Super Mario strikes: Balotelli ends drought as Liverpool down Tottenham 3-2

The game was deadlocked at 2-2 when the Italian netted the ball in the 83rd minute

LIVERPOOL: Liverpool assistant manager Colin Pascoe said Mario Balotelli's long-awaited first Premier League goal for the Reds could kick-start the striker's spluttering Anfield career.

Balotelli came off the bench to net a dramatic winner seven minutes from time in Tuesday's 3-2 victory as Brendan Rodgers' side boosted their hopes of a top-four finish.

It was the Italy international's first goal for Liverpool in 13 league games, and his first in the English top flight since he scored for Manchester City against Wigan in 2012.

Pascoe hopes Balotelli's struggles will now become a thing of the past and that the enigmatic 24-year-old, who had previously scored only twice in all competitions this season, can take confidence from the goal. "I hope it can be a springboard, he is training hard," he said. "It's testament to him that's he kept going and got his reward."

The Reds had twice led through Lazar Markovic and a Steven Gerrard penalty, only to be pegged back by goals from Tottenham's Harry Kane and Mousa Dembele.

However, Balotelli came off the bench to strike the decisive blow and secure the points against one of Liverpool's rivals for a Champions League spot.

Liverpool now lie seventh in the table, one place behind Spurs and only three points off the all-important top four.

"The last couple of weeks Mario's been ill," added Pascoe. "And he has had some knocks on his foot and he couldn't get his boot on. To get a winner at Anfield is an experience on its own and he is immensely happy."

Pascoe also revealed that Liverpool captain Gerrard was withdrawn in the second half as a preventative measure because of a slight hamstring problem.

"Steven felt his hamstring and felt he had to come off," said Pascoe. "He could feel it a little. But it was an important win, it was a great win and we deserved it."

Wenger frets over Sanchez, Ramsey injuries

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said he was concerned about the fitness of Alexis Sanchez and Aaron Ramsey after the Arsenal stars suffered injuries in his side's 2-1 win over Leicester.

Wenger lamented what looks like a third hamstring injury of the season for Ramsey as the Welsh midfielder went off just nine minutes after coming on as a second half substitute.

He was also critical of heavy Leicester tackling that saw Chile winger Sanchez taken off with a knock following a clash with Matthew Upson at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.

"I don't know [the extent of the injury] but it is not good news," Wenger said of Ramsey. "He's had a recurrence now of a few injuries.

"Sanchez had a knock with his knee and I don't think he was himself. From the moment he got his knock, he was never comfortable. I don't know how long he'll be out."

First-half goals from Laurent Koscielny and Theo Walcott gave Arsenal what Wenger described as an "important" response to Saturday's derby defeat to Tottenham, and kept them right in the middle of a tight race for the top four.

 

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