for another week, and Liverpool now sits fourth ahead of Manchester City’s Sunday match against Burnley.

Spurs do sit second with 50 points, the same as Arsenal, while Liverpool joins Man City on 49. Manchester United has 48 after dispatching Watford.

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Most of the early pressure came courtesy of Liverpool, and it was Mane who provided a deserved finish when Philippe Coutinho played an inviting through ball and the Senegalese striker beat Ben Davies to the end of it before scoring around a splayed Hugo Lloris.

Mane made it 2-0 in easier fashion this time, as Adam Lallana stung the palms of Lloris and the goalkeeper stopped Roberto Firmino‘s rebound attempt before Mane belted the third chance into the top of the goal.

Mane nearly had a hat trick after Davies made amends for poor defending by clearing the attacker’s shot off the line. Lloris was then called upon to snare a Coutinho effort, as Spurs looked rudderless.

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8 – Spurs have conceded 8 shots on target; the most in a 1st half for Tottenham since Opta started collecting shot data in 03-04. Stunned.

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 11, 2017

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Aside from a good-looking run down the left by Dele Alli, the second half began with a very Liverpool tint.

Spurs brought on Harry Winks with a little over 20 minutes to play, and the London side had a few moments in the Reds end.

Victor Wanyama clipped Lallana as the latter attempted a cross in the 76th minute, giving the Reds a free kick. Eric Dier than chopped down Emre Can, picking up a yellow.

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