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Liverpool comfortably beat Tottenham Hotspur 5-1 at Anfield to secure its place as 2024/25 Premier League champions, with the midfield and attackers putting in excellent displays.

But everything didn't go quite as planned in the early stages with Dominic Solanke heading in after 12 minutes to temporarily put a lid on expectant Anfield atmosphere.

It lasted just a few minutes just a few minutes though, until Luis Diaz turned in Dominik Szoboszlai's cross to restore parity - after a quick VAR check. From there, Liverpool was relentless. Cody Gakpo tapped in from Ryan Gravenberch's back-post pass - again the offside flag was raised, this time correctly. It mattered little; sooner after the Dutch midfielder regained possession at the edge of the box and Alexis Mac Allister unleashed a sublime left-foot rocket that flew beyond Guglielmo Vicario.

It was three by the end of the first half as Liverpool again capitalized on some slack Tottenham defending. This time, Lucas Bergvall's weak clearance from a corner was pounced upon by Gakpo, whose unorthodox and quick-witted finished curled in past an unsighted Vicario.

Mohamed Salah was always going to get his name in on the act and he made it 4-1 after half-time when he cut inside and unleashed an unstoppable shot. He even tried to claim Liverpool's fifth, but replays showed the ball clearly cross the line after Destiny Udogie's touch.

Here's who stood out and had a day to forget on a momentous day at Anfield.

Winners

Well everyone, really. But Salah getting back among the goals earned one of the biggest cheers of the day - he also set the record for the most goals involvements in a 38-game season. Szoboszlai, Diaz and Gakpo were also excellent, but it was Mac Allister who starred in midfield. Darwin Nunez getting a run out from the bench will have boosted his morale after a tough few weeks as well.

Losers

Conor Bradley missed out on a place in Sunday's title win due to a knock he sustained in midweek. While not a serious problem, it meant the boyhood Red wasn't part of the squad as his team was crowned champions. His absence won't convince those concerned about Bradley's injury record that he is ready to be first-choice right-back next season. Meanwhile, it was another bruising day for Tottenham once again, who was naive and second best in every department.

Player ratings

Alisson (6). Couldn't get anywhere near Solanke's header, but the few saves he had to make after that were routine.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (7). Starting a first league match for nearly two months, the right-back looked at ease. He played repeated long, accurate passes to teammates, including several down the line for Salah. It was Alexander-Arnold's pass to Salah that resulted in Udogie inadvertently tapping into his own goal.

Ibrahima Konate (7). Made a big tackle to stop Mathys Tel scoring in the 42nd minute and carried a threat from set-pieces.

Virgil van Dijk (6). Was unsettled once or twice by Solanke in the early stages, but responded well. The defender becomes the first Dutchman to captain a Premier League side to the title. Van Dijk even tried his luck from distance late on - that would have been the sweetest of moments.

Andy Robertson (6). Serenaded by the Anfield crowd at the start of the second half following a tough campaign. Robertson put in a solid display as he returned to the side and dealt well with most of Spurs' attacks down its right.

Ryan Gravenberch (8). Didn't have to worry about much defending and tended to motor forward in possession. He set up Mac Allister's pile driver and also the offside Gakpo goal.

Alexis Mac Allister (9). Outstanding from the World Cup winner, who produced one of his best displays in red. Mac Allister was everywhere, a constant presence in Liverpool's pressing game and also excellent on the ball. His left-foot strike put Liverpool in the lead, while his range of passing and speed when moving the ball bamboozled Spurs.

Dominik Szoboszlai (8). His runs from deep caused Tottenham real issues, as they did in December's meeting. Szoboszlai linked well with teammates, was dynamic in possession and provided the assist for Diaz and Salah's goal.

Mohamed Salah (8). He was destined to end his recent lean spell in front of goal against Tottenham. Salah's 62nd-minute goal was the moment fans craved as he set the record for the most goal involvements in a 38-game season, celebrating with a selfie in front of the Kop End. He had looked a little desperate to net up until then, but settled afterwards and linked well throughout.

Luis Diaz (8). His habit of dropping deep caused Spurs repeated issues and contributed to Liverpool's fluid shape. The Colombian grabbed the first goal, but like a few of Arne Slot's soldiers, was also relentless out of possession. His levels dropped a little after the break, but the forward continued his outstanding recent form.

Cody Gakpo (8). This was the Dutchman's best performance in months and his direct runs and proved hugely effective. Gakpo nearly scored a brilliant overhead kick in 10th minute and then netted with an unorthodox side-foot effort to give Liverpool a 3-1 lead in the first half.

Substitutes

Curtis Jones (7). Kept the ball well after coming on, and nearly added his name to the list of scorers.

Diogo Jota (6). Had an early shot but, with the game wrapped up, didn't really get involved in the final stages.

Harvey Elliott (N/A).

Wataru Endo (N/A).

Liverpool fans were made to wait to properly celebrate after Luis Diaz equalized against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, as VAR overturned the on-field decision.

Anfield was silenced after former Liverpool striker Dominic Solanke gave Tottenham the lead inside 12 minutes, but Diaz responded four minutes later. Dominik Szoboszlai played a stunning pass across the face of goal which left Diaz with an empty net, but the assistant referee raised his flag for offside.

It wasn't Diaz who was initially deemed in an offside position, but the official thought that Szoboszlai made his run too early before assisting the winger. However, a brief VAR review confirmed that Szoboszlai was onside, and Liverpool was awarded with the goal.

The incident was explained on the Premier League Match Centre's official X account, as they wrote: "VAR checked the referee’s call of no goal for Liverpool - and determined that Szoboszlai was in an onside position in the build-up and recommended that the goal was awarded."

The goal being awarded was key for Liverpool, as they entered Sunday needing one point to be crowned Premier League champions. However, they quickly took the lead through Alexis Mac Allister, who fired his strike into the roof of the Tottenham net from outside the area.

After 34 minutes, Cody Gakpo added to Liverpool's lead following a Mac Allister corner, as Tottenham failed to clear the ball from the penalty area, Gakpo then received a yellow card for removing his shirt in celebration.

There was a party atmosphere at Anfield ahead of the game, with Liverpool on the verge of winning its second Premier League title, and 20th success in England's top division. Liverpool ended the 30-year wait for a title during the 2019-20 season under former head coach Jurgen Klopp, but the global pandemic meant that they couldn't celebrate in front of fans.

The prospect of winning the title in front of a sold-out Anfield crowd gave Liverpool a "big responsibility" according to current head coach Arne Slot, who stressed the importance of getting the job done on Friday. Slot looks set to lift the Premier League title in his first season as Liverpool coach, but remained focused on the job in hand.

"First of all, that's a big responsibility because we are aware that the last time this club won the league it was Covid time. So everybody is looking forward to Sunday but we know that there is still a job to be done and that's at least one point," Slot said.

"That's what we know and, hopefully, our fans know as well and they support us in the best possible way they can - like they have all season - and are aware of the fact that we still need a point. We are definitely aware of that. It's a nice game to look forward to but it's also a responsibility we have for Sunday."

Liverpool was already a major favorite heading into the game, but with Tottenham's attention on other competitions, there was added hope that the title would be secured. Tottenham is enduring a disastrous Premier League season, but could save their campaign in the Europa League.

Tottenham faces Bodo/Glimt in the first leg of the Europa League semi-final on Thursday, and winning the competition would result in a Champions League spot for next season. Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou was a Liverpool fan growing up, but denied any warm feelings about their inevitable title success.

"I'm a 60-year-old adult, I've gone past my boyhood crushes. It's got no impact whatsoever. I have great admiration for the football club. Yes, I supported it when I was younger, but that was 50-odd years ago so we’ve well and truly moved on since then."

Liverpool will confirm itself as Premier League champion by avoiding defeat at home to Spurs today. And Arne Slot has named his starting XI for what could be a historic game at Anfield.

Alisson Becker is in the Liverpool goal with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson making up the back four. Kostas Tsimikas are among the substitutes but Conor Bradley is missing altogether.

Slot has picked Ryan Gravenberch in every Premier League game so far this season and the Dutchman plays as the number six once again. He is alongside Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.

Mohamed Salah, who recently signed a new two-year contract, is on the right of the Liverpool attack. Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo complete the forward line.

"One more push," Van Dijk writes in the official matchday program. "One more job to be done. One more big effort needed, from each and every one of us. One more.

"All season long, I have been speaking about the need to focus only on the next game, the next challenge. That mindset has been so important for us as we have chased our goals; we deal with what’s there in front of us rather than getting carried away with the bigger picture, with the outside noise.

"Sunday, of course, is going to be a little more difficult in that respect. Because while we are still going to be concentrating on the task in front of us, which is a tough game against Tottenham Hotspur, we also know what the day means for everyone associated with the club.

"And, well, it means everything. To win the Premier League is special, however and wherever you do it. But to do it at Anfield, in front of the most incredible supporters in the world? That’s something else entirely. It’s our dream, it’s your dream, and our aim on Sunday is to make sure that dream comes true."

"The overriding message today is very simple — we have a job to do," Slot adds. "It is a job that everyone associated with Liverpool FC should be excited about because the possibilities it creates are there for all to see but, as with every other game we have played this season, hard work will be absolutely crucial.

"So focusing on the job at hand is not just desirable, it is absolutely essential. On and off the pitch, our aim has to be to get as close as we possibly can to our A-game.

"Reaching those standards will not be easy — it never is — but it needs to be the objective of everyone who is inside the stadium today. So what we have now and in the remaining weeks of the season is a wonderful opportunity that we should grasp with both hands."

Alan Shearer, the Premier League's all-time top scorer, has expressed his doubts about Tottenham Hotspur's chances against Liverpool today. He has delivered a brutal assessment of Spurs ahead of their Anfield showdown.

Liverpool fans will be arriving at the stadium with high hopes of celebrating well into the night. The Reds only need a single point to officially secure their status as top-flight champions, following Arsenal's stumble to a draw against Crystal Palace on Wednesday.

This would be an incredible accomplishment for the team and for manager Arne Slot, who stepped into Jurgen Klopp's shoes just last summer. While Liverpool is soaring, Spurs are struggling. Despite making strides in the Europa League — they have a semi-final first leg against Bodo/Glimt on Thursday — they're languishing in 16th place in the Premier League table.

Ange Postecoglou's squad has suffered a staggering 18 losses from their 33 top-flight matches, leading to serious questions about whether he'll remain at the helm next season.

And ahead of the match, the Tottenham boss hinted at rotating his squad for the Liverpool game. With a potential Europa League trophy — and subsequent Champions League qualification — on the line, it's clear that the league is no longer their main focus.

However, in his Betfair column, Shearer criticized the current state of Spurs and predicted that Liverpool will add to their woes this weekend. "It could get messy," he admitted.

"When you look at the two teams, how could you take any Spurs players and put them into a combined XI, with how Liverpool have been in the league? So if you're asking me what the combined XI is for Spurs and Liverpool, it's Liverpool one to 11.

"That will be pretty embarrassing for any Spurs fan to read but unfortunately, it's reality. If you've gone through that many managers with that amount of finance then you've got to question other things. Because, we've said it all before about Tottenham.

"When you look at Nuno Espirito Santo, you look at Jose Mourinho, when you look at Conte. All these managers that have been there and are now being successful elsewhere - you should start to think, maybe it's not the managers.

"Ange did tell us that he always wins a trophy in his second season and he's in a semi-final. So let's see. If he doesn't win, then I would fear for the club. It would be a remarkable situation with how bad they've been in the league that they could go on and actually win that competition."

Indeed, Tottenham has endured a tough time against Liverpool this season, experiencing heavy defeats of 6-3 in the Premier League and 4-0 in the League Cup semi-final second leg, although they secured a surprise victory over the Reds in the first leg of the same competition.

The pundits are in no doubt that Liverpool will wrap up the Premier League title today against Tottenham.

The Reds need just a point in order to be confirmed as champions, with Arne Slot’s side aiming to finish the job off at Anfield later. With five games remaining and Arsenal only able to finish level on points with Liverpool now, it is now just a matter of time before Virgil van Dijk is lifting the trophy.

Liverpool will be expected to wrap things up at the first time of asking though as they come up against a Tottenham side languishing in the bottom half of the table. Ange Postecoglou is coming under increasing pressure amid a desperately poor season for his side, with claims growing that the Australian will be dismissed at the end of the campaign.

What’s more, Spurs’ priorities lie firmly away from the league, with a Europa League semi-final to come on Thursday as they aim to salvage something from the season. Postecoglou could therefore rest some of his bigger names at Anfield, further playing into Liverpool’s hands.

It’s no surprise then that the Reds are being widely tipped to wrap up their title later, with some even suggesting that things could get ugly for the visitors. Former Newcastle striker and Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer is among those backing Liverpool for victory, while offering a warning to Spurs.

“Liverpool will win the title this weekend by winning against Tottenham,” Shearer told Betfair. “However, Spurs can't afford for it to get messy after losing at home to Forest, and there's every chance that it could.

“It could turn ugly if Liverpool score early and the party celebrations begin at Anfield. This will definitely be a home win.”

Shearer’s warning comes after Gary Neville also predicted a Liverpool win, and pulled no punches about Tottenham’s chances.

"It will be barbaric,” Neville said. “I think it will be 4-1. Liverpool will score four. It will be one of those celebratory [afternoons].”

And Paul Merson is in no doubt either. Predicting a 3-0 win for the Reds for Sportskeeda, the former Arsenal star didn’t offer Spurs any hope of picking up a result at Anfield.

“Nothing but a Liverpool win here,” Merson said. “Tottenham will surely rest key players for the Europa League semi-final vs Bodo/Glimt. Even if Spurs played their main team, I wouldn’t fancy them to beat Liverpool at Anfield.”

Liverpool is on the verge of being crowned the Premier League champion, although Tottenham will be aiming to spoil the party at Anfield later.

Arne Slot’s side is just a single point away from securing the title, and will be expected to complete its mission against a Spurs side whose priorities lie elsewhere. Ange Postecoglou finds himself under increasing pressure amid a desperately poor league season, with claims that he will be dismissed at the end of the campaign growing.

The Australian can still salvage something from the season though, with Tottenham still in the hunt for the Europa League. With the first leg of its semi-final against Bodo/Glimt on Thursday, it’s fair to say that the North London side might be putting all their eggs in one basket, which may well play into Liverpool’s hands.

With that in mind, don’t be surprised to see Postecoglou making some big changes to his side later especially in defense. Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven will likely be in line to start on Thursday, meaning they could both be rested for today’s game at Anfield, given they have both had their injury problems this season.

Radu Draguson is a long-term absentee with a knee injury, which means Kevin Danso could be in line for a first start since picking up a hamstring problem in March. Ben Davies may start alongside him in the heart of the back four, with Archie Gray giving Pedro Porro a rest at right-back, and Destiny Udogie getting the nod over Djed Spence on the left.

The next big questions lie in midfield, with Postecoglou needing to decide how many of his biggest names to rest. Lucas Bergvall may be one of those he chooses not to risk, with Yves Bissouma getting a start instead of the 19-year-old.

It’s still a fairly familiar midfield three for Spurs though, with Pape Matar Sarr and James Maddison also starting. There are more big decisions to make in the front three though.

Son Heung-min is definitely out, and will be touch and go to return on Thursday. Brennan Johnson looks a good bet to get a start at Anfield, but it’s just a question of who gets the nod alongside him.

You would imagine Dominic Solanke will start in midweek, meaning he might be rested against his former side today, with Richarlison potentially getting the nod in his place. Then it’s likely to be a straight shootout between Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert for the last remaining spot, with the latter getting the nod from us as Spurs look to delay the inevitable for Liverpool.

Today's the day - or at least, Liverpool fans will hope it is. The Reds take on Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield later, with the Premier League title almost within their grasp.

A point is all that is needed for Arne Slot's men to be crowned champions today, and they will be fully expected to do the business at the first time of asking.

Having already beaten Spurs twice this season, and with Ange Postecoglou's side undergoing a miserable season in the league, Liverpool will hope to get things wrapped up today, which will no doubt spark some wild celebrations in and around Merseyside.

It has been a sensational first season in charge for Slot, who of course took over Jurgen Klopp less than 12 months ago, and today looks as though it could be the day that his first piece of silverware in charge of the Reds is confirmed.

Arne Slot’s biggest selection decisions could come at full-back this weekend when Liverpool takes on Tottenham Hotspur in a potentially title-deciding clash.

The Reds head coach tried to play down the significance of Sunday’s game against Spurs, insisting he was treating it like every other match and was focusing on simply taking three points. Liverpool fans will settle for one, however, which would see it crowned Premier League champions.

Slot also didn’t give any new injury updates in Friday’s press conference, coming just two days after the whole squad trained. Joe Gomez is the only player ruled out and it means Slot has an almost full squad to choose from.

Despite the league being all but wrapped up for several weeks, the Liverpool boss has stuck mainly with the team that helped establish such a huge lead in the early weeks of the season. “There’s a lot of research done about the longer the team plays together, the better they start to play, or the more often they play together, the better they play as well,” Slot said ahead of the Spurs game. “That’s why I am not a big fan of rotating the team every game by five, six, seven positions.

The only changes in recent weeks have come in the wide defensive areas, with Trent Alexander-Arnold injured and Andy Robertson dropping out of the side. The latter has been replaced by Kostas Tsimikas and didn’t even come off the bench in last week’s win over Leicester City. But whether Slot is tempted to restore the experienced defender for such a high-profile encounter is a different matter.

As for Alexander-Arnold, he grabbed the winning goal after coming off the bench at the King Power Stadium and could return to the starting XI, but Conor Bradley looks a more likely option at right-back. Slot even discussed whether the Northern Ireland international is ready to play 90 minutes yet after his own injury issues, while Jamie Carragher has called for Bradley to be given a run in the side over the coming weeks to see if he is ready to step up as the team’s first choice in that position.

At center-back, Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk will almost certainly play ahead of Alisson in between the sticks.

In midfield, Dominik Szoboszlai was vastly improved last week as he returned to the side ahead of Curtis Jones. Slot will be faced with the same dilemma on Sunday, but should stick with the Hungarian. Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister have been among Liverpool’s most regular starters this season and will begin the match at the base of midfield, barring any last-minute injury.

But there could be a change up front with Cody Gakpo again looking ineffective at Leicester. He was replaced by Diogo Jota - and a repeat of that from the off on Sunday seems a real possibility.

Luis Diaz has been the team’s best player since the March international break, while Mohamed Salah’s record of starting every league game this season is unlikely to end against Spurs. He’s still chasing down personal goals and assists records in the final weeks of the campaign.

Whether Slot includes Nunez in the squad will be intriguing following his alleged social media outburst on Saturday. Slot also denied reports that he has not been selecting the no.9 in the team as Liverpool will owe Benfica compensation if Nunez starts another game this season, as was reported in Portugal earlier this week.

Ange Postecoglou confirmed Tottenham will remain without Son Heung-min for Sunday's Premier League meeting with Liverpool at Anfield.

Liverpool will secure the title if it avoids defeat on Sunday — although the trophy lift will have to wait until after the final game of the season against Crystal Palace.

Spurs captain Son has missed each of his side's last three games and is still rehabilitating from a foot problem. Issuing an update on the state of his squad to club media, manager Postecoglou said: “Squad-wise, no change from the other day. All the guys got through it [the Nottingham Forest game] okay. In terms of rehab, the only one is Sonny who is still going through that process, improving but not ready for Sunday.

“We'll see [if he's available to face Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League on Thursday]. He's improving. First time he's got out on the grass today and he said it's better than what it was. It's a day-by-day situation."

Quizzed on if his captain needed treatment or rest, Postecoglou responded: “Bit of both. It was obviously the foot element, because it's weight-bearing we needed to give some rest, some time off it and give him some treatment. The main thing was to get him off his feet to give him time to get back.”

Postecoglou hinted he will tinker with his team for the trip to Anfield considering the magnitude of next week's Europa League game in North London.

“With the programme we have coming up, Thursday obviously is a big night for us, so it will be a matter of playing a few [against Liverpool] that need the game time and others we feel may need less exposure, we’ll have a look at it.”

Spurs have struggled with injuries for much of the season but they actually have a relatively clean bill of health at the moment, with Radu Dragusin the only absentee other than Son. Romanian defender Dragusin will be out for some time after undergoing surgery on an ACL injury in February.

Postecoglou was full of praise for Liverpool head coach Arne Slot, with the Dutchman now just a point away from winning the Premier League during his first season in charge of the Reds.

"He is an outstanding manager and he picked up an outstanding team," Postecoglou said. "They have been brilliant in the league this year. They have been really consistent, maintained a really high level. They have had the best players playing all the time and playing at a really high level. That is a credit to Arne, his coaching staff and the players themselves. They have been close in the last few years and the fact they are on the cusp of potentially winning another title is a credit to everyone involved."

Liverpool will win the Premier League title this weekend unless Spurs can win at Anfield for the first time since 2011. And Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has insisted that he is no longer a fan of the team he is aiming to stop.

"I'm an almost-60-year-old adult. I've gone past my boyhood crushes," he said during his pre-match press conference. "It's got no impact whatsoever. I have great admiration for the football club, and yes, I supported them when I was younger, but that was 50-odd years ago, and I have well and truly moved on since then."

In truth, while Liverpool will be keen to wrap up the league title on its own terms, Tottenham has other priorities. Next Thursday, it will play the first leg of its Europa League semi-final against Bodo/Glimt — the one tournament that could save Spurs' season.

Languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table above only the bottom three clubs and West Ham, Tottenham has already lost 18 times in 2024-25. Postecoglou could be fired even if he brings home a European trophy.

But the Australian has been impressed with how Liverpool has performed. The Reds have already beaten Spurs twice this season, including knocking them out of the Carabao Cup at the semi-final stage.

"I wouldn't have discounted the possibility [of Liverpool winning the league this year]," Postecoglou said. "[Arne Slot] is an outstanding manager, and he picked up an outstanding team. They've been brilliant in the league this year; really consistent and at a really high level.

"They've had their best players playing all the time and at a really high level, and that's a credit to Arne, his coaching group, and the players themselves. They've been close in the last few years, and the fact that they are on the cusp of winning another title is a credit to everyone involved."

Slot could have been Tottenham boss in another universe. He was approached by Daniel Levy before moving to Liverpool, rejecting the opportunity and remaining with Feyenoord for another season. Postecoglou started quite well with Spurs but things have unraveled somewhat since.