Stoney-faced Balotelli ends Premier League goal drought

Liverpool's Mario Balotelli gestures after scoring againstTottenham Hotspur during their English Premier League soccer match at Anfield in Liverpool, northern England, February 10, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

After seven months, 14 appearances and 48 shots, Liverpool's Mario Balotelli finally scored a Premier League goal and it proved a precious strike to clinch a 3-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday.

The Italy striker, who has endured a miserable start to his Anfield career since joining from AC Milan in August, ended his burdensome barren run and snatched all three points with an 83rd minute toe-poke from close range at Anfield.

Not that you would have known the importance of his effort from the Italian's stoney-faced celebration, or his swift disappearance down the tunnel at full time.

While this is far from a complete reversal in fortunes for Balotelli, who only came off the bench in the 74th minute, it may go some way to convincing manager Brendan Rodgers that he could be a useful asset in the final few months of the season.

That would be an improvement on recent weeks when Rodgers was openly questioning the the striker's commitment to the cause, challenging him to show in training that he was worth a place in the side.

Having not even been on the bench for Saturday's Merseyside derby with Everton, Balotelli came on after Liverpool had twice taken the lead against Spurs through Lazar Markovic and a Steven Gerrard penalty, only to be pegged back by goals from Harry Kane and Moussa Dembele.