Szoboszlai's stunning free-kick sinks Tottenham as Spurs' nightmare run continues
Anfield is rarely a kind place for visiting teams, and Tottenham found nothing to take home on Sunday afternoon. Liverpool controlled the game from start to finish, and Szoboszlai’s dead-ball brilliance in the first half was enough to settle matters in a match Spurs could not afford to lose.
A free-kick to remember
The decisive moment arrived in the 18th minute. Szoboszlai stood over a free-kick roughly 25 yards out, slightly left of centre. His right-footed effort had everything: whip, dip, and enough swerve to beat Guglielmo Vicario at the near post, despite the Tottenham goalkeeper getting a hand to the ball. It was the kind of strike that draws gasps from the Kop and silence from the away end.
Liverpool had already been the sharper side before the goal, pressing Tottenham deep and denying them time on the ball. With the lead secured early, Arne Slot’s team could afford to play with patience, recycling possession and waiting for Spurs to overcommit.
Spurs push but fall short
Tottenham did try. Richarlison forced a save from Alisson in the 57th minute and had a penalty appeal after tangling with Virgil van Dijk, but VAR sided with the referee and waved play on. Richarlison had the last word, however, heading in a 90th-minute equaliser to earn Spurs a share of the points in a 1-1 draw.
Igor Tudor made changes, bringing Xavi Simons on in the second half, while Slot freshened his side around the 65th minute with Curtis Jones, Hugo Ekitike, and Mohamed Salah replacing Florian Wirtz, Rio Ngumoha, and Jeremie Frimpong. Liverpool’s bench depth is absurd this season, and none of those substitutions weakened the team.
Tudor’s grim record grows
This was Tudor’s fifth consecutive Premier League game without a win since taking over as interim manager in February. Tottenham have not won a single Premier League match in 2026, and they move to 30 points from 30 games, just one point clear of the drop zone. The last time Spurs were this close to relegation, the internet barely existed.
Liverpool, meanwhile, move to 49 points and will feel they should be pushing harder for the top four. The quality is there, but consistency has been the missing ingredient for Slot’s side this season.
For Tottenham, the fixtures do not ease up. Every remaining game feels like a cup final, and Tudor has yet to show he can stop the bleeding. Sunday’s draw at Anfield will sting for Liverpool, while Spurs take a precious point but the growing sense of inevitability around this relegation fight should still worry their fans most.
