Isak on target but injured as Liverpool hangs
Liverpool striker Alexander Isak came off the bench to score the opener in his side's 2-1 victory at Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League but suffered a potentially serious injury in the process.
Isak was introduced at half-time after a turgid opening period in which Tottenham's Xavi Simons was shown a straight red card and he slotted his side ahead in the 56th minute from Florian Wirtz's first assist of the season before hobbling off.
Hugo Ekitike doubled Liverpool's lead with a header in the 66th minute but Liverpool switched off and Tottenham substitute Richarlison fired home after a scramble in the area in the 83rd minute.
It set up a nervous finale for Liverpool and it had to endure nine added minutes as Tottenham sensed it could prevent a club record 11th calendar year home league defeat.
Tottenham ended with nine men after captain Cristian Romero was sent off in stoppage-time for a second yellow card after kicking out at Ibrahima Konate but Liverpool was left hanging on at the end.
Victory lifted Arne Slot's side to fifth with 29 points while Tottenham's fifth home defeat of the season means it is down in 13th place with 22 points.
Almost a year ago to the day Liverpool came to north London and won 6-3 on its march to the title.
But this time it was no Christmas cracker, especially in a first half in which neither side had any attacking spark with both goalkeepers untroubled.
The one real talking point came just past the half-hour mark when Simons went to try and close down Dutch international teammate Van Dijk and raked his studs down the defender's calf.
There was no real malice in it but once referee John Brooks was invited to look at the pitch-side monitor the writing was on the wall for Simons, who was given his marching orders.
Liverpool did not make the most of their numerical superiority though and Slot sent on Isak to try to inject some life into his side for the second half.
It proved a 10-minute cameo record summer signing. He started and finished the move that gave Liverpool the lead, slotting past Guglielmo Vicario from Florian Wirtz's pass but went down in pain under a last-ditch tackle by Micky van de Ven.
After treatment he was helped around the touchline to be replaced by Jeremie Frimpong.
Tottenham almost levelled when Randal Kolo Muani burst into the area on the right and his deflected shot looped on to the woodwork.
Liverpool doubled its lead when Frimpong's cross flicked off a defender and looped up for Ekitike to direct a header past the static Vicario.
Tottenham fans began to drift away in the closing stages but the hosts showed the kind of spirit that has been lacking at home this season and pushed Liverpool back.
When Van Dijk failed to clear a bouncing ball it fell to Richarlison to sweep a shot past Alisson.
Alisson was called into action twice in stoppage-time to preserve Liverpool's lead and the visitors were relieved to hear the final whistle.
Isak spent several minutes on the floor before walking off gingerly with the help of two members of Liverpool's medical staff and Slot said his "gut feeling" was Isak's injury could be a serious one, though he tried to be optimistic.
"I don't have any news on him, but if a player scores and then gets injured and doesn't come back on the pitch and also doesn't try to come back ... that's usually not a good thing," he said.
"I cannot say anything more than that, that is just gut feeling, but nothing medical to say about it."
