Liverpool with victory over Tottenham

Liverpool boosted their UEFA Champions League hopes with an impressive 2-0 victory over Tottenham.

Dirk Kuyt's early strike established the platform for the win in a game Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez admitted they simply could not afford to lose, leaving them only a single point behind Spurs.

And he wrapped up the three points with a twice-taken penalty in injury time after Sebastian Bassong had flattened Liverpool substitute David Ngog in the area.

Liverpool's ceaseless workrate and greater passion earned them a deserved three points, and the victory margin could have been greater had Albert Riera's second half header not hit the bar and Kuyt failed to hit the target from close range.

Ngog forced a fine save from Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes in the dying minutes and Kuyt was guilty of an awful miss as Anfield was subjected to a needlessly anxious finale before the Netherlands striker scored his second from the spot.

It was a match the Reds could not afford to lose, having dropped two points thanks to Stoke's late equaliser on Saturday, and they did not disappoint an appreciative Anfield crowd.

It is now more than 16 years since Spurs last enjoyed a league win at one of the so-called big four of the Premier League, a damning statistic and one they would have been hoping to change when they arrived to face under-strength and struggling Liverpool at Anfield.

Liverpool have made a season of failing to hang on to leads and they almost gifted Spurs an equaliser straight after the restart.

Liverpool may have been without injured Gerrard, but there was no shortage of industry and inspiration as Jamie Carragher led from the front impressively.