Liverpool edge Spurs to extend record lead at Tottenham Hotspur

LONDON: Liverpool overcame another obstacle on the path to what looks an almost certain Premier League title triumph as they chalked up a record-breaking 20th win in 21 matches with a hard-fought 1-0 victory at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

Juergen Klopp’s unbeaten side were not at their best and had to withstand a Spurs fightback after the break but hung on for a 20th win out of 21 league games this season to move further ahead of second-placed Leicester City with a game in hand.

Liverpool’s total of 61 points is the most after 21 games of a Premier League season, beating Manchester City’s 59 from two seasons ago, and has never been surpassed in the Spanish, Italian, German or French leagues at the same stage.

Firmino’s 37th-minute effort proved enough for Liverpool to march on towards a first English title since 1989-90, but Tottenham substitute Giovani Lo Celso wasted a glorious chance to earn the hosts a draw with a glaring late miss.

Liverpool’s fans stood to acclaim their side at the end and Spurs manager Jose Mourinho, who has now won only two of 11 games against Liverpool boss Juergen Klopp, shook hands with every opposition player at the final whistle.

“I’m over the moon about the result, but we have to talk about the performance,” a rather subdued Klopp said later.

“One team deserved to win and that was us. To win at Tottenham is pretty special. That the game wasn’t decided after 50-60 minutes was our fault. We should have scored more goals.”

“We were on the ground towards the end. A couple of our players were slightly exhausted, but we fought through that,” he added after his side stretched their lead over Leicester, who had earlier lost 2-1 at home to Southampton. Agencies

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