Tottenham vs Liverpool LIVE: Result and reaction as teams play out nine-goal thriller in London
Tottenham 3-6 Liverpool: Arne Slot’s men extend lead over Chelsea and top the table at Christmas
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Liverpool earned a thrilling 6-3 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday to ensure they head into Christmas top of the Premier League table.
Arne Slot’s side dominated from the start of a frantic encounter in the capital, with Luis Diaz opening the scoring from a brilliant Trent Alexander-Arnold cross, and they doubled the lead before long as Alexis Mac Allister headed home.
James Maddison grabbed one back to give Spurs brief hope, but Dominik Szoboszlai quickly poked home to put the visitors 3-1 up at the break.
And the second half started in much the same way, with Mo Salah netting twice in quick succession to put the game out of reach of the hosts. Despite late goals from Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke, it was the Reds who had the last laugh too, with Diaz getting his second late on to put the gloss on a fantastic performance for the league leaders.
Follow all the action from the Premier League with our live blog below:
Match facts
A win for Liverpool will see them top of the Premier League table at Christmas for the first time since 2020-21. However, the Reds have only won the title in one of the last seven top-flight campaigns in which they’ve been top at Christmas, doing so in 2019-20.
Having conceded just three goals in their first eight Premier League games this season, Liverpool have now conceded 10 in their last seven.
Mohamed Salah has been involved in 22 of Liverpool’s 31 Premier League goals this season (71%), by far the highest share of any player for a side so far this term. He has 13 goals and nine assists, and could become the first player in Premier League history to reach double figures for both before Christmas in a single campaign.
‘A Christmas present for Liverpool'
“A Christmas present to Liverpool from Everton: Sean Dyche's 0-0 draw with Chelsea means Arne Slot's side are guaranteed to be top at Christmas.
“A big day at Tottenham for, among others, Djed Spence who, if he plays left-back, will be Mohamed Salah's immediate opponent today.
“Diogo Jota and Curtis Jones, who were both sent off here last season, start on the bench.”
Slot gives his thoughts
In his own press conference, Liverpool boss Arne Slot said that he tells his side “a few things regularly enough”, because if not, “they tend to forget!”
“Re-application is so important for a team. Maybe small details change, as football changes, but the main message has always been the same,” he added.
On Spurs, he added: “I really have to give them credit because if I look at Tottenham, they have always been a certain brand and identity and [Ange] Postecoglou has given them that identity back completely. It is a joy to watch them.”
“I hope, hope, hope he wins a trophy, but not the League Cup! A fan for the Europa League. Trophies are important and his brand of football is important. If he wins, then you can stop talking about his style being too attacking.”
Match facts
Tottenham have lost nine of their last 11 Premier League games against sides starting the day top of the table, with both exceptions coming away against Manchester City (2-2 in August 2019, 3-2 in February 2022).
Spurs have kept just one clean sheet in their last 23 Premier League home games, a 4-0 win against Everton earlier this season. They’re winless in their last three at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (D1 L2), last having a longer run without a home win in November/December 2013 (4).
Postecoglou’s side have scored more goals in the opening 15 minutes of games than any other side in the Premier League this season (9), with five of those coming in their last two games.
Postecoglou: “A big part of our game is entertainment"
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Ange Postecoglou said that “a big part of our game is entertainment” and that the win over United was an example of that.
“You go to a game to feel emotions that maybe in your day to day you don’t get to experience. That’s what we love about it.
“There’s a lot of suffering when watching a game but if you come out on the right side, it’s exhilarating.
“We will play our football as that is what is winning us games. Arne Slot has come in and it’s not easy when you’re taking over from the status of Jurgen Klopp. They are settled with the quality they have but on our day we are pretty good opposition.”
Match facts
Tottenham won this exact fixture 2-1 last season, last winning consecutive home league games against Liverpool between 2008 and 2012 (a run of five).
Liverpool have lost just two of their last 23 Premier League games against Tottenham (W15 D6) and have scored at least once in each of their last 17 against Spurs.
This fixture has seen more 90th minute winning goals than any other in Premier League history, with six.
How the table looks
Liverpool head into this match at the top of the table, though they could kick-off in second if Chelsea win their match over Everton.
If the Reds win, they will go above Chelsea whatever their result is, and they will be top at Christmas – if both sides were to win, Slot’s men would be top by two points and with a game in hand.
Spurs sit in 11th with 23 points, and could climb as high as seventh with a win today.
Tottenham’s sliding doors moment which saw them miss out on control and embrace chaos
The manager who Daniel Levy wanted gave his verdict on Tottenham Hotspur’s modern-day team. “They are always a joy to watch,” he said. He had been an interested onlooker for years, watching on from abroad, seduced by the glamour of their flair players. “I watch a lot of Match Of The Day and [with] David Ginola, Paul Gascoigne, Luka Modric, Gareth Bale, Rafael van der Vaart. They have always been a certain brand and a certain identity,” he added.
It could have been his brand, too. Because the man eulogising about Spurs had turned down the chance to coach them. He did not say so explicitly, because that is not Arne Slot’s way. He prefers not to talk about the expiring deals of his players, in Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk. Nor does he want to discuss Tottenham’s attempts to appoint him in 2023. “I think it’s the same answer that I always give you about Mo’s contract situation and those things,” he smiled.
Slot is more comfortable celebrating the man they appointed a couple of weeks after he decided to stay at Feyenoord and signed a new contract. An exhaustive search that seemed to take in Julian Nagelsmann, Mauricio Pochettino, Vincent Kompany, Roberto De Zerbi and Luis Enrique ended with Ange Postecoglou becoming Tottenham manager.
Spurs’ sliding doors moment which saw them turn to Postecoglou’s chaos
Ange Postecoglou arrived in June 2023 but beforehand the north London club identified Slot as a key target
Liverpool team changes
Arne Slot reverts back to his strong Premier League line-up after making a bunch of changes for Liverpool’s midweek Carabao Cup win.
The only change to the line-up that faced Fulham in the league last time out is Curtis Jones has been replaced by Alexis Mac Allister.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments