Emmanuel Adebayor scored twice on his home debut
as Tottenham hammered four without reply past nine-man
Liverpool to earn a morale-boosting first home win of
the season.
Luka Modric opened the scoring with a blistering 20-yard
strike before Charlie Adam picked up a second yellow
card for a late foul on Scott Parker.
Martin Skrtel, who had a torrid afternoon at right-back
thanks to Gareth Bale, was sent off for two bookings
in the second half before Jermain Defoe calmly slotted
home to make it 2-0 in the 66th minute.
Adebayor, who scored on his debut against Wolves last
week, scored a tap-in soon after before he volleyed
past Jose Reina to seal the win in stoppage time.
Fresh off the back of last week's first win of the
season, Tottenham looked a class apart against their
Champions League rivals, but their cause was helped
by the two dismissals.
Reds boss Kenny Dalglish, who met referees' chief Mike
Riley this week after venting his anger at Mark Clattenburg's
decisions against his team last weekend, was furious
with Lee Probert's decision-making at times today, stopping
the official as he went down the tunnel at half-time.
Right from the kick-off it looked like there was only
ever going to be one winner in this match.
After his team's midweek trip to Greece, Harry Redknapp
reverted to the same XI that beat Wolves and they stamped
their dominance on the game from the whistle.
Adebayor brushed past his marker to gain a yard in
the box but miscued his volleyed wide from 10 yards.
Daniel Agger then blocked Defoe's goal-bound shot before
Modric brought White Hart Lane to its feet with his
blistering opener after six minutes.
The Croatian, who had been the subject of at least
three bids from Chelsea this summer, picked up a loose
ball 20 yards out and hammered his strike into the top
left-hand corner of Reina's goal.
Referee Probert handed out his first booking of the
afternoon to Adam for a foul on the goal scorer.
Liverpool were struggling to get in to the game and
at times, their passing was poor.
They thought they had equalised though when Luis Suarez
tapped home after but the linesman ruled the Uruguayan
was offside when he picked up the ball from Andy Carroll.
Agger then hobbled off after slipping and injuring
his chest. He was replaced by debutant Sebastian Coates.
Liverpool's afternoon went from bad to worse just before
the half hour when Adam caught Parker in the leg with
his studs up as the England midfielder went for a volley.
Probert reached for his pocket and issued the second
yellow which reduced the visitors to 10 men.
Skrtel, clearly struggling to keep up with Bale's electric
pace, saw yellow for a cynical bodycheck on the Welshman.
Younes Kaboul and Defoe both came close to making it
2-0 before the break as Spurs' dominance continued.
Suarez was annoyed he did not get a foul on the stroke
of half-time after a tussle with Benoit Assou-Ekotto
and his protest at the referee earned him a booking.
Reds boss Dalglish, who last week criticised Clattenburg
for not giving his side a penalty at Stoke, was furious
with Probert and remonstrated with the official as he
went down the tunnel at half-time.
Spurs almost scored a minute into the second half when
Kyle Walker crossed for Adebayor, who played in the
unmarked Defoe his poor shot dribbled wide from six
yards.
Liverpool were convinced they should have had a penalty
when Carroll thought his jump in the box was impeded
by Assou-Ekotto but Probert waved play on.
Liverpool's miserable afternoon continued in the 63rd
minute when Skrtel clipped Bale's heels as he turned
to run down the flank.
The former Southampton man punched the turf in apparent
pain and Probert sent the Liverpool defender off with
a second booking.
Two minutes later it was 2-0. Substitute Rafael van
der Vaart sent Defoe racing through the middle, and
after holding off Jose Enrique's challenge, the England
striker spun and shot low past Reina..
Just two minutes passed before Adebayor scored Tottenham's
third.
Reina spilled Defoe's shot and the former Gunners man
reacted quickly, lifting the ball over the scrambling
Spaniard before tapping in to an empty net.
Liverpool could not get a touch of the ball as Spurs
made their numerical advantage count.
Van der Vaart tried a cheeky chip in injury time but
Reina was equal to his effort.
Adebayor then made it 4-0 in the final seconds when
he picked up Assou-Ekotto's cross to control and calmly
volley past Reina.
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