EPL wrap: Liverpool draw against Tottenham in Anfield thriller, Newcastle held at Crystal Palace

  • 05/02/2018

Harry Kane scored a last-gasp penalty as fifth-placed Tottenham snatched a 2-2 draw at third-placed Liverpool in a dramatic clash at Anfield.               

Mo Salah thought he had won it for Liverpool with his second goal of the game in injury-time but Kane, who had missed a penalty at 1-1 moments before, converted a second spot-kick to grab a share of the spoils.        

The point still moved Liverpool into third place on their own, one point clear of Chelsea and two ahead of Tottenham.  

Salah put Liverpool in front after three minutes, taking advantage of a loose ball to roll the ball into the corner. 

Liverpool dominated the first half but did not extend their lead and Tottenham deserved their equaliser, Victor Wanyama slamming an unstoppable shot in from 25 yards with 10 minutes to go.

Kane then had a penalty saved by Loris Karius right at the end of 90 minutes, given for a foul by the goalkeeper, although there was confusion as to whether it was offside or not.

Liverpool then looked to have won it when Salah showed incredible footwork in the area to lift in his second of the game.

Mo Salah scores late in the game.
Mo Salah scores late in the game. Photo credit: Getty Images

But there was still time for another Tottenham attack and Virgil van Dijk clipped the back of Eric Lamela to give Spurs and Kane another chance.

This time, Kane went low and into the corner to earn a point Spurs probably deserved for their efforts over the game.

In the day's other match, Crystal Palace and Newcastle, two sides battling for survival in the Premier League, fought out a 1-1 draw.

Mohamed Diame put Newcastle in front in the first half but Luka Milivojevic equalized from the penalty spot early in the second half.

Palace climbed one place to 14th, while Newcastle remain 16th, just two points above the relegation zone.

Wilfried Zaha.
Wilfried Zaha. Photo credit: Getty Images

"I'm a little frustrated," Palace manager Roy Hodgson said, after his side had the bulk of the chances in the second half.

"The way we played in the second half and the dominance we had in the end, I'm disappointed we didn't get more than one goal for those efforts.          

"We were asking lots of questions of Newcastle in the second half but that ball wouldn't just go over the line for us during those goalmouth scrambles."

Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez said the penalty, given for shirt-pulling, changed the game. 

"We conceded a soft penalty because he was pushing my player and my player was pulling," Benitez said.

"We then changed everything because obviously they had more confidence and they were pushing, we knew that they have very good players up front. We needed to be strong in defence and it was difficult."           

Chelsea can go back above Liverpool into third if they win at Watford on Monday.           

DPA