Premier League
TottenhamTottenham Hotspur0LiverpoolLiverpool0

Tottenham Hotspur 0-0 Liverpool

By Phil McNultyChief football writer at White Hart Lane
Liverpool fans with a Jurgen Klopp banner at White Hart Lane
Liverpool kept a clean sheet in Klopp's first game - their first in nine matches

Jurgen Klopp's reign as Liverpool manager began with a hard-earned draw against Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

The German was overseeing his first game since replacing the sacked Brendan Rodgers - and he will have seen plenty to please him as Liverpool battled fiercely to secure a point.

Liverpool showed plenty of the pressing intensity Klopp demands but it was goalkeeper Simon Mignolet who did most to ensure the near-hysteria engendered by the new manager's arrival was not punctured by defeat.

Mignolet saved superbly from Spurs substitute Clinton Njie and from Harry Kane in each half and was busier than opposite number Hugo Lloris.

Liverpool also had chances to win as Belgium striker Divock Origi, in for Daniel Sturridge who is injured again, struck the bar with an early header but neither side could break the deadlock.

And the manner in which Klopp went around embracing his new charges at the final whistle suggested he was well satisfied with his opening 90 minutes in charge.

Follow reaction to this game here.

Relive Klopp's first game in charge here.

Klopp the inspiration

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp
Klopp was a vocal presence on the touchline at White Hart Lane

Liverpool's players will be hearing a lot from Klopp - and not just on the training ground at their Melwood headquarters.

The 48-year-old German prowled his technical area within inches of the pitch offering encouragement, especially when they came within earshot. They can expect no respite from his demands.

Klopp is well-known for his heart-on-the-sleeve style and it seems clear already that fellow countryman Emre Can is someone he believes can produce big things after a mixed Liverpool career so far.

The 21-year-old Germany international has figured at right-back and central defence more than in the midfield role he was accustomed to when he arrived from Bayer Leverkusen in a £10m deal in 2014.

So it was of significance that Can, who Klopp will have studied in the Bundesliga, was immediately played in midfield and responded with an energy and commitment that brought regular gestures of approval from his new manager.

Reds cover record ground

Liverpool still frail defensively

Liverpool had not kept a clean sheet in any of their eight games before their visit to White Hart Lane - and it was easy to see why when Spurs applied pressure.

The hosts were pushed back by Liverpool's determination to implement Klopp's pressing style in their early stages but when they got a foothold Klopp needed the intervention of goalkeeper Mignolet, who saved superbly from Njie and Kane, while only a desperate stop from defender Mamadou Sakho blocked Dele Alli.

Klopp greeted all those incidents with a clenched fist salute. He will, however, want to get to work quickly on ironing out the defensive flaws and uncertainties that the Reds have demonstrated his season.

Klopp happy to start with a point

Klopp enjoys 'wild' Liverpool start

Klopp felt Liverpool's performance gave him a good foundation, and said afterwards: "0-0 is not my dream result but it is OK.

"I am happy because I saw many good things, in the first 20 minutes we were pressing and were very aggressive.

"We will get stronger. We were a little bit nervous when we got the ball because the pulse was a little too high at this moment.

"There were many full-throttle moments in the game. We need to improve but after working with the players for three days I am completely satisfied."

Pochettino another Klopp?

The styles may be different - one stone-faced and suited, although occasionally highly agitated, the other in a tracksuit and all animated body language - but Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino and Liverpool counterpart Klopp have much in common.

They are both unashamed advocates of intense, pressing tactics and want their players to be super-fit to carry out their wishes.

Liverpool, understandably, are newcomers to Klopp's approach although predecessor Rodgers played the pressing game.

Spurs, in contrast, are now becoming accustomed to Pochettino's preferred style in his second season at the club. It is no coincidence they have won many games late on during his tenure.

At times at White Hart Lane, this was a match where Pochettino and Klopp turned their similar styles on each other, possession suddenly switching sides as the pressing game worked just as they wanted.

It will be intriguing to track the progress of Spurs under Pochettino and Liverpool with Klopp in charge - the clubs share similar aspirations.

'You need to be clinical' - Pochettino

Spurs deserved to win - Pochettino

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino felt his side had looked more likely to win, saying: "Both teams played with a very high tempo and it was an exciting game.

"I am a little bit disappointed not to win because we created four good chances to score and the only clear one Liverpool had came when we were down to 10 men because Nacer Chadli was off the field getting treatment.

"In football you need to be clinical. We weren't but I am still very happy with the performance."

Man of the match: Tottenham's Mousa Dembele

Tottenham's Mousa Dembele and Liverpool's Divock Origi
Contenders on both sides as Mignolet and Sakho excelled for Liverpool - but Dembele just nicks it with the sort of performance he has produced too rarely at Spurs for a player of his quality.

The stats you need to know

  • Tottenham are on the longest current unbeaten run in the Premier League (eight games), since defeat at Manchester United on the opening day (W3 D5).
  • Gerard Houllier is still the only Liverpool manager to win his first Premier League game in charge at the club (2-1 v Southampton in 1998, he was joint-manager with Roy Evans at the time).
  • Liverpool have only won one of their last 10 Premier League away games (W1 D5 L4).
  • No goalkeeper has kept more clean sheets in the Premier League in 2015 than Liverpool's Simon Mignolet (13).
  • Spurs have failed to score in four of their last five Premier League games against Liverpool.
  • This is the fourth clean sheet Spurs have kept in their last six Premier League home matches.

What next?

Liverpool return to action when they host Rubin Kazan in the Europa League on Thursday - this will be Klopp's first game in charge at Anfield. Spurs are also involved in Thursday's European action, playing at Anderlecht.

Line-ups

Tottenham

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1Lloris
  • 2Walker
  • 4Alderweireld
  • 5Vertonghen
  • 3Rose
  • 19Dembélé
  • 20Alli
  • 11LamelaBooked at 59minsSubstituted forTownsendat 87'minutes
  • 23Eriksen
  • 22ChadliSubstituted forN'Jieat 11'minutes
  • 10Kane

Substitutes

  • 13Vorm
  • 14N'Jie
  • 16Trippier
  • 17Townsend
  • 27Wimmer
  • 29Winks
  • 33Davies

Liverpool

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 22Mignolet
  • 2Clyne
  • 37Skrtel
  • 17Sakho
  • 18Moreno
  • 21LeivaBooked at 90mins
  • 23Can
  • 7MilnerBooked at 35mins
  • 20LallanaSubstituted forAllenat 81'minutes
  • 10CoutinhoSubstituted forIbeat 87'minutes
  • 27Origi

Substitutes

  • 4K Touré
  • 24Allen
  • 33Ibe
  • 34Bogdan
  • 48Sinclair
  • 53Vilaca Teixeira
  • 56Randall
Referee:
Craig Pawson
Attendance:
35,926

Match Stats

Home TeamTottenhamAway TeamLiverpool
Possession
Home48%
Away52%
Shots
Home13
Away12
Shots on Target
Home4
Away3
Corners
Home8
Away6
Fouls
Home15
Away11

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Tottenham Hotspur 0, Liverpool 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Tottenham Hotspur 0, Liverpool 0.

  3. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Alberto Moreno (Liverpool) left footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the right is blocked.

  4. Post update

    James Milner (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  5. Post update

    Foul by Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur).

  6. Booking

    Lucas Leiva (Liverpool) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  7. Post update

    Foul by Lucas Leiva (Liverpool).

  8. Post update

    Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  9. Post update

    Attempt missed. Emre Can (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Joe Allen.

  10. Post update

    Offside, Liverpool. Alberto Moreno tries a through ball, but James Milner is caught offside.

  11. Post update

    Offside, Tottenham Hotspur. Kyle Walker tries a through ball, but Clinton N'Jie is caught offside.

  12. Substitution

    Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Andros Townsend replaces Erik Lamela.

  13. Substitution

    Substitution, Liverpool. Jordon Ibe replaces Philippe Coutinho.

  14. Post update

    Foul by Erik Lamela (Tottenham Hotspur).

  15. Post update

    Alberto Moreno (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  16. Post update

    Foul by Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur).

  17. Post update

    Nathaniel Clyne (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  18. Post update

    Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Simon Mignolet.

  19. Post update

    Attempt saved. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Christian Eriksen.

  20. Post update

    Foul by Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur).