Houllier furious after Spurs defeat

Certainly, as Fowler buzzed and darted and Michael Owen showed a swift recovery from the back injury that ruled him out of England's Italian job, the home side sometimes lived on the edge.

Liverpool, missing only the suspended Emile Heskey, went close twice more through Fowler, while Owen and Murphy also squandered opportunities.

Had referee Mark Halsey judged Chris Perry's clumsy challenge on Fowler worthy of a penalty, a second goal inside 15 minutes may have been insurmountable.

But for Spurs it was a case of remaining solid, hanging on and waiting for the errors.

Carr's willingness to forage down the right provided a constant menace as he played on Djimi Traore's unease and offered Spurs an obvious outlet.

This maintained some pressure on the Anfield side and if there is one thing guaranteed with Liverpool, it is their enduring capacity to shoot themselves in the foot.

So it proved. When Stephane Henchoz committed another in the long list of Liverpool's cardinal defensive sins - giving the ball away under no real challenge with a sloppy pass up the line - punishment was ruthlessly applied.

Steve Clemence nipped in to exchange passes with Sergei Rebrov and when he crossed low beyond Sander Westerveld's grope, Les Ferdinand gleefully took advantage by poking home.

It might have been Groundhog Day for Liverpool coach Gerard Houllier, painfully reminding him of Christian Ziege's error at Leeds a fortnight ago which turned a certain three points into a 4-3 defeat.

Ferdinand's fourth of the season certainly altered the equation yesterday. If Liverpool's blunder was bad for the first goal, what happened next was arguably worse. Young's diagonal delivery to the left found Markus Babbel standing still, appealing for an offside flag against the retreating Ferdinand and leaving Clemence with time to pick out his man.

Once again, the cross was immaculate. Once again, so was the finish - this time from Tim Sherwood, whose perfect header dipped beyond Westerveld and into the top corner.

For seasoned internationals to commit one howler may be misfor-tune, to do so twice in nine minutes is carelessness on a grand scale and Houllier's angry reaction after the match was understandable.

Even so, Liverpool still had the opportunity to right their wrongs. Within seconds of the restart, Owen skipped clear of Thelwell and forced an excellent save from Neil Sullivan, who had thwarted Sami Hyypia with equal agility before the interval. Yet, the longer it went on, the less likely Liverpool were to find a way through. Even Steven Gerrard's introduction failed to alter the outcome.

King, Thelwell, Perry and Young grew increasingly composed and equally important was Carr's continued, unquenchable zest to plough the right flank. One chip from the Ireland defender cannoned back off the far post before Westerveld saved from Darren Anderton's follow up.

Then it needed an excellent headed clearance by Babbel to prevent Ferdinand claiming his second.

Graham may have been the man in the firing line before the start but Houllier was shooting bullets at his own defenders by the end.

mTHE BLACK clouds of despair were broken by a shaft of light heralding Tottenham's future last night. Perhaps the anti-Graham brigade might now begin to reassess their trenchant opposition.

All the advanced billing featured the consequences of a home defeat - with planned protests against chairman Sir Alan Sugar - and Spurs even went to the extent of using the match programme to urge fans not to join in with any demonstrations.

But by the end, as a team including five homegrown players took advantage of yet more defensive calamities from Liverpool, the dis-content had been transformed into standing ovations and renewed faith.

It was deserved as well. In trusting Ledley King to play the holding midfield role and blooding fellow 20-year-old Alton Thelwell in a back three, manager George Graham put his trust in youth even more completely than Peter Taylor had in Turin.

When Robbie Fowler capitalised on a lucky bounce off Danny Murphy to crisply claim his first Premiership goal since last Christmas - drilling home left-footed without hesitation - the fragility of Spurs' confidence might have brought capitulation and a welter of woe.

Yet, amid the castigation of Graham, it seems to have escaped notice that Spurs have dropped only two points at home all season. It is a record not bettered by anybody and matched only by Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool themselves.

At times Spurs may have been by-passed by Liverpool's intricate passing but their sheer commitment - illustrated by the maturity of Luke Young and the unfettered industry of the increasingly assured Steve Carr - allowed them to overcome the gap.

Certainly, as Fowler buzzed and darted and Michael Owen showed a swift recovery from the back injury that ruled him out of England's Italian job, the home side sometimes lived on the edge.

Liverpool, missing only the suspended Emile Heskey, went close twice more through Fowler, while Owen and Murphy also squandered opportunities.

Had referee Mark Halsey judged Chris Perry's clumsy challenge on Fowler worthy of a penalty, a second goal inside 15 minutes may have been insurmountable.

But for Spurs it was a case of remaining solid, hanging on and waiting for the errors.

Carr's willingness to forage down the right provided a constant menace as he played on Djimi Traore's unease and offered Spurs an obvious outlet.

This maintained some pressure on the Anfield side and if there is one thing guaranteed with Liverpool, it is their enduring capacity to shoot themselves in the foot.

So it proved. When Stephane Henchoz committed another in the long list of Liverpool's cardinal defensive sins - giving the ball away under no real challenge with a sloppy pass up the line - punishment was ruthlessly applied.

Steve Clemence nipped in to exchange passes with Sergei Rebrov and when he crossed low beyond Sander Westerveld's grope, Les Ferdinand gleefully took advantage by poking home.

It might have been Groundhog Day for Liverpool coach Gerard Houllier, painfully reminding him of Christian Ziege's error at Leeds a fortnight ago which turned a certain three points into a 4-3 defeat.

Ferdinand's fourth of the season certainly altered the equation yesterday. If Liverpool's blunder was bad for the first goal, what happened next was arguably worse. Young's diagonal delivery to the left found Markus Babbel standing still, appealing for an offside flag against the retreating Ferdinand and leaving Clemence with time to pick out his man.

Once again, the cross was immaculate. Once again, so was the finish - this time from Tim Sherwood, whose perfect header dipped beyond Westerveld and into the top corner.

For seasoned internationals to commit one howler may be misfor-tune, to do so twice in nine minutes is carelessness on a grand scale and Houllier's angry reaction after the match was understandable.

Even so, Liverpool still had the opportunity to right their wrongs. Within seconds of the restart, Owen skipped clear of Thelwell and forced an excellent save from Neil Sullivan, who had thwarted Sami Hyypia with equal agility before the interval. Yet, the longer it went on, the less likely Liverpool were to find a way through. Even Steven Gerrard's introduction failed to alter the outcome.

King, Thelwell, Perry and Young grew increasingly composed and equally important was Carr's continued, unquenchable zest to plough the right flank. One chip from the Ireland defender cannoned back off the far post before Westerveld saved from Darren Anderton's follow up.

Then it needed an excellent headed clearance by Babbel to prevent Ferdinand claiming his second.

Graham may have been the man in the firing line before the start but Houllier was shooting bullets at his own defenders by the end.