Liverpool served up a Christmas cracker as Arne Slot led Tottenham to a wild 6-3 Premier League victory in the capital.
The away win left the Reds four points clear at the top of the EPL table after a chaotic afternoon for Slot and his counterpart 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-d 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 finish from either of James Maddison’s rays.
21 – This will be the 21st time Liverpool has made 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%). Point of control. pic. twitter. com/7BvkZnmAD1
Tottenham’s expected recovery never materialized after the restart. Liverpool just went one step further as the Spurs defense reduced the pressure.
Mohamed Salah took centre-stage from there on, scoring a close-range quickfire double to bring 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 produced a clever finish that raised hopes of an incredible comeback. That was until Diaz completed the rout in the final minutes.
While Liverpool may enjoy the ecstasy of sending a message with their name to their rivals, tension only increases for Postecoglou after his team suffered a heavy defeat.
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London Referee: Sam Barrott
Keep track of each and every game and goal via SN Premier League live scoreboard
Starting lineups:
Tottenham (4-3-3, from right to left): Forster (GK) — Porro, Dragusin, Gray, Spence — Sarr (Johnson, years), Bissouma, Maddison (Bergvall, ‘) — Kulusevski, Solanke, Son (Werner , 82’).
Liverpool (4-3-3, left to right): Alisson (GK) – Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson – Mac Allister (Jones, 67′), Gravenberch, Szoboszlai – Salah (Núñez, 87′), Gakpo (Jota, 67′), Díaz (Elliott, 87′).
MORE: All the latest EPL club news | Team-by-team Premier League schedule for 2024/25 | Latest Premier League top scorer rankings
What pic. twitter. com/PvHAZglgIV ?
And breathe! Nine goals and an unbelievable show of attacking dominance from Liverpool in North London. Salah sensational and Diaz deadly as Slot’s charges move four points clear at Christmas!
What pic. twitter. com/PvHAZglgIV ?
90 1 minute: Despite scoring MORE goals, the adjustment dropped a bit in added time. . . Looks like it remains at 6-3!
86 mins: OK… that’s game over: Liverpool make it 6-3!
Jota leads the pace on Liverpool’s left, passes over Szoboszlai, who feeds Salah, and the unleashed Diaz smashes Forster! Darwin, Núñez and Harvey Elliott now update Salah and Díaz – a well-deserved break for those two.
VIDEO: Watch Liverpool goal in USA | Watch in Canada
83 min: Wait: it’s 5-3!
Could they? A deep Bergvall cross was brought back into the box by Johnson and Solanke beat Alisson.
VIDEO: Watch Tottenham’s goal in the United States | View in Canada
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 aid of the locals to reject Jota. Timo Werner is there for Son.
76 minutes: Diaz bursts in and tries to pick up a bouncing ball over Forster, but it lands just over the bar! Spurs fans are already heading for the exit in their thousands.
72 minutes: 5-2! The Spurs are back!
It probably won’t replace the final score, but it’s a very good finish, Kulusevski volleys Dominic Solanke’s chip past Alisson!
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67 minutes: Forster goes down to save him an educational consultation through Alexander-Arnold and Sot makes a double substitution. Mac Allister and Gakpo are absent and Diogo Jota and Curtis Jones are present.
61 minutes: SALAH AGAIN!!!!
Spurs are in tatters and Salah has his second! Gakpo crosses the box past Szoboszlai, who is helping the Liverpool talisman score his 15th EPL goal of the campaign!
VIDEO: Watch Liverpool’s goal in the United States | See in Canada
58 mins: Double change for Spurs: Sarr and Maddison are off, and Lucas Bergvall and Brennan Johnson are on.
54 minutes: SALAH MAKES 4-1!
All that was missing from this Liverpool feature was a goal from Salah and the Egyptian obliged, as Gray failed to cut out Gakpo’s low ball in the area and the Reds’ main player fired on goal.
Szoboszlai almost makes it five, but he loses his footing inside the box and fires wide.
VIDEO: Watch Liverpool’s goal in the United States | See in Canada
50 mins: Same old Spurs struggles, as Liverpool press the hosts back into their own half from the restart, and Djed Spence does well to recover and block off Salah. Szoboszlai is then booked for a foul on Yves Bissouma.
46 minutes: Resumption – no adjustments at half-time. Another forty-five minutes, please!
It’s time for both sides to catch their breath! Liverpool were sensational in the capital. The brief respite provided by Maddison almost without delay was ruined, with Arne Slot’s side looking to set a celebratory milestone in the Premier League name race!
Ahead at the break ?? #TOTLIV pic.twitter.com/zHQSdSJj3F
45 minutes: Liverpool break and it’s 3-1!!
Alexander-Arnold’s long ball forward is not dealt with by the Tottenham defence, Salah races on, and his reverse ball frees Szoboszlai to slide under the onrushing Forster!
VIDEO: Watch Liverpool’s goal in the United States | View in Canada
40 minutes: BOOST INSTANT RESPONSE. ¡2-1!
Liverpool claim a free kick when Kulusevski beats Mac Allister to a risky pass from Alexander-Arnold on the edge of the Reds penalty area, the rebound is brilliantly stored through James Maddison! Keep playing. . .
VIDEO: Watch Tottenham’s goal in the United States | See in Canada
35 mins: 2-0 LIVERPOOL!
Liverpool is rampant. Andy Robertson takes advantage of a cross from the left, Szoboszlai demands situations on the post and his takedown falls perfectly for Alexis Mac Allister to head past Forster.
VIDEO: Watch Liverpool’s goal in the United States | View in Canada
30 mins: First warning of the attack as Gakpo intentionally brings down Sarr as Spurs try to escape.
26 mins: A positive response from Spurs as Dejan Kulusevski flashes wide of the target before another Diaz effort is gathered in by Forster.
23 minutes: 1-0 LIVERPOOL!
A deserved breakthrough for the visitors ruled when Alexander-Arnold floated in a better cross from an inch in from the right and Diaz timed his run to pass Forster.
VIDEO: Watch Liverpool’s goal in the United States | View in Canada
20 mins: Liverpool fly forward again. Diaz slips in Gakpo inside the box, but his cut-back is superbly cut out by Archie Gray.
17 minutes: SALAH OUT OF THE BAR!
Seconds after Cody Gakpo fires off target, Salah jinks away from Yves Bissouma on the edge of Spurs’ box, but his effort clatters back off the crossbar!
11 minutes: GOOD LUCK TO 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 mins before kickoff: Away from the on-pitch action, Spurs fans are also voicing their frustration over Daniel Levy, with a pre-game 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: THE TEAM NEWS IS HERE!
Tottenham line up as expected and Cody Gakpo 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: Another Trent rocket on the way?
Trent’s strike on our way to a 3-1 win at Tottenham ??#TOTLIV ’20/21 ✨ pic.twitter.com/o7Uas8vGwe
1 hour and 30 minutes before kick-off: the Sunny Spurs are ready!
?️☀️ 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, the hole in Liverpool and Chelsea ?? Everton against Chelsea, Sunday at 14:00 GMT Spurs? against Liverpool, Sunday at 16:30 GMT pic. twitter. com/1C4245TfXj
This Premier League match kicks off in London, UK at 4:30 p.m. local time.
Here’s how this era reached some of the major territories:
Injuries continue to play a considerable role in Spurs’ struggles to juggle a very busy calendar with their strong expectations. Ruled out for certain are goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, defenders Ben Davies, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, and attackers Richarlison and Wilson Odobert.
In addition, Timo Werner and Mikey Moore are absent, while Rodrigo Bentancur continues to serve his long national suspension for a racist slur against his teammate Son Heung-min.
Tottenham XI (4-3-3, left to right): Forster (GK) – Porro, Dragusin, Gray, Spence – Sarr, Bissouma, Maddison – Kulusevski, Solanke, Son.
MORE: Premier League 2024/25 fixtures | All of Tottenham
Conor Bradley (hamstring) and Ibrahima Konate (knee) will be out until the end of the festive games, but Kostas Tsimikas is on the bench.
Andy Robertson was able to serve his one-game suspension for a sending-off against Fulham during the Carabao Cup quarter-final win over Southampton and he starts.
Liverpool XI (4-3-3, left): Alisson (GK) – Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson – Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai – Salah, Gakpo, Diaz.
Here’s how to watch the game in some of the world’s top regions:
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Feargal is a content maker for The Sporting News. He has worked at TSN since early 2022 after spells at Reach, Amazon UK and Squawka, a nomadic career in the football media pyramid. Always with an eye on Arteta’s “Reds” and Kenny’s Irish. The “greens” and a one hundred percent record from the penalty spot to five.