WELL, that meeting with Mike Riley certainly did the trick. But rather than point the finger at the officials and poor fortune, Kenny Dalglish’s Liverpool FC men have only themselves to blame after their ambitions were dealt another jarring reality check.

If Liverpool’s previous outing against Stoke City ended with a seething sense of injustice, yesterday the Anfield outfit got exactly what they deserved at White Hart Lane. Nothing.

Never mind arranging meetings with referee chiefs, Dalglish will most likely this week invite most of his own players into his Melwood office for a word.

First through the door should be Charlie Adam. The midfielder has done much to win over his doubters with some impressive displays since arriving from Blackpool in the summer, but it will clearly take longer to rid the tendency of picking up silly bookings that has dogged the Scot since stepping up to the Premier League.

It proved costly here. Yes, Adam was harshly treated to pick up an early card for a foul on Gareth Bale, but that should have been the sign not to fly into the reckless challenge which upended Scott Parker and gave card-happy referee Mike Jones the opportunity brandish yellow then red.

Down to 10 men after 28 minutes, Liverpool were further reduced after the interval. And like Adam, Martin Skrtel should have known better.

Once again pressed into an emergency right-back role, this was more akin to his nightmare full-back stint against Middlesbrough in 2009, the Slovakian cautioned for a foul on Bale in the first half before stupidly repeating the offence shortly past the hour.

The inevitable red followed, one of a remarkable eight shown to Liverpool players yesterday in comparison to one for Tottenham. At a time when the visitors only trailed by Luka Modric’s well-taken opener, with it went any hope of salvation.