Samba at Anfield

The fifteen-minute break flew by.

The second half began, and the two sides switched ends for another battle.

Pochettino stood on the touchline, his eyes fixed tightly on the pitch.

Just as he had said in the pre-match tactical meeting, he was waiting.

Waiting for Liverpool's stamina to collapse.

That kind of high-intensity end-to-end pace in the first half had been devastating to their physical reserves.

His players had all walked into the dressing room gasping for breath. He believed Liverpool, who had played several more matches than Tottenham Hotspur, would only be more exhausted.

He was convinced that if they held on for another fifteen minutes, Liverpool's running ability would fall off a cliff.

Then Tottenham Hotspur could take control of the game's rhythm.

But the flow of the match seemed to be somewhat beyond Pochettino's expectations.

The instant the whistle for the second half sounded, Liverpool charged into Tottenham Hotspur's half like wolves released from a cage after starving for three days.

Robertson surged down the left and crossed first time after receiving Rodri's pass.

Mane met it at the far post with a first-time shot!

The ball skimmed past the post and went out, leaving Lloris in a cold sweat.

Pochettino frowned, but quickly regained his composure.

This was only the beginning. Liverpool, who were behind, were relying on willpower now. Once this burst of momentum passed, their fitness problems would show.

In the 50th minute.

Liverpool launched another attack, this time from the right.

Arnold pushed up near the halfway line and passed the ball to Coutinho, who had dropped back to offer support.

After turning, Coutinho slipped through a diagonal pass.

Chen Anno received the ball some twenty-seven or twenty-eight meters outside the box, facing the defensive pressure of Wanyama and Dier.

He changed direction