BIG ANGE SPUR-FECT

New boss inspires troops to win against nine men

- John Cross

IT was always going to be a chance for one of them to make a statement.

And never more so on the day that Manchester City slipped up and lost at Wolves.

If Pep Guardiola's reigning champions are to be overthrown in this season's title race then it will still take another team to step forward and show they are good enough to take their crown.

This felt like it was like something of an audition as to whether it would be Liverpool 2.0 or Ange Postecoglou's new-look Tottenham. It ended up being a fabulous contest, a game only the Premier League can deliver in terms of drama, controversy and talking points.

But you are never going to do it with nine men left on the pitch.

It says much for Liverpool's resilience and battling qualities that they were eventually only beaten in the seventh minute of injury time and by Joel Matip's own goal. But Liverpool have now had four red cards in their opening seven Premier League games and you cannot overcome those sorts of odds.

Tottenham, meanwhile, have found a new belief and optimism under Big Ange and the roar at the final whistle told you everything.