Garcia condemns Spurs to scrappy defeat

Liverpool's Luis Garcia (L) runs past Tottenham's Hossam Ghaly (R) during their Premiership match at home to Tottenham at White Hart Lane Stadium. Liverpool won 1-0.

Luis Garcia gave Liverpool's Champions League hopes a timely lift after he sealed a scrappy 1-0 win over fellow European hopefuls Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

The Spaniard stabbed home from close range in first-half injury time to exorcise the memories of the Merseysiders' limp defeat at Blackburn on Boxing Day and lift them to fourth in the Premiership table, ahead of Arsenal's trip to Sheffield United in Saturday's late match.

This has hardly been a vintage year at Anfield, but at least they can look forward to 2007 with more relish than Spurs, whose maddening inconsistencies threaten to undermine their hopes of a top-six finish.

A miserable afternoon for the north Londoners started badly when Ledley King was ruled out after reportedly suffering a broken bone in his foot, but at least Martin Jol had more flexibility in attack.

The Dutchman chose to rest his in-form Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov, partnering Jermain Defoe with Mido for just the sixth time this season.

Mido has endured a largely unfulfilling six months since signing permanently from AS Roma, and he hardly helped his cause for a regular starting berth by fluffing a gilt-edged early chance.

After Defoe's pass had bounced off Steed Malbranque, Mido found himself with just Pepe Reina to beat. But just when the striker needed to be at his coolest, he panicked and blazed wide from the edge of the area.

That early chance set a breezy tone for a game played in swirling wind and rain, but it quickly petered out. There was little rhythm or pattern to a disjointed first half, although the rare moments of fluency were provided by Liverpool.

In the 26th minute a sweeping move involving Steven Gerrard, Dirk Kuyt and Craig Bellamy ended with the Welshman's bobbling drive forcing Paul Robinson into a routine stop.

In truth, the England goalkeeper might have been grateful for the wake-up call, but he was helpless moments later when the lively Kuyt received Bellamy's lay-off and curled a delicate shot fractionally wide.

If ever a half deserved to finish goalless, it was this one, but Liverpool made Spurs pay for an abject loss of concentration in stoppage time.

Gerrard dispossessed the dawdling Didier Zokora, played a one-two with Kuyt, and scuffed a shot goalwards. Callum Davenport's attempt at a clearance fell straight to Garcia, who gratefully volleyed in from close range.

Spurs were jeered off at the interval and their mood was hardly lightened when their side almost leaked a second moments after the re-start. More defensive dithering, this time from Lee Young-Pyo, allowed Bellamy space but his curler was comfortably saved by Robinson.

That let-off sparked the Spurs faithful to call for Berbatov and their wish was granted in the 57th minute.

The change almost reaped spectacular rewards when the former Bayer Leverkusen striker's cross was thumped against his own crossbar by Steve Finnan.

But the notion that this was an ill-fated day for Spurs was confirmed when Hossam Ghaly hammered wide with the goal gaping and then Berbatov saw a late equaliser chalked off for offside.