Liverpool 2 Tottenham 1: Daniel Sturridge double strike ends longest ever goal drought to hand Reds victory

LIVERPOOL powered through to the EFL Cup quarter-final with a dominant display against Tottenham.

Jurgen Klopp changed his entire team from Saturday’s win over West Brom while Maurico Pochettino made ten changes, but it is the German who will be more encouraged by his fringe players after a commanding win.

Daniel Sturridge got the Reds on their way, scoring a tap-in in the 9th minute to end the longest goal drought of his career.

And after missing a number of chances the England striker looked to have put the game beyond doubt when he latches on to Georginio Wijnaldum’s through ball to slot through Michel Vorm’s legs and make it 2-0.

Vincent Janssen got Spurs back into the game from the penalty spot after a foul by Lucas and Pochettino’s side may consider themselves unlucky not to have had a second penalty when Alberto Moreno brought the Dutch striker down.

But down the other end, former Swansea keeper Vorm kept them in the game by pushing Sturridge’s deflected strike onto the bar to deny him a hat-trick.

Youngster Shaydon Harrison could have equalised late on for Spurs but let himself down with a poor touch from a ball over the top.

FACTS, STATS, GOALS AND LOLS

• A look at the team-sheets showed the two managers had made 21 changes between them from their last Premier League matches. Should fans be asking for their money back?
• Jurgen Klopp said in his programme notes Liverpool had to be looking to win this competition but then changed the whole side – how does that work?
• The Reds were the highest scoring Premier League side in this season’s competition before last night – with eight in two games.
• England Under 21 forward Danny Ings must be miffed – he only made the bench for this one. Surely a loan move in January beckons.
• Tottenham had not won any of their last eight meetings with Liverpool in all competitions – losing five of them.
• Trent Alexander-Arnold was the 17th player to be handed a debut by Jurgen Klopp in just over a year in charge at Anfield.
• Keep your eye on this lad in the future – he’s been picked out as a future star by none other than Stevie G in his book.
• Daniel Sturridge’s opener means he has now scored nine times in his last eight appearances in the League Cup. Number 10 arrived too eventually.
• He will never come closer to this to getting a hat-trick – he did everything but score another one.
• At the other end, Vincent Janssen’s only Spurs goal before last night came in it too – against Gillingham in the last round.
• The way Spurs picked up after throwing on Lamela and Wanyama must have had Pochettino wondering if he should have gone for it a bit more.

BIG PICTURE

SOCIAL SAYS

DREAM TEAM RATINGS

Liverpool: Mignolet 7, Alexander-Arnold 6 (Clyne 69, 6), Lucas 7, Klavan 6, Moreno 7, Stewart 7, Wijnaldum 7, Grujic 7 (Can 89, 6), Ejaria 6, Origi 6 (Ings 69, 6), Sturridge 8

Subs not used: Karius, Lovren, Lallana, Mane

Goals: Sturridge 9′, Sturridge 64′

Booked: Alexander-Arnold, Ings, Grujic

Tottenham: Vorm 7, Trippier 6, Carter-Vickers 6, Wimmer 6, Davies 6, Dier 6 (Wanyama 68, 6), Winks 6, Onomah 6, Carroll 6 (Lamela 62, 6), Nkoudou 5 (Harrison 84, 5), Janssen 6

Subs not used: Lopez, Walker, Vertonghen, Amos

Goals: Janssen (pen) 76′

Booked: Winks, Wimmer

Star Man: Daniel Sturridge