Tottenham's dramatic decline continued as their hopes of reaching the Premier League's top four faded even further after they were well beaten by Liverpool at Anfield.
Aston Villa's defeat at Brighton left the door open for Spurs to make a late push for next season's Champions League but even a late comeback could not prevent a fourth successive defeat as Liverpool found form once more after their own recent slump.
Mohamed Salah put his touchline bust-up with manager Jurgen Klopp at West Ham behind him to open the scoring with a far-post header from Cody Gakpo's cross after 16 minutes, Andy Robertson adding the second right on half-time when Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario could only push out the Egyptian's shot.
Spurs lost discipline and Vicario had to separate team-mates Cristian Romero and Emerson Royal as they went off at half-time, with matters not improving for Ange Postecoglou's side as they were over-run after the break by a rampant Liverpool.
Follow live text and radio coverage of Sunday's Premier League actionHow did you rate Liverpool's performance? Have your say hereWhat did you make of Tottenham's display? Send us your views hereGakpo headed the third from Harvey Elliott's delivery five minutes after the interval, the latter getting on the scoresheet himself in the 59th minute with a glorious curling finish from 20 yards into the top corner.
Liverpool then inexplicably switched off to allow substitute Richarlison and Heung-Min Son to give Spurs unlikely hope but it was too late and they remain seven points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa with a game in hand.
Liverpool rediscover cutting edge
Liverpool have only lost one of their last 30 Premier League games against Spurs at Anfield (W20, D9)Liverpool may have ended this game, remarkably, with some anxiety around Anfield but for an hour they were back to their imperious, threatening best.
Tottenham's two goals gave the scoreline a closer look than Liverpool's performance deserved but they were never in serious danger of giving up the victory.
Salah had clearly recovered from his disagreement with manager Klopp at London Stadium as he led the charge by scoring the first goal and having an involvement in Robertson's second.
It was Elliott, however, who was the star of Liverpool's show and as well as setting up the third for Gakpo he got the deserved reward of a goal of his own with a searing drive high past Vicario.
Elsewhere, it was almost a dress rehearsal for Klopp's final game after a stellar nine-year reign when Wolves come to Anfield on the last day of the season.
The German was serenaded throughout as The Kop went through his farewell songsheet, Klopp responding with trademark fist pumps in front of Liverpool's fans after a nervous finale ended with victory.
Klopp was not whipping up the Kop for a final push for the Premier League title - that has gone after this season once held hopes of four trophies - but it certainly sets the scene for an emotional Anfield goodbye in a fortnight.
More to follow.
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Liverpool
Squad number1Player nameAlisson
Squad number66Player nameAlexander-Arnold
Squad number78Player nameQuansah
Squad number4Player namevan Dijk
Squad number26Player nameRobertson
Squad number19Player nameElliott
Squad number3Player nameEndo
Squad number10Player nameMac Allister
Squad number11Player nameMohamed Salah
Squad number18Player nameGakpo
Squad number7Player nameDíaz
Squad number2Player nameGomez
Squad number8Player nameSzoboszlai
Squad number9Player nameNúñez
Squad number38Player nameGravenberch
Squad number43Player nameBajcetic
Tottenham Hotspur
Squad number13Player nameVicario
Squad number23Player namePorro
Squad number17Player nameRomero
Squad number37Player namevan de Ven
Squad number12Player nameEmerson Royal
Squad number8Player nameBissouma
Squad number29Player nameSarr
Squad number30Player nameBentancur
Squad number21Player nameKulusevski
Squad number7Player nameSon Heung-min
Squad number22Player nameJohnson
Squad number4Player nameSkipp
Squad number9Player nameRicharlison
Squad number10Player nameMaddison
Squad number18Player nameLo Celso
Line-ups
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
1Alisson66Alexander-ArnoldBooked at 90mins78Quansah4van Dijk26RobertsonSubstituted forGomezat 64'minutes19ElliottSubstituted forSzoboszlaiat 83'minutes3EndoSubstituted forBajceticat 65'minutes10Mac AllisterSubstituted forGravenberchat 75'minutes11Salah18Gakpo7DíazSubstituted forNúñezat 75'minutesSubstitutes
2Gomez5Konaté8Szoboszlai9Núñez17Jones38Gravenberch43Bajcetic62Kelleher84BradleyTottenham
Formation 4-3-3
13Vicario23Porro17Romero37van de VenBooked at 47mins12Emerson RoyalBooked at 57minsSubstituted forSkippat 61'minutes8BissoumaBooked at 63mins29SarrBooked at 44minsSubstituted forLo Celsoat 75'minutes30BentancurSubstituted forRicharlisonat 61'minutes21KulusevskiSubstituted forMaddisonat 61'minutes7Son Heung-min22JohnsonSubstitutes
4Skipp5Højbjerg6Dragusin9Richarlison10Maddison11Gil18Lo Celso40Austin59MooreLive Text
Match ends, Liverpool 4, Tottenham Hotspur 2.
Second Half ends, Liverpool 4, Tottenham Hotspur 2.
Attempt saved. Darwin Núñez (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Mohamed Salah.
Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool).
Foul by Pedro Porro (Tottenham Hotspur).
Darwin Núñez (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Dominik Szoboszlai.
Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool).
Offside, Liverpool. Darwin Núñez is caught offside.
Hand ball by Darwin Núñez (Liverpool).
Attempt blocked. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Dominik Szoboszlai with a cross.
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Oliver Skipp.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) is shown the yellow card.
Attempt blocked. Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Giovani Lo Celso.
Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Attempt missed. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Trent Alexander-Arnold with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Micky van de Ven.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.