Even when the pulse settled a little after this compelling
spectacle it was still difficult to know quite where to start to
dissect this nine-goal thriller.
Liverpool’s brilliance and enhanced title credentials? Further evidence, stimulating and statistical, of Mohamed Salah being the best player in the Premier League and deserving of a new contract?
Or the utter naivety of Ange Postecoglou’s defensive tactics, his insistence on a high line leading to further high anxiety on Tottenham High Road.
High scoring came easy for Liverpool. The game was one for the Liverpool scrapbooks and history books, individually and collectively.
Salah struck twice, taking his Liverpool tally to 229 goals in 373 appearances, moving clear of Billy Liddell as fourth in Liverpool’s all-
time scoring charts. Only Ian Rush (346), Roger Hunt (285) and Gordon Hodgson (241) have scored more.
For Liverpool, this was only the third time in their long, long
history that they have reached Christmas Day unbeaten away
(the other seasons were 1893/94 and 1987/88). It happens
once a century.
That sums up the astonishing impact Arne Slot has had. Yes, he inherited a strong group of players from Jurgen Klopp, and few could have predicted Manchester City’s meltdown, but Slot has swiftly organised Liverpool into title favourites.
In shape and spirit, Slot sets them up to win.
Slot’s team overwhelmed Spurs down the flanks with overloads, exploiting Postecoglou’s risk-filled game-plan of encouraging his full-backs to disappear upfield.
Liverpool destroyed Spurs in the centre with the steel of Ryan Gravenberch and the silk and pressing of Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister.
Liverpool also caught Spurs out with Trent Alexander-Arnold’s laser passing from the right, whether crosses or angled switches. Who knew he’d do that?!
Spurs just stood off him. Few players in Europe deliver a ball with such accuracy over such distance as Alexander-Arnold. No wonder Real Madrid are so interested in him.
Ignore the 3-6 scoreline. It was never that close. A final score of 3-8 would not have flattered Liverpool. When Luis Diaz and Mac Allister scored with headers, a total rout looked on.
Liverpool worked harder than Spurs, barring Dejan Kulusevski and young Archie Gray, who both showed the commitment Spurs required.
Otherwise, Liverpool simply wanted the ball more. Diaz pressed Yves Bissouma into surrendering possession, the outstanding Szoboszlai closed down Djed Spence twice in quick succession, Joe Gomez imperiously took the ball off James Maddison and later Diogo Jota won a 60-40 against Radu Dragusin.
Spurs players were not helped by tactics that echoed the imbalance of Ossie Ardiles’ ‘Famous Five’ Spurs team of the mid-90s.
That side was so committed to attack the defence was vulnerable. In his own commitment to entertainment, Postecoglou has to understand there is a difference between entertaining neutrals and entertaining Spurs fans. The balance is wrong.
There has to be some policy of containment as well as entertainment. But there wasn’t. Spurs played into Liverpool’s hands.
Their defending was shambolic. In mitigation, they were again missing Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero while the absence of Guglielmo Vicario in goal served only to highlight further Fraser Forster’s total lack of confidence.
The contrast in the respective resources of each side was marked. Liverpool’s title challenge is lent further strength by their strength in depth. The cavalry’s classy.
Spurs’ reservoir of talent is not deep enough. They have kids on the bench.
They do have some good players, and Maddison pulled a goal back, a neat curling finish, but Spurs forgot how to defend again.
Szoboszlai scored Liverpool’s third on the stroke of half-time, running on to Salah’s pass to slip the ball underneath poor Forster.
The goals became even more easily in the second half as Spurs defence operated almost an open-door policy.
Salah finished twice, one simple from close range, the second angled in from right to left, to give Liverpool a 5-1 edge.
A handful of Spurs fans left after Salah’s second, but most stayed on, stayed behind the team, stayed defiant. Dominic Solanke, toiling hard for no reward, lifted the ball in for Kulusevski to make it 2-5 with a neat half-volley.
Liverpool’s defence was unconvincing for ten minutes, a reminder they still miss Ibrahima Konate as Solanke pounced on Brennan Johnson’s header back across.
But Liverpool simply went through the gears again, the ball flew
between Diaz, Jota, Szoboszlai and Salah before Diaz made
it 6-3 to the rampant visitors.
It was great entertainment, a fitting Christmas spectacle, and Liverpool returned north having spent an afternoon unwrapping gifts from Spurs. Liverpool’s focus is ever stronger on the title.
For Spurs, Postecoglou needs a cup otherwise the fans could turn, and some have already with their side 11th in the Premier League.
Spurs cannot risk a slip up at Tamworth in the FA Cup because the Carabao Cup offers little hope – they face Liverpool.