Liverpool survive Tottenham's nine-man miracle: One of the greatest Premier League games ever

Liverpool escaped with a win, but barely, Tottenham's fightback with just nine men on the pitch was the kind of drama that reminds you why this league is absolutely unmatched.

This wasn't just three points, it was pure chaos that had everyone glued to their screens. Liverpool emerged with a 2-1 victory over a nine-man Tottenham side at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday but they'll know they were in an absolute war.

Spurs had every reason to collapse after going down to nine men, but they nearly pulled off the impossible comeback instead.

The match turned in the 33rd minute when Xavi Simons was sent off after a VAR review. Originally given a yellow for a challenge on Virgil van Dijk, the decision was upgraded to a straight red for a studs-up tackle that set the tone for what would become an ill-tempered battle.

Playing with 10 men for nearly an hour, Tottenham somehow kept Liverpool at bay until halftime, but the dam eventually broke.

Alexander Isak, who came on as a substitute, broke the deadlock in the 56th minute by sliding a finish past Vicario after being played through by Florian Wirtz. Hugo Ekitike doubled the lead in the 66th minute, outmuscling Cristian Romero to power home a header from a Jeremie Frimpong cross. At 2-0 down with 10 men, Spurs looked finished, but this match wasn't done with drama.

Against the run of play, Richarlison pulled one back in the 83rd minute, firing home from close range after Liverpool failed to clear a corner. Suddenly, the impossible comeback was on. The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium erupted, and for a few minutes, it felt like Spurs might actually salvage something from the wreckage.

Then came the final twist. In the 90+3 minute, Cristian Romero received a second yellow card for a petulant kick at Ibrahima Konate, reducing Spurs to nine men and killing any hope of a fairytale ending. The final whistle blew moments later, and Liverpool escaped with all three points, battered, bruised, but somehow victorious.

The win moves the Reds up to 5th place with 29 points, keeping them in the hunt for Champions League spots as they head into the Christmas break.

Tottenham remain in the bottom half of the table in 13th place, and manager Thomas Frank is under increasing pressure following a run of poor results and mounting disciplinary issues.

Games like this are why the Premier League remains must-watch television and why both sets of fans will need a drink after that tense match.