Liverpool overcame an early setback to annihilate Tottenham Hotspur 5-1, sealing the Premier League title in the process at a sun-drenched Anfield.
There was a party-like atmosphere on Merseyside as supporters prepared to celebrate drawing level with arch-enemy Manchester United on 20 top-flight titles, but the champagne was put on ice when Dominic Solanke wriggled away from Luis Diaz before out-jumping Ibrahima Konate from a James Maddison corner. The Spurs striker's subsequent header gave Alisson no chance, leaving the Brazilian rooted to the spot.
Previous iterations of Liverpool before the days of Jurgen Klopp and current manager Arne Slot may have taken a little time to respond but there were no such issues on this occasion.
Dominik Szoboszlai timed a run to the byline perfectly he was initially adjudged offside before semi-automated technology proved the assistant referee's raised flag to be wrong and he squared the ball across the six-yard area for the impressive Luis Diaz to slide home.
Eight minutes later, and 12 minutes after Spurs had taken the lead, Liverpool hit the front. Mathys Tel was pressed into playing a questionable pass across the edge of his own penalty box and the ball wound up at the feet of Alexis Mac Allister. He then thundered a piledriver into the top corner of Guglielmo Vicario's goal, leaving the Italian shot-stopper groping at thin air.
Cody Gakpo made it three just past the half-hour mark, wonderfully adjusting his feet before clipping a picture-perfect effort beyond the outstretched hand of Vicario, for his ninth goal of the Premier League season and 17th in all competitions.
Spurs offered little threat after the half-time interval and there was no surprise when Mohamed Salah, undisputedly the Premier League's best player this season, got in on the act by drilling home a superb breakaway fourth with 63 minutes on the clock.
Salah would have been celebrating a brace had Destiny Udogie not got to Trent Alexander-Arnold's flick across the six-yard box minutes later, but unfortunately for Spurs' left-back his intervention diverted the ball past the helpless Vicario.
The remainder of the game was played out with Liverpool supporters in full voice, serenading a side who have completely outclassed their competition this season.
Liverpool player ratings (4-2-3-1)
Player | Rating |
|---|---|
GK: Alisson | 6.0/10 |
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold | 6.8/10 |
CB: Ibrahima Konate | 7.0/10 |
CB: Virgil van Dijk (c) | 7.3/10 |
LB: Andy Robertson | 6.5/10 |
CM: Ryan Gravenberch | 7.9/10 |
CM: Alexis Mac Allister | 8.5/10 |
RW: Mohamed Salah | 8.0/10 |
AM: Dominik Szoboszlai | 8.8/10 |
LW: Cody Gakpo | 8.1/10 |
ST: Luis Diaz | 7.5/10 |
SUB: Curtis Jones (68' for Szoboszlai) | 6.5/10 |
SUB: Diogo Jota (68' for Gakpo) | 6.4/10 |
SUB: Harvey Elliott (76' for Diaz) | 6.3/10 |
SUB: Wataru Endo (76' for Alexander-Arnold) | 6.0/10 |
SUB: Darwin Nunez (83' for Mac Allister) | 6.1/10 |
Subs not used: Caoimhin Kelleher (GK), Jarell Quansah, Kostas Tsimikas, Federico Chiesa.
Tottenham player ratings (4-3-3)
Player | Rating |
|---|---|
GK: Guglielmo Vicario | 4.6/10 |
RB: Djed Spence | 4.1/10 |
CB: Kevin Danso | 5.8/10 |
CB: Ben Davies | 5.2/10 |
LB: Destiny Udogie | 4.6/10 |
CM: Lucas Bergvall | 6.5/10 |
CM: Archie Gray | 6.6/10 |
CM: James Maddison | 7.7/10 |
RW: Brennan Johnson | 6.3/10 |
CF: Dominic Solanke | 6.9/10 |
LW: Mathys Tel | 6.9/10 |
SUB: Pape Sarr (46' for Gray) | 6.3/10 |
SUB: Dejan Kulusevski (46' for Maddison) | 6.2/10 |
SUB: Wilson Odobert (68' for Tel) | 5.9/10 |
SUB: Richarlison (68' for Solanke) | 6.1/10 |
Subs not used: Antonin Kinsky (GK), Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Pedro Porro, Yves Bissouma.
Player of the match - Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool)
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