Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said the come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Tottenham emphasized the progress of the side in the English Premier League, while Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas bemoaned his team's capitulation from a winning position.

Liverpool took the lead through, who else but, Luis Suarez at Anfield, before a brace from Jan Vertonghen put the away side in control. However, goals from Stewart Downing and Steven Gerrard swayed the game Liverpool's way.

"It's a very important win for us," Rodgers said. "We're on a great run at the moment and we knew it was going to be a severe test of our qualities and our character against a team in great form who are particularly strong and have been together for a few years.

"For us to get the three points and play like we did, and more importantly show the character, was fantastic.

"All season people have spoken about us not beating anyone from the top 10, then it was the top eight and top six and top four. Today was a stringent test and they came through it.

"We know where we want to be eventually but this is another marker for us in terms of our growth."

Rodgers felt Liverpool were harshly done by for the two goals scored by Spurs. "We're disappointed with the two goals, in particular the first one," Rodgers added. "The referee allowed Gareth Bale to come on when he was off the pitch.

"In the modern game, the player can come on the pitch when the ball is on the other side. But he actually came on when the ball was on his side and he ended up being the spare man and got the cross in for the goal.

"The second one was harsh -- if you give that you'll give about 200 freekicks a game."

Spurs manager Villas-Boas felt his side deserved to come away with all three points and would have, had they avoided some of the silly mistakes.

"It's difficult for us to take because we did ever so well to come back into the game in the first half and started so brightly in the second half," he said.

"We were in control of the game and then it changed very quickly. We lost control of the momentum of the game and let Liverpool believe they could turn it around.

"The performance overall was good, but we'd want to avoid a couple of things that we did wrong. Still, it was a good performance and the feeling is a little harsh because the players understand that we could have won here."