Match Statistics: Liverpool 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Was this the night the dream died for Liverpool?
The Reds’ quadruple hopes are still alive, but only just after they blinked first in their battle of nerve at the top of the Premier League.
This 1-1 draw with Tottenham sends them above Manchester City, but it felt more like a defeat, in truth.
With two weeks of the campaign remaining, the advantage is very much with Pep Guardiola’s side, who can move three points clear with a win over Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Jurgen Klopp’s men gave everything, fighting back from the shock of Son Heung-min’s 56th-minute opener to level through Luis Diaz, 16 minutes from time.
Anfield was bouncing as the home side chased a winner, but it never came.
Who ever would have thought that Tottenham would have such a big say in the title race? Having taken six points off City this season, Antonio Conte’s side have now taken four away from Liverpool.
They opened the door for the Reds with victory in Manchester in February, but they may well have closed it here, while simultaneously keeping their own hopes of a top-four finish alive.
It was an enthralling game, relentlessly intense and fiercely contested. Liverpool pressed and they harried and they bristled with intent. Diaz was superb, and deserved his goal.
Tottenham, meanwhile, defended their box superbly, with Cristian Romero and Ben Davies outstanding, and then broke with menace through Son, Harry Kane and Ryan Sessegnon.
Indeed, had they had a better final ball, the Londoners may well have nicked it themselves in the closing stages.
Liverpool had enjoyed a dream week, following up victory at Newcastle by reaching the Champions League final with a win in Spain against Villarreal.
They had then watched on like the rest of us, agog, as Real Madrid produced another miracle in the Bernabeu against City.
They had hoped to finish it in style under the Saturday night lights at Anfield, but alas it was not to be.
Klopp was defiant at the end, whipping up the Kop as he urged fans not to give up hope.
“Could end up being a very important point,” tweeted Didi Hamann, the former Reds midfielder, at full time. You could understand his argument, even if it looks like blind optimism to some.
They are, after all, in the box seat for now, and one defeat for City, either on Sunday or in subsequent games with West Ham, Wolves and Aston Villa, would open the door once more.
If not, then Klopp’s side can be proud of what they have achieved.
Having looked dead and buried in January, they have at least ensured there has been a title race to talk about. Without them, we would be hailing another City procession.
They still have glory in their sights. Next weekend they will look to win their first FA Cup since 2006, and later this month they will turn Paris red as they face off against Real Madrid in that Champions League final.
These are halcyon days at Anfield, make no mistake about that.
That doesn’t mean this result won’t sting, though. For once, the team that always finds a way could not find a way. For once, Anfield was a place of regrets rather than revelry.
Liverpool must hope there are more twists and turns to come.
Over to you, Manchester City.
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