Many thanks to Declan Mulcahy for this report:-

Sunday 22 December 2024, 4:30pm
Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur (1) 3 Liverpool (3) 6

Spurs scorers:-
Maddison, 41
Kulusevski, 72
Solanke, 83

Liverpool scorers:-
Diaz, 23, 85
MacAllister, 36
Szoboszlai , 45+1
Salah, 54, 61

Tottenham Hotspur (4-2-3-1);
20 F Forster; 23 Pedro Porro, 6 R Dragusin, 14 A Gray, 24 D Spence; 29 P Sarr (15 L Bergvall 58), 8 Y Bissouma; 21 D Kulusevski, 10 J Maddison (22 B Johnson 58), 7 H-M Son (c) (16 T Werner 82); 19 D Solanke

Subs not used: 40 B Austin, 13 D Udogie, 3 S Reguilon, 48 A Dorrington, 64 C Olusesi, 42 W Lankshear

Booked: 15 L Bergvall (79)
Captain's Armband: Son (Forster 82)

Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Arne Slot
1 Allison Becker; 66 T Alexander-Arnold, 2 J Gomez, 4 V van Dijk (c), 26 A Robertson; 38 R Gravenberch, 10 A Mac Allister (17 C Jones 68); 11 M Salah (19 H Elliott 87), 8 D Szoboszlai , 18 C Gakpo (20 D Jota 68); 7 L Diaz (9 D Nunez 87)

Subs not used: 62 C Kelleher, 21 K Tsimikas, 78 J Quansah, 3 W Endo, 98 T Nyoni

Booked: C Gakpo (31), Szoboszlai (52)

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Attendance: 61,439

Referee: Samuel Barrott, Assistant Referees: Lee Betts, Wade Smith, Fourth Official: Michael Oliver, VAR: Paul Tierney, Assistant VAR: Sian Massey-Ellis

Spurs demolished by Slot machine

Spurs suffered a comprehensive home defeat at the hands of Liverpool today. Going into the game Liverpool topped the Premier League table and Spurs were eleventh. The gap appeared to be even greater based on the relative performances of the teams. Spurs were second best throughout. While Spurs did score three goals they were three or more goals behind for 37 minutes of the match. It is only the second time in the Premier League era that Spurs have conceded six goals at home. The previous occasion was 27 years ago on 6 December 1997 when Chelsea won 6-1 at White Hart Lane.

Spurs were unchanged from the team that beat Manchester United in the Carabao Cup in midweek and there were two changes from the team which beat Southampton in the Premier League last weekend with Pedro Porro replacing the injured Destiny Udogie and Yves Bissouma who was suspended for that game replacing Lucas Bergvall. This was the final game of Rodrigo Bentancur's seven match suspension.

Arne Slot made one change from the team which drew 2-2 against Fulham last weekend with Alexis Mac Allister replacing Curtis Jones. Andy Robertson who was sent off in that game served his one-match suspension in the midweek Carabao Cup game against Southampton.

Liverpool dominated possession from the start. After two minutes Forster kicked the ball directly to Salah and was lucky that the latter's shot was narrowly wide.

Spurs first attempt came after fifteen minutes when Kulusevski set up Sarr who shot wide. By that time Liverpool had had five attempts of goal. Spence then blocked an attempt from Salah and repeated it when Salah tried again. He then hit the bar with Forster beaten. This was his fifth attempt after eighteen minutes.

Liverpool continued to press and after 22 minutes Alexander-Arnold on the right well outside the box provided a diagonal pin-point cross to Diaz on the left who scored with a header to the far post. Diaz had some unfinished business as his was the goal in the corresponding fixture last year which was controversially disallowed after a miscommunication from the VAR site. This was the fourteenth Premier League game at home this calendar year where Spurs conceded the first goal. They won eight of these matches.

Two minutes later Diaz had another shot from outside the box which brought a diving save from Forster. Gakpo was booked for fouling Sarr to prevent a Spurs counter attack.

Liverpool increased their lead from a cross from the left by Robertson which was headed on by Szoboszlai for Mac Allister to score with a header for his first Premier League goal of the season.

Spurs reduced the deficit shortly after. Kulusevski robbed Mac Allister of the ball just outside the box and set up Maddison who scored a fine goal long range goal. Liverpool claimed that Kulusevski had fouled Mac Allister but referee Barrott was unmoved.

In time added on before the break Liverpool restored the two-goal cushion. Salah set up Szoboszlai on the right and he scored with a shot through Forster's legs. With this assist Salah became the first player ever in the Premier League to achieve double figures in both goals and assists before Christmas. Today he also became the fourth-highest goalscorer in Liverpool's history.

There were no changes at the break.

Eight minutes after the break Liverpool went 4-1 ahead. The roles in the third goal were reversed. Szoboszlai crossed the ball. Spurs failed to clear it and Salah scored with a shot. Spence then made a good tackle to deny another Liverpool attack. Then Szoboszlai rounded Forster but shot wide.

Ange Postecoglou made his first substitutions with Johnson replacing Maddison and Bergvall coming on for Sarr. It didn't stem the tide as within three minutes following a counter-attack Szoboszlai set up Salah whose shot put Liverpool 5-1 ahead. Forster then made two diving saves one from a long-range Alexander-Arnold effort and the other from Diaz.

With eighteen minutes left a fine move saw Son, Kulusevski and then Solanke create the opportunity for Kulusevski to score with a shot high into the net. This was the fifth consecutive game in which he has scored for Spurs. He was Spurs' outstanding player today once again.

Bergvall was booked for a foul on Jota. This completed a hat-trick of bookings in the last three games. He needs to be more disciplined.

With seven minutes remaining Bergvall crossed and Johnson headed on before Solanke scored with a shot. Liverpool added a final goal following a counter attack when Salah set up Diaz who scored with an angled shot from the right. Spurs had one final effort when Allison saved from Johnson.

This was a disappointing performance. Liverpool had 24 shots - twelve on target - compared to Spurs nine with five on target. A number of Liverpool's goals stemmed from counter-attacks which is an ongoing weakness. To their credit the supporters in the ground were behind the team right to the end.

Spurs have conceded thirteen goals in their last three games in all competitions.

Spurs are in eleventh position in the Premier League with 23 points from 17 games at Christmas. The last time they were in a lower position was in the 2008-2009 when they were 16th having 19 points from eighteen games. The remaining games of the Christmas season are Nottingham Forest (a), Wolves (h) and Newcastle United (h). If Spurs don't win at least two of these fixtures the pressure on Postecoglou is going to build.

Based on today's performance it is difficult to be optimistic about the outcome of two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool.

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