Lucky Liverpool profit as Lucas Moura gifts Jota injury time winner

Substitute Jota struck in added time just moments after Spurs looked to have clinched an unlikely point when Richarlison had equalised to complete an incredible comeback from 3-0 down.

INJURY TIME WINNER: Diogo Jota of Liverpool celebrates with teammates after scoring the team's winning goal. Pic: Michael Regan/Getty Images

Liverpool 4 Tottenham 3 

Diogo Jota grabbed a dramatic late winner as Liverpool survived a sensational Tottenham fightback to boost their hopes of salvaging a European place from a disappointing season.

Sub Jota struck in added time just moments after Spurs looked to have clinched an unlikely point when Richarlison had equalised to complete an incredible comeback from 3-0 down.

The win moved Liverpool above Aston Villa and Tottenham into fifth place - but after storming into a 3-0 lead Jurgen Klopp's side came desperately close to throwing away two vital points.

Spurs were left regretting yet another slow start - they were 5-0 down after 20 minutes at Newcastle last Sunday and 2-0 down at the break at home to Manchester United on Thursday.

They clearly haven't learned their lessons. Curtis Jones was left totally unmarked at the far post to side foot home Trent Alexander-Arnold's pin-point cross after three minutes.

Two minutes later comeback star Luis Diaz marked his first start since October with a fine goal, darting towards the near post to volley home Cody Gakpo's cross from the bye line.

The third came when Cristian Romero hacked down Gakpo to give away a clear penalty and Salah made up for misses with his last two spot kicks by firing straight down the middle for his 28th goal of the season on his 300th appearance for the Merseyside club.

At that point the Londoners must have feared a repeat of their trip to St James Park that led to the the players re-imbursing the fans for their ticket money.

It was almost too easy for Liverpool but they suddenly eased their foot off the gas and allowed the visitors back into the game when they should have been home and hosed.

Having not laid a glove on the home side for the first 38 minutes Spurs could have been level or, incredibly, even in front before the break.

Virgil Van Dijk cleared a Heung-Min Son Son shot off the line before Kane volleyed home Ivan Perisic's cross a minute later after a quick counter attack down the right flank.

Dejan Kululevski should have made it but his shot was saved by Alisson before Son's curling effort hit the post.

Encouraged by the way they finished the first half, Spurs continued their improvement early in the second half when Son, again, and Romero saw their shots hit the post while Pedro Porro's long range effort was tipped over by Alisson.

But Liverpool recovered their composure and appeared to be seeing the game out until Son made it 3-2, beating the offside trap to run onto Oliver Skipp's through pass pass and slot his shot past Alison, to set up a tense finale.

And former Everton player Richarlison came on to stun Anfield by touching home Son's free-kick in added time only for Jota to produce a winner in front of an ecstatic Kop.

Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson 7; Alexander-Arnold 7, Konate 6, Van Dijk 6, Robertson 7; Elliott 7 (Henderson 62, 6), Fabinho 7, Jones 7 (Milner 85, 5); Salah 7, Gakpo 8 (Nunez 73, 6), Diaz 7 (Jota 63, 6).

Subs: Kelleher, Gomez, Tsimikas, Carvalho, Matip.

Goals: Jones 3, Diaz 5, Salah pen 15, Jota 90.

Booked: Jota.

Tottenham (3-4-3): Forster 6; Romero 5, Dier 5, Davies 5; Porto 5, Skipp 6 (Richarlison 85, 7), Hojberg 6, Perisic 7; Kulusevski 5 (Sarr 66, 5), Kane 7, Son 7.

Subs: D Sánchez, Danjuma, Tanganga, Lucas Moura, Lenglet, Austin, Devine Goal: Kane 39, Son 77, Richarlison 90.

Booked: Son.

Referee: Paul Tierney 7.