Liverpool hit Tottenham for six and extend lead at top after nine-goal thriller

Rampant Liverpool deed Tottenham for six to guarantee they clasp a four-point advantage astatine the Premier League acme travel Christmas.

The Reds produced a masterful attacking show successful northbound London pinch Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah connected target doubly successful a 6-3 victory.

It was a thoroughly-deserved occurrence for Arne Slot’s men and made it 21 wins successful 25 matches since the Dutch coach replaced Jurgen Klopp this summertime successful further grounds Liverpool are the champion squad successful the state correct now.

Spurs – who had 8 players missing – could ne'er scope the power levels of a midweek Carabao Cup quarter-final triumph complete Manchester United and were 5-1 down astatine 1 constituent earlier they rallied, but Ange Postecoglou’s broadside stay 11th aft an 8 convention nonaccomplishment of the season.

This was a dress rehearsal up of the League Cup semi-finals, but Liverpool were already assured of apical spot astatine Christmas aft Chelsea’s goalless tie astatine Everton earlier successful the day.

Spurs exerted a large beingness effort connected Thursday, which was not helped by 2 errors from Fraser Forster, who would person hoped for a serene commencement but chipped consecutive to Salah aft 3 minutes only for the Liverpool guardant to deed the side-netting.

It was a informing motion not heeded arsenic the visitors continued to dictate and Forster had to prevention from Salah earlier Pape Sarr slid successful to thwart Dominik Szoboszlai.

Slot’s men continued to probe arsenic Cody Gakpo blazed an effort complete and Djed Spence denied Salah pinch 2 blocks successful speedy succession.

Another twist and move wrong the area by Salah fashioned a chance, but he fired against the crossbar nether unit from Archie Gray.

It still felt only a matter of clip earlier Liverpool scored and the breakthrough arrived successful the 23rd minute.

Trent Alexander-Arnold was fixed excessively overmuch abstraction and his transverse from heavy picked retired the unmarked Diaz to caput location for his 10th extremity of the season.

One quickly became 2 arsenic Alexis Mac Allister nodded successful aft 36 minutes to put the distant broadside successful cruise control.

An Andrew Robertson transverse caused problems this clip and aft Szoboszlai made a nuisance wrong the Spurs punishment area, Mac Allister hit the onrushing Forster to make it 2-0.

Tottenham did rally, pinch Son Heung-min sending a left-footed onslaught complete earlier Liverpool talented the hosts a extremity back.

Mac Allister was excessively slack successful possession and robbed by Dejan Kulusevski, which allowed James Maddison to transportation the shot guardant and curl location for his eighth extremity of the season.

Maddison urged the crowd to believe, but Liverpool showed their ruthless streak pinch a 3rd successful the 2nd infinitesimal of first-half stoppage-time.

Radu Dragusin was beaten successful the aerial by Szoboszlai, who received the shot backmost from Salah and slid nether Forster for a superb breakaway effort.

It was 4-1 9 minutes into the 2nd half erstwhile Tottenham were caught retired successful modulation and Liverpool scored a classical breakaway effort.

Diaz mixed pinch Gakpo, whose transverse was half-cleared by Gray, who past blocked Szoboszlai’s follow-up effort but Salah was connected manus to pat home.

Not agelong aft Szoboszlai fired into the side-netting, he brilliantly teed up Salah for Liverpool’s fifth.

Spurs were again trim unfastened by a counter-attack arsenic Szoboszlai was played done and selflessly passed to Salah, who grabbed his 18th extremity of the play successful elemental fashion.

Only a flying prevention by Forster to contradict Alexander-Arnold’s piledriver prevented different earlier Tottenham did rally.

Kulusevski led the complaint and reduced the shortage – pinch 18 minutes near – pinch a good volley from Dominic Solanke’s chipped walk to people for a fifth-consecutive match.

The Spurs supporters stayed pinch their squad and were rewarded pinch different extremity successful the 83rd infinitesimal arsenic Solanke fired location connected the move from Brennan Johnson’s header.

Tottenham’s nosy quickly ended erstwhile Diaz expertly rifled into the bottommost area 2 minutes later aft different Salah assistance to unafraid different connection consequence for leaders Liverpool.