Liverpool rued their chances when Pavluychenko scored the winner in the 90th minute ending Liverpool’s unbeaten start and returning us to second place in the Premiership.
Liverpool started brightly and after a neat turn from Keane, he played the ball in to Dirk Kuyt who from a tight angle smashed the ball over the keeper in to the top of the net.
Within 5 minutes the reds could have doubled the lead, when Bent’s attempted clearance hit his own post.
Chances fell to either side in an entertaining first half. Modric had a fine shot and Bentley should have done better from a free kick.
At the other end Gerrard headed narrowly over from a Dossena cross.
The second half continued in entertaining fashion but eventually Liverpool cracked when from a corner Jamie Carragher headed the ball past Reina after attempting to challenge Bent to clear it.
Tottenham grabbed the winner after Reina parried a vicious cross away in the 90th minute only for Pavluychenko to skip past Dossena and fire past Reina.
Liverpool’s unbeaten run ends and Liverpool return to 2nd in the Premiership.
Goals
Post Match Reaction
Rafa Benitez very disappointed:
“I can’t believe we have lost this game. After playing well in the first half we started the second half with four clear chances. We hit the bar and Kuyt and Alonso had great chances that we didn’t take.
“Always it’s important to create chances but you have to score from them. We were going forward, controlling the game and were dominant.
“I am really disappointed but it was really bad luck because everybody could see we were better than them.
“We were talking on the bench saying we have to score the second goal to finish the match off. I made some changes and thought the pace of Babel could make a difference, but to concede the two goals is something that is difficult to explain.
“As a team we were really good but we need to take our chances. That makes the difference in a game like this.
“Everybody was really disappointed in the dressing room because we know we had the game in our hands, but sometimes in football you need luck. It was a game we easily could have won 4-0.”
On a positive note the Reds boss revealed that Fernando Torres could be back in his squad for Tuesday’s Champions League clash against his former club Atletico Madrid.
“Hopefully he will be ready. If he cannot start the game then he will be on the bench if everything is okay,” he said.
“It’s good we have another important game on Tuesday and the reaction of the players has to be to play well and win the game. We just have to keep going and keep playing the same way.”
Teams
Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Dossena, Riera (Benayoun 77), Gerrard, Alonso, Mascherano, Kuyt, Keane (Babel 65)
Subs: Cavalieri, Hyypia, El Zhar, Leiva, Aurelio
Goals: Kuyt 2
Booked: Gerrard, Carragher
Tottenham Hotspur: Gomes, Assou-Exotto (Pavluychenko 45), Woodgate, King, Corluka, O’Hara (Hutton 45), Zokura, Huddlestone, Bentley, Modric (Lennon 74), Bent
Subs: Sanchez, Bale, Campbell
Booked: King
Att: 36,183
Ref: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).
Goals: Carragher og 69, Pavluychenko 90
Match Stats
Liverpool Possession: 56%. Shots: 21 (On target = 4). 383 accurate passes. 45 bad passes.
Tottenham Possession: 44%. Shots 13 (On target = 3). 261 accurate passes. 50 bad passes.