There was plenty to admire from Liverpool’s 6-3 win at Tottenham, as the Reds produced some stunning football with Dominik Szoboszlai linking attack and defence.
Tottenham 3-6 Liverpool
Premier League (16) | Anfield
December 22, 2024
Goals: Maddison 41’, Kulusevski 72′, Solanke 83′; Diaz 23′ 85′, Mac Allister 36′, Szoboszlai 45+1′, Salah 54′ 61′
1. Liverpool’s football was beautiful to watch
After ex-Red Dominic Solanke scored to draw Tottenham within two goals of Liverpool’s lead, Slot’s side took a moment to compose themselves and it was notable how the team dropped back into shape for a couple of minutes.
With the defensive lines now closer together, Liverpool held firm before showing their second-half ruthless streak once again as they broke swiftly, working their way down the left into the final third where the ball was switched to Diaz who finished clinically.
The counter attack was just one example from a 90 minutes full of direct and aggressive attacking football from Liverpool.
The Reds weren’t scared to go long and when they did, it was with purpose. Trent Alexander-Arnold re-found his radar to provide impetus in the first half, while quick counters were the best route to goal after half-time.
2. Superb Dominik Szoboszlai
Nobody has ever doubted Szoboszlai’s work rate; no one has really even doubted his talent. It has been his decision making that has frustrated at times this season.
We saw against Tottenham, though, what happens when everything comes together.
The Hungarian’s 90 minutes in north London were his most complete of the season as he fused his selfless defensive running with poise in the final third to put the hosts to the sword.
A criticism that has often been levelled at the No. 8 is that he doesn’t come up with enough end product.
Well, he was at the scene for Liverpool’s second, third and fifth goals, each of which were scored from inside the box as a result of his positive forward running.
It wasn’t just his decisiveness in the box, though, that made Szoboszlai stand out. As early as the second minute, he could be seen gesturing to teammates to push up and put Fraser Forster under pressure from a goal kick.
He thrives in a high-intensity encounter and Liverpool’s trip to Tottenham was always going to provide just that.
3. Defensive questions remain unanswered
While the Reds can go home happy to be top at Christmas, there will still be plenty to analyse before hosting Leicester on Boxing Day.
It was perhaps to be expected that Liverpool would concede at some point when visiting the Premier League‘s top-scorers.
From Slot’s point of view, though, his side shouldn’t have needed to score four (or more) to win.
In the first period, barring two minutes of madness towards the end of the half, Liverpool played well out of possession and forced Tottenham to go long, thus sweeping up the long balls through Van Dijk and Joe Gomez.
After the match, Mo Salah put Tottenham‘s goals down to how Liverpool defended “as a team,” and while that was true, with a four-goal buffer it did feel like the Reds relaxed after scoring their fifth.
Had the score been closer, we would have seen a different defensive mentality from Liverpool.
4. Mo Salah overtakes Billy Liddell
With his two goals against Tottenham, Salah drew level and overtook Billy Liddell as Liverpool’s fourth-highest goalscorer ever.
In his 373 appearances for the Reds, the Egyptian has now netted 229 goals, averaging an incredible 1.63 games per goal.
That means he’s been scoring at a better rate than Ian Rush, Roger Hunt and Liddell across his Liverpool career – and while playing as a winger!
Given his current rate of scoring, the next milestone of 241 goals – the number Gordon Hodgson managed – doesn’t seem too far away.
What’s so impressive about Salah, though, has been his ability to provide as well…
5. Salah isn’t just a goalscorer
As well as surpassing Liddell, Salah laid claim to another record of sorts, this time taking into account his creativity too.
His assist for Szoboszlai meant he became the first player in the Premier League era, of English top-flight football since 1992, to reach double figures for goals and assists before Christmas.
His 10th assist of the season came when he set up Szoboszlai perfectly to finish beyond Forster, and it was a perfect example of his playmaking qualities.
Having collected from his teammate, the Hungarian continued his run to Salah’s right, creating a great option for a reverse pass.
For a moment, watchers were unsure as to whether Salah had seen Szoboszlai’s movement, but we should never have been in doubt, for the Egyptian was simply awaiting the perfect moment to set up his teammate.
In the 2002/03 season, Thierry Henry managed 20 assists and 24 goals. With Salah scoring twice, he overtook Erling Haaland as the league’s top scorer this season and looks set to beat Henry’s 2003 tallies.
Tottenham 3-6 Liverpool
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