Relentless Richarlison drags Tudor back from the brink with late Anfield leveller

Tudor was staring down the barrel of a fifth successive defeat after a mistake by recalled No 1 keeper Guglielmo Vicario had handed Liverpool a first-half lead through Dominik Szoboszlai.

Sun, 15 Mar, 2026 - 19:05

Simon Mullock

Liverpool 1 Tottenham 1

A last-minute Richarlison equaliser dragged Igor Tudor back from the brink of humiliation and gave Spurs belief that they might be too good to go down after all.

Tudor was staring down the barrel of a fifth successive defeat since being given the job of keeping the Londoners in the Premier League after a mistake by recalled No 1 keeper Guglielmo Vicario had handed Liverpool a first-half lead through Dominik Szoboszlai.

But with time running out, substitute Kolo Muani muscled his way past Andy Robertson down the right channel before unselfishly squaring a pass for Richarlison to scuff a finish past keeper Alisson.

The Brazilian is still remembered as an Evertonian on the red side of Stanley Park. How he milked his celebration in front of a stunned Kop.

His goal was as priceless for Tottenham as it was devastating for Liverpool. Arne Slot's team were moving up to fourth place in the table until the dramatic late twist.

The visitors saw relegation rivals Leeds, Nottingham Forest and West Ham all pick up a point apiece over the weekend. They needed to find a response and they did - but the Lilywhites are still just a point above the drop zone.

If they replicate the results secured by Ange Postecoglou's team in the last eight games of last season, when they took just four points, they will still only finish with 34 points. That's unlikely to be enough.

Spurs now face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday night, when they will try to overturn a 5-2 first-leg deficit. Then it's Forest at home in the mother of all six-pointers.

Tottenham haven't been relegated from the top-flight since 1977. But the prospect of the best stadium in Britain hosting derbies with Charlton Athletic and QPR next season appeared to be a growing possibility until Richarlison's intervention prevented a seventh-successive defeat in all competitions.

Tudor threw young keeper Antonin Kinsky under the bus by substituting the Czech after he had conceded three goals in the opening 15 minutes in Madrid on Tuesday night. The last thing the Spurs boss needed was a blunder by Vicario.

There was a sense that something was about to happen in the 18th minute once referee Chris Kavanagh decided that Alexis Mac Allister had been tripped in full flight by Archie Gray, although contact looked minimal.

Szoboszlai had already scored long-range beauties against both Arsenal and Manchester City already this season and from a range of around 28 yards, this was virtually a tap-in for the Hungarian.

Szoboszlai went for placement with his instep rather than his usual brute force and although there was plenty of dip and swerve, Vicario got a full hand on the ball and should have kept it out.

Tudor inherited an injury crisis that saw Spurs stripped of 12 players. He opted for a 4-4-2 formation, with Dominic Solanke partnering Richarlison in attack, and the visitors did create chances.

Richarlison wasted the two best opportunities on the stroke of half-time, sending one header wide from close-range and then forcing Alisson into a fine save with another.

Slot gave a first Premier League start for Rio Ngumoha, leaving both Mo Salah and Hugo Ekitike on the bench until introducing them in the second half.

Cody Gakpo struck the post with a 20-yard drive just after Szoboszlai had opened the scoring, while Ngumoha fizzed a rising shot just wide early in the second half.

But with Liverpool failing to put the game out of reach, the visitors sensed something was there for the taking. The Tudor reign down White Hart Lane continues - for now.

Slot, meanwhile, must pick his team up off the floor with Galatasaray in town on Wednesday night holding a one-goal advantage.