Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Liverpool: Spurs claim win against nine-man Reds after Curtis Jones & Diogo Jota sent off

Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota both saw red as nine-man Liverpool’s unbeaten start to the Premier League season came to an end with a painful, last-gasp 2-1 defeat at Tottenham.

The Merseysiders had hoped to take advantage of Manchester City’s shock loss at Wolves earlier on Saturday but instead it was Ange Postecoglou’s men who moved into second spot, a point behind Pep Guardiola’s champions courtesy of Joel Matip’s 96th-minute own goal.

The visitors posed the greater threat in the opening exchanges with Vicario producing a sensational double save to thwart Cody Gakpo and Andy Robertson.

However, the complexion of the contest changed on 26 minutes when the referee upgraded a caution for Jones to a straight red for a lunge on Yves Bissouma following a VAR intervention.

Liverpool were then left even more frustrated when the officials chalked off Luis Diaz's strike for a dubious offside call, with refereeing organisation PGMOL later admitting the goal should have stood.

Spurs took full advantage and snatched the lead 10 minutes later when Heung-min Son tucked in following supreme build-up from James Maddison and Richarlison.

Liverpool continued to threaten on the break despite being a man down and levelled in first-half stoppage time when Gakpo thumped home Virgil van Dijk’s knock down.

Alisson came to the away side’s rescue following the restart with fine saves to deny Maddison and Son before the Merseysiders’ hopes of escaping unscathed were further hindered when substitute Jota received a second yellow card 21 minutes from time.

Tottenham camped inside the Liverpool half for the remainder of the encounter and finally made it count when Matip bundled a low cross from the right into his own net deep into stoppage time.

The result sees Spurs climb to second, one point behind leaders Manchester City and above Arsenal on goal difference. Liverpool drop to fourth, a point further back following their first top-flight defeat of the campaign.

Heartache for the Merseysiders. Liverpool will leave the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with a fair few questions for referee’s chief Howard Webb. Not only did Jurgen Klopp and co feel Jones’ straight red card was harsh, they were also unconvinced about the offside call that denied Diaz what would have been an opening goal on 34 minutes. The ensuing statement accepting there had been a mistake will mean little to Liverpool now, but in the coming days the overall debate over issues with the implementation of VAR will rage once again as confidence in the system has clearly been shaken.

The Reds will believe they were on course for top spot up to those turning points with an impressive opening 25 minutes that had seen them have seven attempts to Tottenham’s one.

What transpired beyond that was less controversial. Jota’s quick-fire yellow cards were silly and left his team with an almost impossible task.

The visitors probably deserved to hang on for the point such was their resilience, but a desperate moment for Matip means Spurs are now just one of two teams (along with neighbours Arsenal) unbeaten in the Premier League with Ange-ball continuing to live up to the hype.

James Maddison (Tottenham). The home team may have made a meal of breaking down Liverpool but when it did click, the former Leicester man was at the heart of it. His sublime pre-assist was the major factor in the opening goal and he would have added to his own tally for the season but for a brilliant save from Alisson. This award could easily have gone to one of Liverpool's rearguard too, such was their immense concentration when faced with real adversity.

TOTTENHAM: Vicario 8, Porro 7, Romero 7, Van de Ven 7, Udogie 8, Sarr 7, Bissouma 7, Kulusevski 7, Maddison 8*, Son 7, Richarlison 7. Subs: Soloman 7, Davies n/a, Skipp n/a, Hojbjerg n/a, Solomon n/a, Veliz n/a.

LIVERPOOL: Alisson 8, Gomez 8, Matip 7, Van Dijk 8, Robertson 8, Mac Allister 8, Jones 4, Szoboszlai 8, Salah 8, Gakpo 7, Diaz 7. Subs: Jota 3, Endo 7, Konate 7, Alexander-Arnold 7, Gravenberch n/a.

13’ – LIVERPOOL CHANCE! A swashbuckling move from right to left sees Diaz and Robertson combine to tee up Gakpo, who seems to take an age to get his shot away. Vicario makes a smart save and then reacts brilliantly to keep out Robertson's thumping strike on the rebound.

86’ – LIVERPOOL RED CARD! The referee initially cautions Jones for a lunge on Bissouma. VAR suggests the official should check the monitor and he duly upgrades his decision to a straight red. The visitors are down to 10-men!

36’ – GOAL! – Tottenham 1-0 Liverpool. Son taps into an empty net from Richarlison's nonchalant cut back after a defence-splitting pass from Maddison carved the visitors open.

42’ – TOTTENHAM CHANCE! The ball pin balls dangerously inside the Liverpool box and Richarlison fires a low shot against the far post.

45+5’ – GOAL! – Tottenham 1-1 Liverpool. Gakpo swivels brilliantly and rifles home Van Dijk's knock back from Szoboszlai's cross.

45+7’ – LIVERPOOL CHANCE! Diaz slides in but stabs wide from eight yards after a sublime ball in-behind from Salah.

50’ – TOTTENHAM CHANCE! Alisson leaps to his right to claw away a wonderful 20-yard curling effort from Maddison.

86’ – ANOTHER LIVERPOOL RED CARD! The visitors are down to nine men! Jota jumps into a silly lunge on Udogie just a moment after picking up a first yellow. The referee has no option and a second caution puts Liverpool in all sorts of trouble.

90+6’ – GOAL! – Tottenham 2-1 Liverpool. The hosts have snatched it at the death as Matip blasts a cross from the right into his own net. Relief for Spurs - agony for Liverpool!

Timed at 95 minutes, 31 seconds, Joel Matip has scored both the latest own goal in a Premier League game and latest winning goal conceded by Liverpool in a Premier League game on record (from 2006-07).

Liverpool have now had four red cards in their last six Premier League games.