With an injury crisis robbing Jürgen Klopp of key individuals and after only a couple of days on the training ground with his international players, Liverpool’s manager will be pleased with his team’s organisation throughout the goalless draw at White Hart Lane.

Klopp instructed his team to play in a 4-3-2-1 formation, a relatively unusual system in the Premier League. Divock Origi led the line, Adam Lallana and Philippe Coutinho drifted around just behind him, and Emre Can and James Milner shuttled out wide from narrow defensive positions either side of Lucas Leiva. Despite the unfamiliar system, Liverpool were extremely cohesive without the ball and recorded their first clean sheet since a goalless draw at Arsenal in August.

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In keeping with Klopp’s pressing tactics, the defensive work started from the front. Origi was energetic and forced the Spurs centre-backs to play the ball quickly, while Coutinho and Lallana moved forward to support him, shutting down the obvious passing options into the central midfield zone.

The most crucial roles, however, were played by Milner and Can, two hard-working, tactically intelligent and versatile footballers. They closed down quickly when Tottenham’s full-backs received the ball before recovering their central midfield position immediately. The midfield trio remained tight and prevented Spurs penetrating them easily and Can came in for particular vocal praise from his compatriot Klopp during the first half, as he relentlessly shut down the Tottenham right-back Kyle Walker.

Collectively, Liverpool’s players covered more distance, and made more sprints, than in any of their previous Premier League games this season. They were also the first side to outrun Tottenham, the most effective pressing team in the division.

Klopp has often spoken about how gegenpressing – recovering the ball immediately after possession has been conceded – is the best “playmaker” and that proved particularly apt here. Liverpool forced spells of pressure during the first 25 minutes when they won possession high up the pitch but then tired, were unable to win the ball in the opposition half and found themselves suffering from a lack of creativity. The literal playmakers, Coutinho and Lallana, appeared too tired from the heavy running to contribute anything in possession.

Klopp commended their pressing afterwards, however. “Phil and Adam were brilliant – and the three behind,” he said. “But the problem of the game was when we had the ball. We weren’t good enough, we didn’t use our skills, we were too … hectic?” he said, struggling to find the right English expression. “We didn’t see the right option.”

That was understandable, in a new system and with a fourth-choice striker up front making his full league debut. Origi’s link play was good – he completed 25 of his 28 passes and came closest to scoring when heading against the bar from a corner – but Liverpool did not know quite how to provide him with service in open play. Still, the passing patterns, integrated movement and quick transitions will come with time. This was a quietly impressive opening to the Klopp era.