Liverpool served up a Christmas cracker as Arne Slot’s team overpowered Tottenham in a wild 6-3 Premier League win in the capital.
Victory on the road moved the Reds four points clear at the top of the EPL rankings after a chaotic afternoon for Slot and his opposite number Ange Postecoglou.
The Reds were in excellent form from the start, with Luis Diaz heading in an excellent cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold to get the ball rolling after 23 minutes.
The one-way traffic continued before the break, when a header from Alexis Mac Allister doubled the visitors’ credit and Dominik Szoboszlai made it 3-1 with a brilliant shot or thunderclap shot from James Maddison.
21 – This will be the 21st time that Liverpool has carried out the maximum English flight on Christmas Day; the maximum on both sides. They have won the title in 11 of the last 20 seasons (55%). Checkpoint. pic. twitter. com/7BvkZnmAD1
Tottenham’s expected recovery never materialised after the restart. Liverpool simply accelerated, while the Spurs defense eased the pressure.
Mohamed Salah took the middle level from there, scoring a quick brace from close range to take his EPL tally to 15 goals for the campaign and leave the hosts on the canvas.
Postecoglou’s accusations were finally answered, as Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke each produced a clever finish that raised hopes of an incredible comeback. That was until Díaz completed the rout in the final minutes.
While Liverpool may relish the ecstasy of sending a message with their name to their rivals, the tension is only mounting over Postecoglou after his team collapsed in the face of a heavy defeat.
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London Referee: Sam Barrott
Keep track of each and every setting and purposes through SN Premier League live scoreboard
Initial compositions:
Tottenham (4-3-3, left): Forster (GK) – Porro, Dragusin, Gray, Spence – Sarr (Johnson, 58), Bissouma, Maddison (Bergvall, 58′) – Kulusevski, Solanke, Son (Werner , 82′).
Liverpool (4-3-3, left): Alisson (GK) – Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson – Mac Allister (Jones, 67′), Gravenberch, Szoboszlai – Salah (Nunez, 87′)Array Gakpo (Jota, 67′), Diaz (Elliott, 87′).
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What pic. twitter. com/PvHAZglgIV ?
And breathe! Nine goals and a demonstration of Liverpool’s offensive dominance in north London. Salah sensational and Diaz fatal as slot rates advance 4 numbers at Christmas!
What a game ? pic.twitter.com/PvHAZglgIV
90 1 minutes: Despite scoring MORE goals, the adjustment dropped a bit in added time. . . It looks like he’s staying at 6-3!
86 minutes: Well. . . this is the end of the match: Liverpool makes it 6-3!
Jota leads the pace on Liverpool’s left, rolls over Szoboszlai who feeds Salah and the unleashed Díaz crushes Forster! Darwin Núñez and Harvey Elliott now update Salah and Díaz – a well-deserved break for those two.
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83 mins: Hold on: it’s 5-3!
Could? A deep cross from Bergvall returns to the penalty through Johnson and Solanke heads past Alisson.
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82 minutes: Forster’s precise goalkeeping when Alexander-Arnold’s cross beats him, but the veteran striker picks it out near the post.
Forster comes to the hosts’ rescue again to deny Jota. Timo Werner is on for Son.
76 minutes: Diaz bursts in and tries to lift a ball that bounces off Forster, but lands just over the bar!Spurs enthusiasts are already heading towards the exit by the thousands.
72 mins: 5-2! Spurs hit back!
It won’t change the final result, but that is a superb finish, Kulusevski volleying Dominic Solanke’s chip past Alisson!
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67 mins: Forster gets down low to keep out a drive from Alexander-Arnold and Sot makes a double substitution. Mac Allister and Gakpo are off and Diogo Jota and Curtis Jones are on.
61 minutes: SALAH AGAIN!!
Spurs are run ragged and Salah has his second! Gakpo squares across the box to Szoboszlai, who helps it on to Liverpool’s talisman to tuck home his 15th EPL goal of the campaign!
VIDEO: Watch Liverpool’s goal in the United States | View in Canada
58 minutes: Spurs double change: Sarr and Maddison are absent, and Lucas Bergvall and Brennan Johnson are present.
54 mins: SALAH MAKES IT 4-1!
All that’s missing from this Liverpool feature is a goal from Salah and the Egyptian obliges because Gray can’t cut out Gakpo’s low ball in the box and the Reds’ main player fires home.
Szoboszlai almost made it five, but lost his balance and shot wide.
VIDEO: Watch Liverpool’s goal in the United States | View in Canada
50 mins: The same old Spurs are struggling as Liverpool push the hosts back into position from the restart, and Djed Spence does well to block out Salah. Szoboszlai then receives a warning for a foul on Yves Bissouma.
46 minutes: Resumption – no adjustments at half-time. Another forty-five minutes, please!
Time for both sides to catch their breath! Liverpool have been simply sensational in the capital. The brief respite brought about by Maddison was almost immediately ruined, with Arne Slot’s team looking to lay down a festive marker in the Premier League title race!
Ahead at the break ?? #TOTLIV pic.twitter.com/zHQSdSJj3F
45 mins: Liverpool tear through and it’s 3-1!!!
Alexander-Arnold’s long ball is blocked by the Tottenham defence, Salah continues his run and his opposite ball frees Szoboszlai to slip under Forster’s attack.
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40 mins: INSTANT REPLY FROM SPURS. 2-1!
Liverpool are appealing for a free-kick as Kulusevski crunches into Mac Allister from Alexander-Arnold’s risky pass on the edge of the Reds penalty area, but the rebound is curled home brilliantly by James Maddison! Game on…
VIDEO: Watch Tottenham’s goal in the United States | See in Canada
35 minutes: 2-0 LIVERPOOL!
Liverpool are rampant. Andy Robertson hangs in a cross from the left, Szoboszlai challenges at the far post, and his knockdown drops perfectly for Alexis Mac Allister to nod past Forster!
VIDEO: Watch Liverpool’s goal in the United States | View in Canada
30 mins: First booking of the game as Gakpo deliberately brings down Sarr as Spurs try to break away.
26 mins: A positive reaction from Spurs as Dejan Kulusevski runs wide of the target before Forster recovers Diaz’s effort.
23 mins: 1-0 LIVERPOOL!
A deserved breakthrough for the dominant as Alexander-Arnold floats in a perfect cross from the right and Diaz times his run to pass Forster!
VIDEO: Watch Liverpool goal in USA | Watch in Canada
20 minutes: Liverpool fly again. Diaz slips the box to Gakpo, but his cut cuts through Archie Gray magnificently.
17 mins: SALAH OFF THE BAR!
Seconds after Cody Gakpo shot wide, Salah pulled away from Yves Bissouma on the edge of the Spurs box, his shot bouncing off the crossbar!
11 minutes: GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR LIVERPOOL!
Trent Alexander-Arnold lifts a very good ball in Salah’s path, but Forster reaches out to block near the post, and Dominik Szoboszlai’s follow-up is blocked through Pape Sarr.
5 minutes: Two first chances for Liverpool as Fraser Forster’s pass is intercepted and fired wide across Mo Salah before Luis Diaz crashes in from the edge of the area.
We’re on our way to the N17. . . GO SPURS! ?
35 minutes before kick-off: Outside of the on-field action, Spurs fans are also expressing their frustration with Daniel Levy, with a pre-match protest planned in north London.
There is a protest against Tottenham’s ownership ahead of the upcoming attack on Liverpool. Black balloons will be released before the start with “Levy out”. pic. twitter. com/6gf5vGTpua
1 hour start: TEAM NEWS HAS ARRIVED!
Tottenham line up as expected and Cody Gakpo starts for Liverpool.
Your Spurs XI to face Liverpool! ✊? @krakenfx pic. twitter. com/2J1ulJu9kS
The Reds will face the Spurs ?? #TOTLIV
1 hour and 15 minutes before kickoff: Is another Trent rocket coming?
Trent strike en route to a 3-1 win at Tottenham ??#TOTLIV ’20/21 ✨ pic. twitter. com/o7Uas8vGwe
1 hour and 30 mins before kickoff: Sunny Spurs all set!
?️☀️ pic. twitter. com/tyDeIjTt2V
2 hours before kick-off: After Arsenal’s defeat against Crystal Palace on Saturday, the tension is now in Liverpool, north of London. . .
Arsenal close the gap on Liverpool and Chelsea ?? Everton v Chelsea, Sunday 14:00 GMT? Spurs v Liverpool, Sunday 16:30 GMT pic.twitter.com/1C4245TfXj
This Premier League match will begin in London, United Kingdom at 16:30 local time.
Here’s how that time translates across some of the major territories:
Injuries continue to play a huge role in the Spurs’ struggle to juggle a hectic schedule and maximum expectations. Permanently excluded are goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, defenders Ben Davies, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, as well as attackers Richarlison and Wilson Odobert.
Additionally, Timo Werner and Mikey Moore are out, while Rodrigo Bentancur continues to serve his long national suspension for a racist insult against teammate Son Heung-min.
Tottenham XI (4-3-3, right to left): Forster (GK) — Porro, Dragusin, Gray, Spence — Sarr, Bissouma, Maddison —Kulusevski, Solanke, Son.
MORE: Premier League 2024/25 fixtures | All the Tottenham news
Conor Bradley (hamstring) and Ibrahima Konate (knee) will most likely be sidelined until the end of the holiday matches, but Kostas Tsimikas is on the bench.
Andy Robertson was able to serve his one-match suspension for a sending off against Fulham in the Carabao Cup quarter-final win over Southampton and starts.
Liverpool XI (4-3-3, left): Alisson (GK) – Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson – Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai – Salah, Gakpo, Diaz.
Here is how to watch the match in some of the world’s major regions:
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Feargal is a content producer for The Sporting News. He has been working with TSN since the start of 2022 after stints with Reach, Amazon UK and Squawka in a nomadic career in the football media pyramid. Always with a keen eye on Arteta’s ‘Reds’ and Kenny’s Ireland ‘Greens’ and a 100% five-a-side penalty record.