Five-star Liverpool clinch Premier League title against Spurs

Liverpool are the Premier League champions following a 5-1 win over Tottenham at Anfield.

The Reds are champions of England for a record-equalling 20th time, although this is only their second of the Premier League era – the pandemic preventing supporters from celebrating the other inside the stadium. It is a dream first season for Arne Slot.

Up against a Tottenham team that made eight changes for the first time in their Premier League history – one Gary Neville would go on to call the “perfect opponent” for Liverpool – Ange Postecoglou’s side did take a shock lead through Dominic Solanke.

But his header was the briefest of scares. Luis Diaz, who famously had a goal against Spurs incorrectly disallowed for offside in 2023, saw the flag go up after turning in Dominik Szoboszlai’s cross, but this time VAR did correct the decision at Stockley Park.

There could be no debating Alexis Mac Allister’s left-footed shot from the edge of the box, a beauty after Mathys Tel had given the ball away in the corner. And when Cody Gakpo wriggled free to score before half-time, the Anfield party was up and running.

Mohamed Salah got in on the act in the second half with his 28th Premier League goal of the season, with Tottenham eager for the afternoon to end long before Destiny Udogie turned the ball into his own net. Liverpool’s supporters simply did not want it to stop.

Player ratings:

Liverpool: Alisson (6), Alexander-Arnold (7), Van Dijk (6), Konate (7), Robertson (6), Szoboszlai (8), Gravenberch (7), Mac Allister (9), Salah (8), Gakpo (8), Diaz (7).

Subs: Jones (6), Jota (6), Endo (6), Elliott (6), Nunez (6),

Tottenham: Vicario (5), Spence (6), Danso (6), Davies (5), Udogie (5), Bergvall (5), Gray (5), Maddison (5), Johnson (6), Solanke (7), Tel (5).

Subs: Kulusevski (5), Sarr (6), Richarlison (5), Odobert (6).

Player of the Match: Alexis Mac Allister.

With a 15-point lead over Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table with just four games to play, Liverpool’s title win has been utterly emphatic. It is their scoring power that has made the difference. They have hit 80 goals, compared to 63 by the Gunners.

A team to cherish and a moment to remember for supporters who have waited for 35 years to enjoy an afternoon like this. Sir Alex Ferguson once spoke of knocking them off their perch and overhauling a then-record 18 titles. Liverpool are now back on top.

As it happened at Anfield…

Sky Sports News’ Vinny O’Connor at Anfield:

“The roar is incredible. The coaching staff hug in a tight circle, jumping up and down while the players run to each other on the pitch. That’s the champion feeling!

“Limbs everywhere as the players run to the Kop. Again, the roar is deafening. So different to five years ago, which makes this celebration even more deserved. The players have got ‘Champions’ flags. I think Harvey Elliott has picked up a corner flag. To everyone of a red persuasion, this means everything.

“The most emotional rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone I’ve heard in a long time. The players and staff all lined up in the 18-yard box at the Kop end, singing it back to the fans. The scenes they were denied in 2020 and they are making the most of it.”

Van Dijk: We deserve all of this

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk speaking to Sky Sports:

“It’s amazing. Today was a lot of emotions, throughout the whole week. We’ve got the job done and we’re deserved champions.

“This is the most beautiful club in the world. We deserve all of this. Let’s enjoy the next couple of weeks.

“I was desperate for these fans and the fans around the world.”

Salah: This is way better

Liverpool top scorer Mohamed Salah speaking to Sky Sports:

“Incredible. To win the Premier League with the fans is something special. You saw it in every game.

“This is way better [than five years ago], 100 per cent. We have a different group now, a different manager so we’re able to show we can do it again and it’s special.”

Slot: We always believed

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot speaking to Sky Sports:

“It’s difficult to put into words. You can feel how important it was for the fans to be here.

“We always come back, we always find a way to win. I don’t think we could have lost today.

“Our main focus was to win this game, if you are a part of it you still feel the pressure of getting the points over the line.

“For the whole season we were on top of the league but you also know how hard the Premier League is. The belief for us to win it was here throughout the season.”

Relentless Reds, says Redknapp

Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp at Anfield:

“If you were looking to describe this team, it’d be relentless. Even when they went 1-0 down they didn’t panic.

“The emotion, the outpouring. What a day for everybody concerned. Not just the manager, the players, the staff, everyone who puts everything into making the club what it is.

“This is a day for the fans. They couldn’t have that moment in Covid but they are now – and they’re making some racket.”

Postecoglou: Worthy champions

Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou speaking to Sky Sports:

“Credit to Liverpool. Worthy champions. They have been outstanding all year, really consistent. Today, once they got ahead of us it was really hard, especially with the atmosphere out there, for us to get back into the game. They proved to be too good.

“Obviously, you are going to face a highly-motivated team and that is what it proved to be.

“Today again, we had to make some changes with Thursday night in mind and against them, the very best, you pay the price.”

Story of the match in stats…

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