Tottenham vs Liverpool: Five things we learned from Spurs' stylish win over Jurgen Klopp's men

Tottenham 4 Liverpool 1: Harry Kane (2), Son Heung-Min and Dele Alli were all on the mark as Spurs asserted themselves against a defensively vulnerable Liverpool side

Dele Alli added Tottenham's third moments before half-time (Getty)

Tottenham capped off an excellent week of football after beating Liverpool 4-1 here at Wembley.

Harry Kane (2), Son Heung-Min and Dele Alli were all on the mark as Spurs asserted themselves against a defensively vulnerable Liverpool side.

Mohamed Salah pulled one back after his side had fallen two behind but it wasn't enough to kickstart a comeback as Jurgen Klopp's side succumbed to another defeat at the hands of a top-six rival.

Here are five things we learned:

Tottenham riding wave of confidence

Mauricio Pochettino's men reaffirmed their place among the game's elite after holding Real Madrid to a 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu earlier this week. It was a result that highlighted just how far Tottenham have come in recent months as they continue to push on in search of silverware.

Harry Kane was on form once again for Spurs (Getty)

Unsurprisingly, then, Spurs hit the ground running at Wembley today as they fired two goals past their opponents in the opening 12 minutes. Decisive, lighting-quick going forward and ruminating with a glow of self-belief, Tottenham couldn't have asked for a better start - and this against a side whose wage bill is double their own.

There was no fear or respect shown by Pochettino's players as they set about deploying their well-thought out game plan, adding two more goals to the scoreline through Alli and Kane later on. Spurs may have briefly let Liverpool back into the game through Salah's strike but, on the back of their most eye-catching moments from today's victory, there's no doubt the north Londoners are, when at their best, on a different level. The meeting with Manchester City is going to be a big one.

Lovren has an afternoon to forget

This was a bad, bad day for the Liverpool defence and one that Dejan Lovren, in particular, will be keen to forget. Indeed, the Croatian looked like an astronaut who'd returned from a mission to mars and, having been been thrown straight into a football match upon his arrival back on earth, was coming to terms with the phenonemon that is known as gravity. For Tottenham's first, he failed to mark, react and then tackle Kane before the Englishman stood his ground to fire into an open net.

Dejan Lovren in action for Liverpool (Getty)

The second was similarly his fault. Soaring above Kane on the half-way line, he misjudged his attempt to nod clear Hugo Lloris' throw, allowing the striker the time and space to pick up possession and storm down the right flank from where he provided Son with the assist. It was a performance undeserving of a local cowshed and a handful of fans, let alone Wembley Stadium and 80,000-odd supporters. Unsurprisingly, he was replaced by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain after just 30 minutes.

No hope of progress until Klopp fixes his defence

Which brings us nicely to Liverpool's defence - or lack of. This was just another reminder that, until Klopp fixes his backline, Liverpool stand no chance of effectively challenging for silverware both on the domestic and European level. Lovren was just one issue among many today for the visitors. The sheer amount of space afforded by Liverpool inside their own final third to Tottenham was quite simply baffling, with Pochettino's men taking full advantage of these emerging pockets to hit their opponents hard on the counter-attack.

Mignolet was at fault for Tottenham's fourth (Getty)

Kane's second, and Tottenham's fourth, reinforced the lack of cohesion and decisiveness in Liverpool's backline. Mignolet's failed attempt to punch clear Kieran Trippier's free-kick was not dealt with by any of the visiting defenders, enabling Kane to eventually find the back of the net with a well-taken strike inside the six-yard box. It was a moment that summed up Liverpool's defensive performance as a whole: erratic, unassured and calamitous

Son every manager's dream player

Harry Kane has been all the rage lately and today's performance suggests why. But sometimes it's worth acknowledging football's unsung heroes: in this case, Son Heung-min. The South Korean must be a delight for Pochettino. A fantastic squad player, one who never moans or kicks up a fuss when overlooked but, equally, a player capable of leaving his mark when included.

Son celebrates scoring his side's second (Getty)

So it was the case today. Latching onto Kane's delivery in the 12th minute, the forward exercised a remarkable degree of composure and ruthlessness to slot the ball past Mignolet and clinch his second goal of the season. It was a world-class finish that points to the depth of quality at Pochettino's disposal in this Tottenham squad. He came close moments later, raking the ball across the upright with a stinging strike from the right-hand side byline. Always there when called upon, Son is just one of the many reasons behind Tottenham's progress in recent years.

Wembley hoodoo a thing of the past

It's safe to say the Wembley hoodoo is now a thing of the past (for now at least). Today's victory marks their fifth game in a row without defeat at the national stadium. In front of a 80,827-strong crowd - a Premier League record - Spurs put on a display befitting such a vast audience. Compared to England's dreary win over Slovenia earlier this month, Wembley was finally treated to a performance to cheer about. Indeed, there wasn't a paper plane in sight.