Liverpool crushed Tottenham 6-3 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the match for the 17th round of the Premier League. With the triumph, the Reds strengthened in the lead, reaching 39 points with one game with a postponed match against competitors.
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Dominant and pragmatic Liverpool
From the very start, Liverpool made it clear they weren't going to take any chances. Salah's first attempt was thwarted by Forster, but Szoboszlai and Luis Díaz soon proved that Tottenham's defense was in for a long night. At the 16th minute, Alexander-Arnold served a precise cross, and Luis Díaz rose to head the ball into the net. Tottenham's defense faltered, and the Colombian seized the opportunity with class.
Tottenham had a momentary response at the 23rd minute when Kulusevski created a nervy moment for Alisson, though this was just a flimsy one. Their incessant attacks were their route to goal in the 36th minute. It came after the melee inside the box that Mac Allister showed his opportunism.
Yet, Tottenham did not go down without a fight. Maddison intercepted a ball in the attacking half and, from outside the box, placed a precise shot that left Alisson with no chance. It was a fleeting moment of hope, though. At the 42nd minute, Salah found Szoboszlai, who coolly placed the ball between Forster's legs, closing the first half at 3-1 for the visitors.
Salah leads the rout
In the second half, Tottenham again tried to reorganize but Liverpool remained lethal in this half. A counter attack in the 49th minute saw Salah capitalize upon rebound after Gray's block and he scored his very first goal of the game.
At the 61st minute, the fifth goal came from a flawless play. Szoboszlai received a pass behind the defense, controlled the ball with precision, and set up Salah, who easily tapped it in. It was Salah’s second goal of the night, crowning a nearly perfect performance.
Tottenham were in search of a reaction, and it was Kulusevski who came up sparkling with an excellent combination play to get the ball in with a spectacular goal. In the 82nd minute, Solanke got his second as he drove the ball with his left foot inside after Brennan Johnson had headed it into his path. Defending mistakes still came to haunt Tottenham.
Luis Díaz finally sealed the scoreline at 6-3 for Liverpool by having Salah assist him.
Standout player
Mohamed Salah is on a roll. He has 15 goals and 15 assists, which puts him atop the Premier League scoring charts. His performance on Sunday was an epitome of his outstanding form, where he was precise and took the lead to drive Liverpool's success.
Tottenham: inconsistency raises concerns
On the other side, Tottenham had yet another night to forget. Their defense was all over the place and could not keep up with Liverpool's constant attack. Despite bright moments from Maddison, Kulusevski, and Solanke, Ange Postecoglou's team slid to 11th position, raising more questions than answers about their season.
Unbeaten streak and solid lead
With this win, Liverpool have taken their unbeaten run to 21 matches with 18 victories and three draws. The team has shown a sense of stability and power since they lost to Nottingham Forest in September.
Tottenham need to react quickly so that the season does not end in a struggle for the middle rungs of the table.