Liverpool continued their unbeaten start to the season with a 2-1 win at Tottenham.

The visitors dominated from the outset at Wembley and saw Roberto Firmino’s goal inside 50 seconds of the match disallowed for an offside decision.

Jurgen Klopp’s side eventually took the lead in the 38th minute when Georginio Wijnaldum’s headed home from a corner for his first Premier League away goal.

Although Spurs tried to stage a fightback, notably with Lucas Moura hitting the post, the game was won as Firmino slotted home from a Sadio Mane cross.

Only a stoppage time goal from Erik Lamela gave the game an unnecessarily nervy end as Liverpool were able to maintain their 100 per cent win record.

Here were the key talking points from Wembley:

A year is a long time in football

 

Last October’s defeat to Spurs was a forgettable highlight of Liverpool’s season.

A 4-1 defeat at Wembley raised many of the usual probing questions about the error-strewn state of the visitors’ defence and lack of quality of their goalkeeper.

Hopes of the Reds’ dependable attacking trio saving games in the hope of scoring more than their cohorts inevitably conceded appeared to become a default tactic.

Fast-forward 12 months and this victory was founded upon the solidity of a new-look back line. Instead it was the attackers who weren’t overly dependable.

Maintaining that largely watertight approach is vital if Jurgen Klopp’s side are to continue their challenge for the Premier League title through to the very last.

Reds still winning without firepower

 

Statistics will show that Liverpool’s win came from 17 shots at goal and 10 of them on target.

However this doesn’t however show the relative dysfunction that continues within their attacking line of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane.

Salah was previously the team’s top scorer and talisman but he resembles a far cry from the 32-goal striker that captivated the Premier League last term.

Another game of snapping at chances and being closed down by defenders with ease showed why the Egyptian still has some way to go in recapturing past form.

Despite scoring and his usual pressing, Firmino is also out of sorts while even Mane, although useful with his pace and directness, stumbled on a chance to shoot.

That the wins are continuing to chalk up for Liverpool, regardless of a lack of flow among its front men, is a welcome addition to their current locker.

Gomez joins Van Dijk comparisons

 

Joe Gomez emerged as the sole survivor from the defensive line-up that suffered the ignominy of a 4-1 humiliation by Mauricio Pochettino’s side 11 months ago.

An unfamiliar role at right-back prompted a similarly uncomfortable performance but the centre-back has more than staked his claim during the new season.

Seeing a Liverpool centre-back confidently claiming and dealing with a headed clearance would automatically have fans identifying with Virgil van Dijk.

Now people are noting that it is Gomez who is just as capably striding across the pitch as the England international’s confidence increases with every game.

Overcoming a setback where he gave the ball away for Tottenham chances twice in a five-minute spell also shows a learning curve which Klopp will be pleased with.

Klopp’s best is yet to come

 

This marked the start of a potentially daunting period of games for Liverpool.

With Paris Saint-Germain, a double-header against Chelsea and Manchester City’s visit in the next few weeks, Klopp could be forgiven for dreading what lies ahead.

Crucially, though, his side are yet to reach their peak and still remain unbeaten. Only Maurizio Sarri’s side have prevented them claiming top spot in their own right.

Winning games where they had previously come unstuck, like Spurs, already bodes well, especially with an attacking triumvirate still finding their feet.

Make no mistake, this is just the start of Liverpool’s upward trajectory rathern than its end.