After a weekend of COVID-19 related postponements Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool raised the spirits with a rip-roaring 2-2 draw in a pre-Christmas Premier League classic on Sunday.
A mistake by Liverpool keeper Alisson gifted Tottenham's Son Heung-min a 74th-minute equaliser after the Juergen Klopp's visitors had replied to Harry Kane's early opener with goals by Diogo Jota and Andy Robertson.
Liverpool, who failed to win for the first time in nine games in all competitions, ended with 10 men after Robertson was shown a red card for a wild tackle late on.
Tottenham had not played for a fortnight after having two league games postponed after a COVID outbreak, but produced a vibrant display and wasted numerous gilt-edged chances.
In the end a draw was a fair outcome from a game that lifted the gloom on a murky, cold afternoon in north London.
Liverpool head into Christmas three points behind Manchester City, who won earlier in the day, while Tottenham are in seventh spot with 26 points, but with games in hand over the teams immediately above them.
Both sides' starting lineups were impacted by Covid-19 with Tottenham having some regulars fit only for the bench, while Liverpool's Thiago joined Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho and Curtis Jones on the absent list after being forced to isolate.
The changes affected Liverpool more as their defence was continually breached by the home side's counter-attacks.
