London: An injury-hit Tottenham Hotspur were handed out a humiliating thrashing as Liverpool ran riot in a 6-3 win to go four points clear at the top of the Premier League. It is only the third time in the club’s history they have reached Christmas (after nearly half the season) without losing a game away from home.
Liverpool manager, Arne Slot, in his first season at the club said: “It was very good, maybe it was our best performance away from home although I really liked what I saw against Man United as well (last week) that was total dominance. Apart from scoring six goals, I think we could have scored more.”
He added: “The first 50-55 minutes is what you want, apart from the goal we conceded. We thought it was enough but Tottenham have far too much quality and they’re able to create and score. It was a really good performance from us apart from the 20 minutes we decided not to run any more.”
Spurs were put under pressure from the start and Liverpool had several chances to score but it wasn’t until half-way through the first half that they took the lead. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s excellent cross was headed in by Luiz Dias from close range and they doubled the lead in the 36th minute when Dominik Szoboszlai flicked on a cross by Andy Robertson for Alexis Mac Allister to head in.
Five minutes later, James Maddison got one back for Spurs with a fine right-footed curling shot from 20 yards just inside the right post. Just when it looked Tottenham would go into the break a goal down, Liverpool made it 3-1 in added time.
The visitors gave little time to Spurs to settle in the second half and within a quarter of an hour came their fourth and fifth goals. Mo Salah had an easy tap in from a goal-line scramble. Robertson won the ball in his own half and progressed up field with Diaz and Cody Gakpo before the latter pulled the ball back from the by-line for Salah to tap in with Spurs defence failing to clear the ball.
Following that, in the 61st minute, Spurs were further embarrassed at 5-1 with Salah scoring again when Szoboszlai brilliantly squared the ball to him. Then in a space of 10 minutes, Tottenham were able to get two goals. First, Solanke lofted a pass to Kulusevski to volley in his shot and in the 83rd minute Solanke scored to make the score 5-3.
But Liverpool weren’t finished yet, and two minutes later the score was 6-3 with Salah on the right, passing to Diaz to find the net.
A despondent Spurs manager, Ange Postecoglou, said: “It was a difficult day for us and a painful result. Credit to Liverpool, they are a very good side and are in a great moment. They are very settled, in great form and with great belief. It was just a bridge too far for us. You could tell we were lacking a little bit of energy and the ability to really compete at this level."
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