Martin Jol's Spurs fell to their third straight away defeat this season, but it could all have been so different had England midfielder Jenas converted a golden chance less than sixty seconds before Gonzalez made the breakthrough for Liverpool.

Having been picked out unmarked at the far post by Edgar Davids, Jenas merely had to get a firm touch on the ball to send it past goalkeeper Jose Reina for the opening goal.

But his effort squirmed wide and he paid the ultimate price as Gonzalez, Kuyt and Riise, scored at the other end to hand the home side all three points.

Liverpool's midweek victory over Newcastle at Anfield came on the back of successive league defeats against Everton and Chelsea and Rafa Benitez's team had to build on that win if they were to maintain any serious hopes of challenging for the title.But Spurs made life difficult for the home side from the first whistle and the first-half was a tale of missed chances for both sides.

It was a hugely frustrating opening period until Spurs midfielder Danny Murphy's throughball split apart the Liverpool defence on 17 minutes.

It seemed a perfect pass for Robbie Keane to latch onto, but the presence of Sami Hyypia distracted the Irish forward and Liverpool escaped.

Former Liverpool midfielder Murphy caused another moment of panic at the heart of the home defence shortly afterwards when his in-swinging free-kick picked out King unmarked six yards out.

All King had to do to direct the ball into net was get the faintest of touches with his attempted header, but the ball whistled past his head and he failed to trouble Reina.

Liverpool rallied, though, and Gonzalez's corner was deflected onto the post by Spurs defender Pascal Chimbonda.

Then, ten minutes later, Craig Bellamy latched onto a Gonzalez pass and hit a first-time left-foot strike at goal from 20 yards. The effort forced keeper Paul Robinson into a full-stretch save, the only save of the first-half.

The game improved dramatically after the interval, however, and Kuyt should have scored when he headed over from close range on 53 minutes.

Spurs blew their best chance to score, though, when Jenas wasted his chance on 62 minutes. Jermain Defoe had released Davids down the left flank and his cross was perfect for Jenas, but only the midfielder will know how he failed to hit the target.

Seconds later, Liverpool were ahead. Gerrard's burst down the right flank took him past defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto and his cross to Bellamy saw the Welshman hit the post. But Chilean winger Gonzalez was on the spot to fire home the rebound from a tight angle.

Spurs were now chasing the game and Kuyt put it beyond them when he latched on to Luis Garcia's pass before aiming a right-foot strike past Paul Robinson from 20 yards.

Norwegian midfielder Riise saved the best for last when he fired a 30-yard strike past Robinson for the third goal in the final minute.