THE good news for Roberto De Zerbi is his Tottenham side have finally scored against Premier League opposition this season.
The not-so-good news is Conor Gallagher’s late header proved only to be a consolation as Spurs were dumped out of the cup at Anfield by a hat-trick of stunning strikes.
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And to twist the knife further, the decisive second of the terrific trio came from a player they had tried and failed to sign all summer.
Cody Gakpo’s fine, second-half effort, adding to an exquisite curler from Alexis Mac Allister before the break, looked to have killed off this contest around the hour mark.
Gallagher finally ended the Prem goal hoodoo with a simple header on 69 minutes.
Spurs, remember, are yet to net in their opening four league fixtures for the first time ever in their history.
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It sparked an exciting finale but ultimately one Spurs could not turn around, especially when Dominik Szoboszlai walloped home a 30-yard thunderbolt in stoppage time.
And fans left once again with that sinking feeling will have seen this as a huge opportunity missed, given Andoni Iraola played the kids and Tottenham had chances.
Instead, Spurs are now looking at an awful run going back to November 2024 of 47 games in which they have fallen behind and failed to win.
It underlines their long-standing fragility and the size of the task facing De Zerbi, even after splashing around £350million on new talent this summer.
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Friday 18 September
Brentford
20:00
EPL
Chelsea
Saturday 19 September
Spurs
12:30
EPL
Villa
Brighton
15:00
EPL
Arsenal
Everton
15:00
EPL
Ipswich
Newcastle
15:00
EPL
Hull
Forest
17:30
EPL
Coventry
Monday 14 September
Leeds
4 – 1
EPL
Newcastle
Sunday 13 September
Man Utd
0 – 1
EPL
Man City
Coventry
0 – 5
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Brighton
Saturday 12 September
Sunderland
0 – 2
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Spurs
0 – 0
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Iraola admitted his ten switches were “a lot of changes”, including in his starting line-up James McConnell, 21, Trey Nyoni, 19, and Lewis Koumas, the 20-year-old son of Jason Koumas.
Saturday’s 0-0 at home to Everton extended Tottenham’s toothless start in the league to uncharted territory.
But the positive De Zerbi was clinging to after the game was the exciting start his new-look team made, before fading badly after half an hour.
It was a similar story here as Spurs dominated the opening stages and really should have taken the lead on 11 minutes through Bergvall.
It came via a lovely move when Gallagher released the overlapping Destiny Udogie, who cut the ball back where Bergvall was waiting near the penalty spot.
The Swede connected well enough but his shot was brilliantly denied by keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.
Bergvall could not believe it but in truth, had he fired towards the corner he would have given Alisson’s back-up no chance.
It was still a let-off for Iraola’s young side who for a brief period looked like boys against men before the hosts took control.
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Their warning shot came when Rio Ngumoha played an inch-perfect ball behind Marcos Senesi to Koumas, whose effort was repelled well by Martin Dubravka.
Then on 21 minutes, the hosts had their lead.
Gakpo had chested down a high ball and dribbled across the pitch, finding Ngumoha.
Udogie managed to dispossess the teenager but in doing so diverted the ball straight to Mac Allister, who curled beautifully into the top corner from the edge of the area.
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Off the shaven-headed goalscorer ran in celebration, blowing a kiss at the camera and strengthening his argument for the new contract he publicly called for last week.
Spurs did not help themselves by overplaying a few times at the back and getting caught out doing it by Liverpool’s enthusiastic press, even if they did not actually concede from those situations.
They should have levelled just after the half-hour thanks to another exciting move which saw Bergvall ship the ball out wide to Udogie, whose excellent delivery found Kudus in the middle.
But the Ghanaian, starting his first game for Spurs in 257 days following a long-term injury, could not keep his shot down.
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De Zerbi opted not to make any half-time changes and by the time he did mix it up, his team were 2-0 down.
A simple passage of play on the edge of Tottenham’s box ended with Mac Allister passing forward to Gakpo, who made firing into the far corner look so easy.
Spurs had pursued the Dutchman for most of the summer, before Liverpool decided to keep him, and goals like this were proof of why.
The biggest cheer of the night to a Spurs player came when Andy Robertson came on as sub, with the home crowd honouring their former stalwart with applause and songs of praise.
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Spurs were still creating the odd chance, including a Kudus blast well stopped by Mamardashvili, but most observers presumed the game was done at that point.
Then, out of nowhere in the driving rain, Gallagher won a corner which sub Mateus Fernandes planted right on his unmarked head, and he duly nodded home.
Liverpool were getting nervier as the weather was getting worse and De Zerbi was throwing on more and more attacking talent.
An equaliser looked on the cards when Omar Marmoush squirmed his way free in the penalty area but his goal-bound shot was sensationally denied by Mamardashvili.
It was a save so good that even Alisson was seen clapping his hands in appreciation on the subs’ bench.
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But it was outdone by something even better a minute into stoppage time as sub Szoboszlai unleashed an unstoppable blast from distance to have Anfield on its feet.
Friday 18 September
Brentford
20:00
EPL
Chelsea
Saturday 19 September
Spurs
12:30
EPL
Villa
Brighton
15:00
EPL
Arsenal
Everton
15:00
EPL
Ipswich
Newcastle
15:00
EPL
Hull
Forest
17:30
EPL
Coventry
Monday 14 September
Leeds
4 – 1
EPL
Newcastle
Sunday 13 September
Man Utd
0 – 1
EPL
Man City
Coventry
0 – 5
EPL
Brighton
Saturday 12 September
Sunderland
0 – 2
EPL
Arsenal
Spurs
0 – 0
EPL
Everton
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12
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Friday 18 September
Brentford
20:00
EPL
Chelsea
Saturday 19 September
Spurs
12:30
EPL
Villa
Brighton
15:00
EPL
Arsenal
Everton
15:00
EPL
Ipswich
Newcastle
15:00
EPL
Hull
Forest
17:30
EPL
Coventry
Monday 14 September
Leeds
4 – 1
EPL
Newcastle
Sunday 13 September
Man Utd
0 – 1
EPL
Man City
Coventry
0 – 5
EPL
Brighton
Saturday 12 September
Sunderland
0 – 2
EPL
Arsenal
Spurs
0 – 0
EPL
Everton
English Premier League
Pld
Pts
GD
W
D
L
Form
1
4
12
7
4
0
0
2
4
12
6
4
0
0
3
4
8
4
2
2
0
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3
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