This match was so important to both sides, not just because of the points.
Now that both Tottenham and Liverpool had entered the Champions League quarterfinals and were in different brackets, in other words, it was possible for them to meet in the Champions League final.
Therefore, the outcome of this match was particularly crucial.
If they could win, the team would have a significant psychological advantage.
"Let's look at the away team's side. Liverpool's starting lineup:"
"Goalkeeper: Alisson."
"Defenders: Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson."
"Midfielders: Henderson, TJ, Wijnaldum."
"Forwards: Salah, Firmino, Mané."
"Klopp has not made any adjustments to the formation. It's still the familiar 4-3-3!"
"The match has begun. Liverpool kicks off."
Accompanied by the frantic cheers of tens of thousands of fans at White Hart Lane, the match finally began.
Liverpool kicked off but did not rush forward.
On the contrary, after seeing the formation Tottenham had set up, they instead passed the ball back to their own half to maintain possession.
Although the 3-at-the-back, 1-holding-midfielder system was a defensive formation, once they attacked, Sissoko would also participate in the offense.
In that case, Tottenham would only have 3 defenders in the back.
Tendou, from his attacking midfield position, dropped back to his own half and started a small-scale passing and control game with Henderson, Van Dijk, and Arnold.
Seeing this, the Tottenham players, after all, it was their home ground, and seeing Liverpool being so cautious in their own half, even though they knew they wanted to draw out their defensive formation, they still charged forward.
But, with a numerical disadvantage, with only Eriksen and Alli, no matter how hard they pressed, they couldn't win the ball from Liverpool.
Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap~
The ball was passed back and forth between the Liverpool players an unknown number of times.
There was still no intention of attacking.
Seeing that this was not working, Rose and Trippier also pressed past the Liverpool half.
In that instant, Tottenham's defensive line moved.
Liverpool immediately bared their fangs.
After a horizontal pass to Arnold, Van Dijk launched a long ball into the Tottenham half.
The trident immediately made forward runs, striding past the halfway line.
"Here they come!"
"Liverpool's attack!"
"Arnold with a long pass, immediately giving the ball to TJ's feet!"
"Tottenham immediately retreats! Eriksen is sticking to TJ! Tendou distributes the ball to Mané on the left!"
"Mané!"
"A sudden stop to shake off the defender, he accelerates towards the Tottenham box! Sissoko is coming over, very fast! Sánchez is also closing in!"
"Mané passes back! He gives the ball back to TJ!"
On the White Hart Lane pitch, the moment Tendou received the ball from Mané, the Liverpool away fans immediately cheered.
They were waiting for a magic show to be staged.
Tendou looked up at the Tottenham goal, but his brain had already simulated the runs of all his teammates and opponents.
Just as he started, a black figure appeared at his feet.
It was Rose.
He brought Tendou down with a fierce slide tackle, even though Tendou was stronger than him.
TWEEET!
The referee blew the whistle.
The hearts of Klopp and the Liverpool fans were in their throats, worried that Tendou was injured.
Because Tendou's "tough guy" persona was well-known.
Most of the time, he would bravely get right back up after falling. This time he didn't. Could it be that something had really happened?
Little did they know, this guy was doing it on purpose. He had been setting this up for over a dozen matches, and now it was almost time to reel in the net.
Tendou clutched his ankle, his face contorted in pain.
He didn't dare to open his eyes, afraid that the damned camera was still on him.
"FAK! What are you trying to do? Is this your football?"
"You are a butcher with no morals!"
The extreme worry instantly ignited the anger of the Liverpool players.
Including Klopp, who was furiously yelling at Pochettino not far away.
"Shut your stinking mouth, you loser who has achieved nothing! So what if you have 150 million? You still can't win anything!"
Pochettino immediately retorted.
Just a few minutes into the game, White Hart Lane had been ignited. Even the head coaches were about to fight.
It was even more impossible for the players on the field to hold back.
Seeing their "tough guy" in agony, his good friend Arnold, although at a great disadvantage in terms of height, still fearlessly charged at Rose.
But before he could make a move, the team's "medic," Henderson, was already squeezing Rose's neck.
...
"HEY!"
"Let go of him!"
Although they knew their teammate was in the wrong, the Tottenham players still rushed to stand in front of him at the first moment.
With the team's star player leading the charge, the Tottenham players followed, yelling and pushing.
Liverpool, of course, was not to be trifled with. Even Alisson rushed to the scene at the speed of a 100-meter sprint.
A super-brawl was about to break out.
Alisson squared up against Adam Blake, and the two of them were about to get into it.
The 21 players from both teams were gathered together.
Ironically, Tendou, who was rolling on the ground, was a bit embarrassed.
All I wanted was a card!
How did even the fans in the stands start fighting?
Tendou felt that he might not have controlled the "heat" well. He seemed to have been overly "tough" before.
...
This won't do. In the future, I must increase the practice and frequency of going down.
"TJ, how are you?"
The team doctor, like a bolt of lightning, rushed to Tendou with his medical bag to check on his injury.
But he heard Tendou ask him in a small voice, "Did the ref give a card?"
"???"
Damn it, this is a dive!
The corner of the team doctor's mouth twitched. He was wondering how their tough guy had gone down so easily. So it was an act.
He secretly glanced at the referee and whispered, covering his mouth, "He did. Yellow card. 3 of them!"
"3 of them?"
"Yeah. One for Rose, and one each for Klopp and that damned Argentine."
Damn.
Only then did Tendou notice that his own head coach had gotten into it with Pochettino.
"Butcher! Get out of England!"
"If you're scared, then get out of White Hart Lane, you son of a bitch!"
"That's only a yellow? A corrupt ref!"
"He's just a useless softie! That 'Liverpool tough guy' is all an act! He's a shameful liar!"
"..."
Curses poured into the stadium from all directions.
Seeing that it was about enough, Tendou let the team doctor spray him a few times and then got back up.
When Pochettino saw that Tendou was alive and kicking, he knew that his side had most likely gotten the short end of the stick.
Rose was now on a yellow card. For the rest of the match, his defensive actions would be restricted.
He might not be able to stop him even if he went all out, let alone in this situation.
...
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