The Londoners headed to Anfield with hopes of erasing the memory of a shock FA Cup defeat against Leicester City, but finished the afternoon pointless and with ten men, after Paul Stalteri saw red in the closing stages.
After a nervous opening to the match Liverpool almost broke the deadlock on eight minutes, but Paul Robinson made a superb reflex stop after Steven Gerrard crossed to Peter Crouch at the far post.
Crouch headed his shot hard and low, but the Spurs keeper showed why he holds the England number one jersey.
Though Robinson kept the ball out, Liverpool gained confidence from the attack and began to display the touches that have helped them to their highest ever Premiership points tally at this stage of the season.
Tottenham looked strong defensively but were nearly caught out when a move between Jermaine Jenas and Edgar Davids broke down.
Momo Sissoko gained possession and fed Gerrard, but his ball drifted past Fernando Morientes and into Robinson's grateful hands.
Stalteri was enjoying a fine game alongside Michael Dawson and Ledley King and the two sides looked to be cancelling each other out.
However, the hosts were inches away from taking the lead when Morientes' tame header wrong-footed Robinson but hit the post and rebounded to safety.
Nil-nil was probably a fair reflection of a rather drab first half which promised much but delivered little in terms of excitement.
Robbie Keane missed an absolute sitter in the opening minute of the second half after good work from Michael Carrick and Jenas. The ball rolled into his path invitingly, only for the Republic of Ireland striker to put it wide from six yards.
Tottenham had the bit between their teeth and forced a corner on 49 minutes which Teemu Tainio received on the edge of the area, but the Finn could only blast it wide and into the crowd.
Gerrard then attempted two long-range shots in as many minutes, as he desperately tried to inject some life into the game.
It was Aussie Kewell who broke Spurs' hearts with the sweetest of volleys just before the hour mark.
Finnan lofted the ball in from the right and the inconsistent winger buried it into Robinson's left hand corner for his first goal in 13 months - much to the delight of an otherwise quiet home support.
Liverpool struggled to build any momentum after the goal and although Stalteri did well to cut out a Morientes-bound cross from Gerrard, Tottenham looked as likely as the hosts to find the next goal.
However, their hopes were ended when Stalteri brought down Kewell three minutes from time and received his marching orders from referee Dermot Gallagher.