Ekitike and Isak help Liverpool squeeze past nine-man Tottenham

Defending champions Liverpool win 2-1 at Tottenham to climb to fifth in the Premier League table.Published On 20 Dec 2025Alexander Isak endured a bittersweet evening as the Liverpool striker scored before limping off injured in a chaotic 2-1 win over nine-man Tottenham.Isak put Liverpool ahead in the second half in north London on Saturday after Tottenham’s Xavi Simons was sent off before the interval for a nasty lunge on Virgil van Dijk.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Jake Paul says jaw broken as Anthony Joshua knocks him out in sixth roundlist 2 of 4India’s Mohun Bagan banned by AFC for refusal to play football game in Iranlist 3 of 4Former international footballer shot dead as violence escalates in Ecuadorlist 4 of 4FIFA World Cup 2026 winners’ prize money doubles to $50mend of listIt was only Isak’s third goal in 16 games in all competitions since his British record 125-million-pound ($166m) move from Newcastle on transfer deadline day.Yet in keeping with Isak’s troubled start to life with the Premier League champions, the 26-year-old was unable to fully enjoy his goal as he was forced to come off after being injured by Micky van de Ven’s failed attempt to stop him scoring.Hugo Ekitike’s fifth goal in his last four appearances put Liverpool in command before Richarlison’s reply set up a tense finale that came to a head with Tottenham defender Romero’s dismissal in stoppage time.Arne Slot’s side are up to fifth place in the Premier League after extending their unbeaten run to six games in all competitions, further distancing them from the miserable run of nine defeats in 12 that plunged them into crisis.While Liverpool steadied the ship with a third successive win, Isak’s injury could not have come at a worse time following Mohamed Salah’s departure for the Africa Cup of Nations.Slot claimed on Friday that Liverpool had “moved on” from the Salah controversy after his explosive interview two weeks ago in which he said he had been thrown under the bus by the club and no longer had a relationship with the Reds boss.