“DO YOU think you’ll get a hole in one?” was the response from one scribe at Saturday night’s post-match press conference when Harry Redknapp told the assembled group of journalists that he’d celebrate beating Liverpool by spending yesterday relaxing on the golf course.

But that’s the Tottenham manager’s luck at the moment – in less than a week at White Hart Lane he’s taken seven points in three games for a team that had collected just two from their previous eight matches.

A first win of the season came against Bolton six days earlier – just hours after Redknapp had arrived from Portsmouth – and he followed that up with the most unlikely of draws at north London rivals Arsenal in midweek when his side fought back from 4-2 down going into the final minute to somehow salvage a share of the spoils.

After coming from behind to win on four occasions so far this season and collecting a few victories without firing on all cylinders along the way – including Wednesday night’s 1-0 success against Portsmouth which was only achieved thanks to a moment of madness from Papa Bouba Diop who seemed to think he was playing volleyball – Liverpool have been accused of riding their luck somewhat this season, although victories over Manchester United and Chelsea have hinted that their title credentials are indeed genuine.

But if they had been fortunate in some of their previous matches so far this term, Saturday evening’s encounter at White Hart Lane was the moment that Liverpool’s luck ran out.

Despite taking the lead early on, Benitez’s side missed a series of great opportunities to add to their advantage.

And they were ultimately floored by a sucker punch in stoppage time as Tottenham substitute Roman Pavlyuchenko stole the points after the hosts had earlier levelled through a Jamie Carragher own goal.

Quite simply, Tottenham ‘did a Liverpool’ to Rafael Benitez’s side.

For all the talk about getting the rub of the green you ultimately make your own luck in football and the biggest worry for any manager is when you don’t take your chances when you’re on top.

In hitting the woodwork on three occasions when leading 1-0 and with Xabi Alonso guiding a free header wide when unmarked from point blank range, that’s what Liverpool were guilty of on this occasion.

While Benitez’s side will be returning to White Hart Lane in just nine days time for a Carling Cup tie, a lot has changed since Liverpool’s previous visit ahead of Saturday, when they triumphed 2-0 on the final day of last season.

In the glorious sunshine after that match, Robbie Keane picked up his Tottenham Player of the Year trophy and buoyed by their Carling Cup victory at Wembley over London rivals Chelsea, home fans were still looking forward to a bright future under new coach Juande Ramos – with the Irishman and strike partner Dimitar Berbatov providing their main goal threat.

But unlike the Anfield outfit, Tottenham were unable to progress under a Spaniard’s stewardship and after suffering the worst start to a season in their club’s history, they have turned to the archetypal English ‘gaffer’ in Redknapp to save them.

In previous seasons, Benitez has been accused of being too preoccupied with the Champions League – a competition in which he seems to operate with a great deal of comfort – while not grasping what it takes to excel in what was once Liverpool’s bread and butter of the title race.

So with the Spaniard realising that this is the season he must really challenge for top spot domestically, his major summer recruit was a striker who has delivered in the English game for many seasons in the shape of Keane .

And another Premier League stalwart in Gareth Barry would also have followed if the club could have found the funds to meet Aston Villa’s asking price.

The approaches of Benitez and Redknapp appear on face value to be very different.