In a fixture that has proven exciting over recent years, Liverpool could not get the better of title hopefuls Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield in an end-to-end 1-1 draw.
Despite a plethora of errors and even more chances, neither side could manage to take all points in a match that the goalkeepers refused to lose.
Liverpool are now nine games undefeated against Tottenham, with the London club’s last victory over the Reds coming in September 2011.
Leiceister City fans will be gracious towards the Reds as they now have a chance to go seven points clear on top with a win on Sunday, with just six games of the season remaining.
Action-packed game sees plenty of chances at both ends
The first half was full of lightning paced action, despite there being no goals. Both sides forced plenty of turnovers to start up their own attacks. There weren’t many chances early on, but as the half closed out, the spectators in Anfield were left wondering how neither side had found the breakthrough.
Christen Eriksen would test Simon Mignolet with a rocket of a shot, albeit directly at the keeper. Mignolet did well to punch the shot away, and the resulting deflection found an offside Harry Kane, - effectively ending the threat.
Mignolet would still give the Kop plenty of scares with a few risky decisions. First, poor communication between the keeper and Nathaniel Clyne led to a dangerous bouncing ball on the edge of the box that he inevitably had to head clear of danger.
Another communication breakdown, this time with Mamadou Sakho, led to Mignolet’s clearance deflect off Kane and out for a goal kick.
While the goalkeeping looked shaky at one end, it was another story for the man in the Tottenham goal. Hugo Lloris did well to deny Daniel Sturridge on a one-on-one chance. The Liverpool striker should have done far better with the opportunity, but his one-touch, fire and shot was low and fell directly at Lloris.
Shortly after, Adam Lallana would have a go at the Frenchman with a curling shot destined for the bottom right corner, but Lloris would stretch out to deny the Reds once more.
In-form striker Harry Kane had the two best chances of the half, both coming from the right side. Kane had the left side to aim for both times, but the in-form striker just couldn’t keep his shots on target.
A goal apiece sends teams on their way with a point each
The second half kicked off with Spurs showing plenty of attacking threat, but Liverpool would strike first through a wonderful piece of link-up play between Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho.
A good one-two from Sturridge to Coutinho saw the latter receive the ball in space inside the box before placing his shot into the side netting.
Tottenham would soon find themselves on the score line as well, and who else but Harry Kane. A long ball played to the corner found Eriksen, who did well to keep the ball in play and find Kane in the box. After one touch, the league’s leading scorer turned and fired instinctively finding the bottom corner, just out of reach of Mignolet.
From then on, both sides gave their all in search of the match winner. Liverpool came closest after Coutinho crossed the ball on the ground across the face of goal.
The ball was practically on the goal line and only needed the slightest of touches, but Sakho was unable to put the chance away, missing the ball to great frustration. Coutinho also went close with a shot he dragged just wide of the far post with six minutes remaining.
Late in the match, Moussa Dembele nearly stole the points for Tottenham with a venomous strike from just outside the area. Seeing the ball late, Mignolet did well to stretch out and push the shot just wide.
The last attack of the game was a Spurs corner kick late into stoppage time. In the end, the delivery was poor and they couldn't make anything of it, forcing them to settle for just a point.
With Liverpool effectively out of the top-four race, the draw surely has bigger implications for Tottenham, who find themselves four points off the top of the table with Leicester City still to play tomorrow.
Liverpool now get ready for a trip to Signal Iduna Park to face their Jürgen Klopp's former club, Borussia Dortmund, in the quarter-finals of the Europa League - seemingly their only possible route to next season's Champions League.
