Lucas Bergvall struck an 86th-minute winner to earn Tottenham a 1-0 victory over Liverpool and a slender advantage after a cagey Carabao Cup semi-final first leg.
Spurs were without 10 players for this tie and had lost 6-3 to Arne Slot’s irresistible Premier League leaders last month, but turned the form table on its head – albeit with a touch of fortune.
Match-winner Bergvall was lucky to avoid a second yellow card for a late tackle on Kostas Tsimikas moments before he fired home his first goal for the club to earn Tottenham and Ange Postecoglou a much-needed win.
Postecoglou had faced external pressure after a nightmare run of form amid a horror injury crisis, which deepened with Rodrigo Bentancur forced off early amid worrying scenes, but his injury-hit team with debutant goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky managed to shut out Liverpool to head to Anfield next month with a narrow lead.
Liverpool put six past Spurs in the Premier League last month, but the hosts had a new goalkeeper this time after Postecoglou decided to hand Kinsky his debut three days on from his arrival.
Trent Alexander-Arnold was dropped to the bench and yet only six minutes were on the clock when a lengthy stoppage occurred due to a head injury for Bentancur.
Bentancur was taken off on a stretcher in the 15th minute after he appeared to head the floor from a corner – with Radu Dragusin denied by Alisson Becker moments later.