At a glance

  • Dominik Szoboszlai scores fourth direct free-kick of season to put Liverpool ahead

  • Richarlison earns Spurs point their performance merited with 90th-minute equaliser

  • Draw is first point of interim Tottenham boss Igor Tudor's reign

  • Liverpool up to fifth; Spurs are 16th - one point clear of relegation zone

  • PLAYER RATER

By
Chief football writer at Anfield

Richarlison's last-gasp equaliser earned Tottenham Hotspur a deserved draw at Liverpool as under-pressure interim coach Igor Tudor secured his first point.

Despite delivering their best performance under the Croatian, Spurs looked set to slump to a seventh straight loss in all competitions - their fifth under Tudor - after Dominik Szoboszlai's 18th minute free-kick put Liverpool ahead.

Richarlison had been a constant menace, forcing Liverpool keeper Alisson into several saves, before he finally pounced on Randal Kolo Muani's pass to score in the 90th minute.

It was a bitter blow to Liverpool, who looked to be moving back into the top four, but a huge lift for Spurs as they showed real resilience to finally stop the rot, especially after their midweek Champions League humbling at Atletico Madrid.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot dropped Mohamed Salah to the bench, giving 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha his first Premier League start, and how he justified that act of faith.

Spurs, with 13 players missing through either injury or suspension, started brightly but were undermined by another goalkeeping error.

Guglielmo Vicario, starting instead of Antonin Kinsky following his nightmare in the heavy loss in Spain, got his positioning all wrong for Szoboszlai's free-kick, failing to keep it out despite getting a strong hand on the effort.

And Liverpool came close to doubling the lead before half-time, Vicario this time doing well to turn Cody Gakpo's shot on to the post.

But Richarlison led the Spurs line with great heart, heading narrowly wide and forcing two important saves from Alisson either side of the interval before finally striking in front of a stunned Kop.

Liverpool analysis: Ngumoha light amid mediocrity

Media caption,

Ngumoha a 'constant threat' in first Premier League start - Slot

Slot finally bowed to the demands to unleash Ngumoha from the start, and the teenage winger demonstrated what all the fuss and excitement is about with a thrilling display.

Following Max Dowman's brilliant goalscoring cameo in Arsenal's win against Everton, Ngumoha showed further evidence of a bright future for England as he stood out, despite being surrounded by the mediocrity of his Liverpool team-mates.

Ngumoha was a constant threat in one-on-one duels and was always willing to shoot at goal, in a performance showing a vision and invention beyond other more experienced players around him.

But the teenager aside, Liverpool lacked urgency and creation and invited the trouble that eventually led to Richarlison punishing Slot's side at the end.

The equaliser carried a sense of inevitability, and the Brazilian cupped an ear to the Kop who had jeered him throughout for his previous Everton connections.

Liverpool looked set to move into the top four until they conceded, but can have no complaints about the outcome. Anfield let Slot and his players know exactly what they thought with resounding jeers at the final whistle.

Spurs analysis: Light at the end of the tunnel?

Media caption,

Spurs happy to earn 'very good point' at Liverpool - Tudor

Spurs and interim head coach Tudor - however long he may last - can take huge encouragement from both the performance and result at Anfield.

Tudor arrived at Anfield surrounded by speculation about his future after four dismal losses, the last little short of a fiasco at Atletico in the Champions League.

But missing 13 players, they fully merited the draw as they were spirited and dangerous throughout.

Richarlison led the line superbly, giving Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez a torrid time in tandem with Dominic Solanke.

He had tested Alisson several times before finally beating his Brazil colleague with a scuffed finish after Kolo Muani had outmuscled Van Dijk in the final minute of normal time.

The big question is whether Spurs can now build on the platform this fine display has provided.

They face a mammoth task to overturn a 5-2 deficit from the first leg against Atletico before a vital game at home to fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest.

Spurs have reached the stage where every point is priceless - and no-one could possibly begrudge them this one.

What comes next?

Liverpool host Galatasaray in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday (20:00 GMT kick-off) and then travel to face Brighton in Saturday's early Premier League kick-off (12:30 GMT).

Spurs are also in Champions League action, playing Atletico Madrid at home on Wednesday (20:00 GMT) and then host Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Sunday, 22 March (14:15 GMT).

Player of the match

Number: 9 Richarlison
Average rating 6.97
Number: 8 D. Szoboszlai
Average Rating: 6.22
Number: 73 R. Ngumoha
Average Rating: 5.94
Number: 1 Alisson Becker
Average Rating: 5.70
Number: 7 F. Wirtz
Average Rating: 4.90
Number: 38 R. Gravenberch
Average Rating: 4.90
Number: 30 J. Frimpong
Average Rating: 4.82
Number: 26 A. Robertson
Average Rating: 4.76
Number: 10 A. Mac Allister
Average Rating: 4.68
Number: 4 V. van Dijk
Average Rating: 4.67
Number: 2 J. Gomez
Average Rating: 4.48
Number: 11 Mohamed Salah
Average Rating: 4.41
Number: 22 H. Ekitiké
Average Rating: 4.40
Number: 18 C. Gakpo
Average Rating: 4.35
Number: 17 C. Jones
Average Rating: 4.13
Number: 42 T. Nyoni
Average Rating: 4.11
Number: 14 F. Chiesa
Average Rating: 4.05

After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.

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