Kolkata: After shedding the 2011 Champions League last 1-3 to Barcelona, Alex Ferguson had mentioned: “Nobody’s given us a hiding like that.” Ange Postecoglu didn’t stroll the route of the previous Manchester United supervisor following Sunday’s goalfest, selecting as a substitute to focus on Tottenham Hotspur’s damage issues, however there might be little doubt that Liverpool completely cleaned out their opponents at White Hart Lane.
Striker Mohamed Salah, who’s in terrific type, scored two targets and supplied two assists in Liverpool’s commanding 6-3 win in opposition to Tottenham Hotspur (AFP)
Main the Premier League standings by 4 factors with a match in hand, Liverpool host relegation-threatened Leicester Metropolis, who haven’t gained at Anfield since 2000, on Boxing Day. They’ve been unbeaten away from house at Christmas. The final time that occurred was in 1987-88. And in 1893-94 earlier than that. They’ve misplaced as soon as in 25 matches in all competitions this season. And this isn’t a couple of beneficial run of fixtures.
Twice, Arsenal went forward, twice Liverpool pulled again. Inside three minutes of Nicolas Jackson’s equaliser, Liverpool discovered a aim in opposition to Chelsea via Cody Gakpo. Within the season Spurs turned the primary Premier League staff in historical past to lose 10 factors from two targets up, Liverpool have gained factors after chasing matches in opposition to Arsenal, Fulham, Brighton and Southampton. Like champion groups are anticipated to.
From the time Arne Slot changed Jarell Qansah with Ibrahima Konate within the season opener away to Ipswich City, Liverpool have managed matches throughout competitions in a means it didn’t appear potential in the beginning of the season. A brand new coach changing a massively profitable one is at all times troublesome – right here’s taking a look at you, Manchester United – and never having been lively within the switch market, the query was: would the gamers Slot inherited be contemporary after their years with Juergen Klopp. It has been answered and the way.
On Sunday, the best way Liverpool bombed ahead, performed via Spurs’s press, the best way they moved the ball from their aim to the rivals in two, three touches, the best way they exploited the huge open area Spurs left was a lesson in mixing velocity, power and talent. Liverpool had 12 pictures heading in the right direction on strategy to the 6-3 win.
Such relentlessness, remorselessness even, is proof of collective effectivity however some people do stand out. With 18 targets, 15 assists in 24 matches throughout competitions – 15 targets and 11 assists within the Premier League, a primary within the competitors’s historical past earlier than Christmas – Mo Salah retains displaying what Liverpool might miss from subsequent summer season. Luis Diaz’s velocity and the flexibility to play false 9 means area for Dominik Szoboszlai to surge up in the best way Jude Bellingham would at Actual Madrid final season. Add to that Szoboszlai’s skill to win duels, within the floor and within the air (the Hungarian gained 5 headed duels within the first half and had 13 touches in Spurs’s field).
“It was maybe our best performance away from home…We scored six goals and could have scored more. Mo and Lucho (Diaz) were maybe the ones that stood out in terms of scoring goals but we would not do justice to Dom’s performance if we didn’t name him as well…He was a very important part of our game plan without the ball,” mentioned Slot.
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s passing vary and his being extra of a right-back as a substitute of inverting on the base of the midfield has additionally performed a component as has the defensive solidity and management qualities of Virgil van Djik. Together with Salah, Szoboszlai and Andrew Robertson, Van Djik is without doubt one of the worldwide captains in Liverpool’s first 11 and having leaders in all areas of the pitch isn’t a nasty factor. His contract, and that of Alexander-Arnold, is up subsequent summer season.
Crucially, and this has been in proof via the season, Liverpool have absorbed the impression of unavailable gamers in the best way others haven’t. Konate was not there on Sunday so Joe Gomez stepped into the breach. Caoimhin Kelleher did that for Alisson, Conor Bradley admirably in opposition to Actual Madrid when Alexander-Arnold was not there. When Diogo Jota was injured, Darwin Nunez stepped into the breach. When Alexis Mac Allister wanted a break, Curtis Jones got here on and not using a perceptible dip in high quality.
There’s a cautionary story in all this. Having let in eight targets in 13 matches within the league, Liverpool have leaked eight of their final three. Okay, they had been 5-1 up when Spurs scored twice however it exhibits Liverpool will be susceptible. They had been on high on Christmas Day in 2018-19 and 2020-21 as had been Arsenal within the final two seasons. Neither gained the league.
“You have to keep on going, keep on going, every three days you have to be on top of your game, every minute of the game,” Slot has mentioned. “That’s why it’s so hard to win it, because it’s not always easy to show up every three or four days.”
However as Manchester Metropolis take care of internal demons, Arsenal cope with out Bukayo Saka and Chelsea with disciplinary points, Liverpool are nicely positioned to go all the best way.