Liverpool's Premier League title challenge remains on course after streaky win over Tottenham

Liverpool 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur: An own goal from Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld gave Liverpool a dramatic 2-1 win to maintain their lead at the top of the Premier League

This is why they believe. Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool went back to the top of the table after a classic goalkeeping error from Hugo Lloris gave them one of those classic run-in moments: a last-minute winner that gets a whole stadium rocking, and now only super-charges the title race.

That is what this 2-1 over Tottenham Hotspur felt like, just as it felt so gloriously joyous for Liverpool.

Whether they can actually go and win it and end that long wait remains to be seen, but this displayed they won’t give it up easily.

Had the ball not bounced in off Toby Alderweireld, Liverpool would have remained in second on goal difference with a game more played, potentially opening the way for Manchester City to finally open some daylight between them. That was the extra pressure of this pulsating, wild match that they do deserve extra credit for.

They instead went back to the top by two points. The pressure is now back on City.

Part of it was admittedly down to Spurs’ own error-strewn display, that Lloris only summed up, and brought to a nadir. Moussa Sissoko meanwhile showed why there will always be doubts in him no matter how well he plays with an awful late miss at 1-1, and Mauricio Pochettino’s team showed why they have not win since 10 February, with a fourth defeat in five.

Sissoko wasn’t the only Spurs player to squander an opportunity, though. So did the whole team, given that was what this game represented.

They had mostly been the better side, but that will only add to the sense of vindication and resilience in Liverpool. That should only make the win all the sweeter.

They came through this for what could be a seismic win.

Tottenham were meanwhile left looking at each other, but the tone for that was set by the opening goal.

It had been something of a surprise given that Spurs had been the better side, but the source of it was anything but a surprise, given Robertson had been the best player on the pitch. He was admittedly aided by Kieran Trippier’s reluctance to get close to him and apparent inability to keep up with him. Robertson was regularly afforded the freedom of the left side of the pitch during the game, and more often than not took command of it. Here, he used that space to play the perfect cross between the Spurs defenders, where Firmino found the same kind of space in the box to head in.

It reflected another problem for Spurs. The players - and particularly the defenders - seemed out of sorts in the 3-5-2 formation when they didn’t have the ball. When they did have it, then, they were so often sloppy. That wasn’t exclusive to Spurs.

Liverpool are back on top the Premier League (AFP/Getty)

Liverpool were conspicuously erratic, with Alisson the worst offender. He was the source of a few nervous moments, and never seemed completely set in either his kicking or his handling. It was just as well Virgil van Dijk was in typically imperious form in front of him. His battle with Harry Kane was one of a few elements of this match that was of the high standard you would expect of two sides as generally good as these. There was one moment in the first half when Kane had finally seemed to get behind Van Dijk, only for the defender to improbably get back and not just get contact on the shot but completely and forcefully block it.

Spurs were still creating openings but there was just a general sloppiness to them. Pochettino had to change something, to restore a bit of force to their game. He did it in a way that was unexpected, and caught Liverpool out a little. Rather than changing to four at the back at that point, he switched Dele Alli and the recently ineffective Christian Eriksen, and it did bring about better play in both.

Spurs were again the better side, and again in control, and then fully caught Liverpool out.

After Kane was fouled by Jordan Henderson, he took the clever decision to take the free-kick quickly. Except he didn’t just take it. He delivered one of the balls of the season with a fine cross-field pass for Trippier. The full-back cut inside a Liverpool defence that was momentarily cut open, to play it to Eriksen, who finally moved it on for Lucas Moura.

Lucas Moura scored an equaliser (Liverpool FC via Getty)

The Brazilian had looked threatening throughout, but part of that was because of how nervy Liverpool were themselves looking.

That, however, was part of the big set-up as the match reached that kind of classic tension you only get it in immersive run-in games.

The suspense was first of all only raised by the exchange of two excellent chances.

Liverpool had the chance to go ahead only for Van Dijk - of all people - to fail to make proper contact with a header right in front of goal, that eventually saw Hugo Lloris claim it amid a mini-scramble.

Hugo Lloris made a disastrous late error (EPA)

Spurs then had an even better chance, as Moussa Sissoko was somehow released to be put straight through on goal from the halfway line for a two-on-one with substitute Son Heung-Min.

It just evens the numbers a bit when the one is Van Dijk. The defender did brilliantly to awkwardly put himself between the two attackers to create more hesitation in Sissoko’s mind, but the fact there was a hesitation there at all was damning. The midfielder seemed unwilling to just thrust at goal and desperate to play it to Son, only shooting

It was to prove costly, but not as much as Lloris’s handling.

In the 89th minute, the goalkeeper fumbled Salah’s close-range header for the ball to bounce in off Toby Alderweireld.

That just ensured Anfield was bouncing, and Liverpool leaping back over City. On the evidence of this, they’re going to tough to restrain. There is now even more belief propelling them.