Source: Eurosport
Bassong earns his Spurs
Title hopefuls Liverpool suffered defeat in their first game of the new Barclays Premier League campaign as Sebastien Bassong scored on his debut in a 2-1 victory for Tottenham at White Hart Lane.
Given title rivals United had won earlier on Sunday afternoon, coupled with victories on Saturday for both Chelsea and, most impressively, Arsenal, there was little margin for error if Liverpool were to avoid playing catch up after just one match.
However, the Reds never really got going, with Fernando Torres particularly disappointing.
Indeed, Liverpool should have been more than 1-0 down at half-time had Anfield old boy Robbie Keane not missed a couple of clear chances before full-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto smashed in a 25-yard effort past Pepe Reina.
Although the visitors were handed a lifeline back into the match when Glen Johnson was upended by keeper Heurelho Gomes to give away a penalty, which Steven Gerrard converted after 54 minutes, Spurs soon regained the lead as Bassong, an £8million signing from Newcastle, headed in a free-kick from Luka Modric.
While there is, of course, plenty of football left to be played between now and May, Rafa Benitez knows his men will have to do much, much better if they are to finish ahead of the rest.
