Premier League: Tottenham 2 Liverpool 1

Tottenham ended a memorable week with a 2-1 victory over Liverpool to move one point behind fourth-placed Manchester City in the Premier League.

Aaron Lennon’s goal two minutes into added time at White Hart Lane was the fatal blow to a revitalised Liverpool team who took the lead through Martin Skrtel then surrendered it when the Slovakian put through his own goal.

Harry Redknapp’s men had started the first half by showing signs of a Champions League hangover and suffered an early setback with midfield talisman Rafael van der Vaart pulling up with a suspected hamstring injury just ten minutes into the game.

He was replaced by Jermain Defoe and the diminutive striker provided Spurs with their best chance of the half on 35 minutes when he hammered a tantalising Luka Modric cross at the legs of Jamie Carragher on the goal-line.

Despite this, Liverpool were outplaying Tottenham, with Raul Meireles and Maxi Rodriguez firing shots just wide, before they got their reward three minutes before half-time.

Skrtel’s header from a Liverpool free kick was not cleared and the Slovakian defender was on hand to poke the loose ball beyond Heurelho Gomes to give the visitors the lead at the break.

Tottenham began the second half with more vigour and were gifted a lifeline on the hour mark when a Gareth Bale free kick was handled by David Ngog in the area.

Defoe stepped up for the resulting penalty but scraped the ball to the left of Pepe Reina’s goal to maintain Tottenham’s poor record from twelve yards. This was their fourth miss from nine penalties this season.

Harry Redknapp was furious that Defoe missed the target but only had to wait five minutes for his team to make the breakthrough.

Luka Modric made a searing run down the left wing, cut inside and squared for Peter Crouch but Martin Skrtel went from hero to villain with the ball clipping off his outstretched leg into the back of the net.

Defoe then thought he had clinched the winner five minutes before time but was ruled offside. But there was still time for Lennon to chest down a long cross-field ball from Benoit Assou-Ekotto and slot past the onrushing Reina to bag all three points at the death.