How Liverpool left Tottenham in their wake: The differing transfer strategies that sparked a rise and fall

In the final months of Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham Hotspur reign, he would occasionally direct reporters back to the two line-ups when Jurgen Klopp took charge of his first Liverpool game at White Hart Lane in October 2015.

Of the names on Klopp’s first-ever Liverpool team-sheet, only James Milner, Adam Lallana, Divock Origi and Nathaniel Clyne are still at the club. None of those players would now start in the Reds’ strongest side.

Pochettino named a team that included Hugo Lloris, Danny Rose, Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen, Erik Lamela, Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen and Harry Kane. Ben Davies and Harry Winks were among the substitutes.

Ultimately, Liverpool backed their manager while Daniel Levy eventually sacked his. But if the Tottenham chairman thought he had taken the more cost-effective option, by replacing the coach rather than the players, then the evidence would suggest otherwise....