Liverpool Echo

What the national media said about Liverpool's 6-3 thrashing of Tottenham Hotspur

Liverpool steamrollered Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table to four points. The Reds ran out 6-3 winners, but in truth, it could easily have been a lot more with only their own complacency to blame for Spurs’ prominence on the scoreboard.

Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz both scored braces, while the Egyptian claimed two assists too on another record-breaking day for the in-form forward. Meanwhile, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai also got their names on the scoresheet as Liverpool ran riot in the capital.

Arne Slot’s men have now won 21 of his 25 matches to date, and still only suffered defeat once. With their victory over Tottenham one of their most impressive showings yet, the ECHO rounds up the national media reaction to the Reds’ North London massacre…

Alyson Rudd of The Times thoroughly enjoyed herself in the capital as Liverpool proved, once again, that they are in the Premier League title-race for the long-haul.

She wrote: “Arne Slot is not a showman and under his command Liverpool have been efficient in giving us spurts of beauty and breathtaking pace and finishing — but not too often. It is a harrowing and draining campaign and the Dutchman plans for the long haul.

“But sometimes an opponent is so open and so vulnerable that it is harder to be deadpan than witty, and so Liverpool played as if with a fit of the giggles. This was great fun and, crucially, did not sap the team at all.

“Slot tried to be annoyed at the three goals conceded but admitted that, in the main, he really enjoyed himself. Managers tend to hate games such as this, where both teams are guilty of lapses in concentration and there is an element of pantomime.

“But you will struggle to find a Liverpool supporter who was at any juncture worried about a Tottenham Hotspur fightback. Indeed, the performance merely underlined that in Slot, the club has a master of timing and rotation.”

The Telegraph’s Jason Burt would christen Mohamed Salah ‘the best player in the Premier League - and it’s not even close’, following his electrifying display against Spurs.

He wrote: “Liverpool have the imperious touch of champions and there was only one Maximus on this display. Only one gladiator. Only one winner. It was, as so often, Mohamed Salah who tore Tottenham apart with two more goals and two more assists.

“He almost scored three times in the opening 10 minutes, hitting the crossbar, and was just about unstoppable throughout. He strikes fear. The Egyptian really is in a league of his own.

“Salah’s contract situation, with his current deal running out next June, has been well-discussed but the 32-year-old could do well to take a leaf out of Kevin De Bruyne’s playbook when it comes to negotiations.

“With his last deal at Manchester City, which also expires at the end of this campaign, De Bruyne brought up the data to reinforce his worth. Salah can simply say to Liverpool: “look at my numbers. Look at the facts”.”

The Guardian’s Jonathan Liew was impressed by how easily Liverpool exposed Tottenham.

He wrote: “Liverpool are serious about this. They’re not in London for souvenirs or sightseeing. They had a game four days earlier, they’ve got another in four days’ time, and so all they really want for Christmas is to get in, get the points and get out. They’d rather do it clean. But they’ll do it dirty if they have to.

“Above all, they know exactly what they want. Luis Díaz wants to spin off his man and run from deep, and Ryan Gravenberch wants to plug the gaps and get the ball moving, Dominik Szoboszlai wants you to commit, but not until he’s put you half a step off balance first, and Mo Salah wants to be Mo Salah. They can go short or long, hit you from every angle, hurt you from every bit of the pitch. Nine Liverpool players made a key pass in this game, including the goalkeeper and both full-backs…

“Amid the carnage of the second half, there was also an immense and ominous coolness to them, the unerring ability to execute under pressure the thing that is required, and to keep doing it over and over. This is the difference between a serious and an unserious team.

“And there is nothing inevitable about this. Tottenham and Liverpool may feel gulfs apart, but in reality they are the eighth- and seventh-richest clubs in the world, fishing in the same water. Tottenham could have had Arne Slot in 2023. Tottenham could have had Díaz in 2022. Tottenham could have assembled a proper backroom structure years ago, instead of leaving their fate in the hands of a spiralling succession of celebrity managers.”

Ian Ladyman of the Daily Mail pointed out that Liverpool know exactly how good they are as they made sure it was ‘men against confused and disorientated boys’ in the capital.

He wrote: “Liverpool are the team to beat while Tottenham are – for the time being at least – the team that anybody could hope to beat.

“Arne Slot’s Liverpool head into Christmas top of the Premier League and rightly so. They were magnificent here. Hungry, clinical and overflowing with festive fervour. What a sight they were with the ball…

“They (Spurs) will know what it is they witnessed on the whole, though. They will know what this was. It was a hiding. A thrashing. Men against boys and confused and disorientated boys at that.

“Liverpool will push on towards the New Year knowing how good they are, driven on by the knowledge that Manchester City are gone from the race.”

Richard Jolly of The Independent lauded Liverpool for the ease at which Arne Slot’s men overcame Tottenham.

He wrote: “Even as Liverpool’s previously impressive defensive record took another dent – it is now eight goals conceded in three league games – they suggested they had a better balance. They have excelled at winning under Arne Slot but have rarely run riot. This time they did both, scoring six in a game for the first time under the Dutchman.

“It was certainly their most explosive attacking display, spearheaded – with a certain inevitability – by Mohamed Salah. He ended his afternoon with two goals, two assists and a sense he was too good for Djed Spence, the makeshift left-back luckless enough to be his immediate opponent…

“Because it was all underpinned by Slot’s blueprint. He spent Friday morning praising Postecoglou and Sunday afternoon exploiting Spurs’ shortcomings. If they were killed with kindness, Tottenham were unlocked by Liverpool’s intelligence and incision.”

And finally, the Liverpool ECHO’s very own LFC correspondent Paul Gorst was impressed at how Liverpool ripped through Tottenham to send a statement to their Premier League rivals.

He wrote: “If Liverpool's Premier League title rivals had just started to believe the leaders were feeling the heat after back-to-back draws either side of a Merseyside derby postponement then they have been sorely mistaken.

“Instead, Arne Slot's rejuvenated Reds made a difficult assignment at Tottenham Hotspur look easy as they plundered six goals to Spurs' three in what was undoubtedly the wildest game of the head coach's time at the club. Slot may hold commodities like control and clarity close to his heart but this was nothing of the sort, even if anything other than a Liverpool victory never really looked on the cards.

“A stunning attacking performance in North London now ensures their name will sit in top spot for Christmas Day and while the significance is largely symbolic only, the nature of the display from a team who are now four points clear of their closest competitors Chelsea will be enough to make the chasing pack sit up and wince. Make no mistake, Liverpool remain firmly in control of their own destiny…

“Slot's rampant team ripped through a backline that offered little resistance for much of the contest. This wasn't so much Gladiator Maximus putting his feared nemesis to the sword as it was the defenceless victim being thrown to the lions.

“And the speed at which the 'Spurs 3-6 Liverpool' scoreline was taken down off the two giant scoreboards at each end of this impressive stadium said it all as the home fans streamed for the exits at full time. They were not entertained.”

'If we had gone into the dressing room' - Arne Slot makes incredible Liverpool claim

Arne Slot reacts after Liverpool's 6-3 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League

Arne Slot labelled Liverpool's 6-3 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday as "an incredible display" but felt his side were punished for taking their foot off the gas after an hour to let their hosts back into the contest.

The Reds moved four points clear of Chelsea in second as two goals from Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah were registered alongside efforts from Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, while James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke scored for the hosts.

Liverpool took a 3-1 lead into the break before scoring twice more through Salah after the restart and Slot was delighted with what he saw up to that point but sounded a note of caution for how the final third of the fixture played out.

"Yeah, until 60-65 minutes I really really really enjoyed what I saw," Slot said. "Of course, we were caught one time in bringing the ball out from the back, and that immediately led to a goal for Tottenham.

"You think if we had gone into the dressing room with a 2-1 lead, that would have not done justice to all the chances we had. That’s why I was quite happy that we scored the 3-1 then 4-1, 5-1, incredible display.

"But then also saw that no matter how much quality players have, if they think they don’t have to run any more, and in this league, especially against Tottenham because they are so good with the ball as well, they immediately start to create and that’s what they did. They scored two goals and I was happy when our sixth went in to be fair."

Arne Slot discussed Liverpool's lead at the top of the Premier League after winning at Tottenham

Arne Slot has admitted his surprise at Chelsea dropping points at Everton on Sunday. The London outfit had the chance to overtake Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table at Christmas, only to miss the opportunity by drawing 0-0 at Goodison Park.

With the Reds running out 6-3 winners over Tottenham Hotspur, they extended their advantage to four points and still boast a game in hand over their title-rivals.

Slot admits it means something for his side to boast an advantage as the Premier League season nears its halfway point. But he has warned Liverpool that there is still a long way to go as he reiterated the competitiveness on show from top to bottom in the English top-flight.

“Of course it means something,” he said. “You always prefer to be where we are at the moment than in another position in the league table.

“But you know as well as I know – because I have won the league once – how hard it is to win it. You have to keep on going, every three days be on top of your game for every minute of every game.

“That’s why it is so hard to win it. It is not always easy to show up every three or four days. Last week you saw it is easy to get a red card in one moment, it was quite a debate afterwards, not by me but by other people.

“These things can happen in a season. At Newcastle, we were 3-2 up, you expect to win it and we dropped two points but that’s the Premier League.

“I didn’t expect Chelsea to drop points today as well, it can happen in any game and that’s what makes the league so special. That’s why so many people want to watch it and that’s why we play at Christmas time.”

If Liverpool's Premier League title rivals had just started to believe the leaders were feeling the heat after back-to-back draws either side of a Merseyside derby postponement then they have been sorely mistaken.

Instead, Arne Slot's rejuvenated Reds made a difficult assignment at Tottenham Hotspur look easy as they plundered six goals to Spurs' three in what was undoubtedly the wildest game of the head coach's time at the club. Slot may hold commodities like control and clarity close to his heart but this was nothing of the sort, even if anything other than a Liverpool victory never really looked on the cards.

The league leaders were dragged into the sort of game that Spurs would have wanted before kick-off, but the result was a scintillating show from the Reds.

A stunning attacking performance in North London now ensures their name will sit in top spot for Christmas Day and while the significance is largely symbolic only, the nature of the display from a team who are now four points clear of their closest competitors Chelsea will be enough to make the chasing pack sit up and wince. Make no mistake, Liverpool remain firmly in control of their own destiny.

If Ange Postcecoglou's plan was to get into a straight shootout, then the Spurs boss got his wish for a game that was seared in confusion and seasoned with chaos. But it was a major mistake from the Australian, who, for the second time this week, saw his players embroiled in a baffling contest laden with goals.

Only this time, he wasn't asking his players to emerge from the mayhem against a squad as limited as Manchester United's. Instead, the decision to go toe to toe with a side who can legitimately lay claim to being Europe's finest right now came back to haunt Postecoglou, who has now seen 16 goals scored this week across the two games here. Pragmatism should not be considered a dirty word for Postecoglou, whose side were clinically outgunned here.

After creating a handful of openings in the early going the Reds deservedly had their lead when Luis Diaz, who was restored to the No.9 position once more, gave Trent Alexander-Arnold's sublime delivery the finish it so richly deserved. The Colombia international steered home a header like he had spent his entire career operating as a striker and the celebration between the pair - where Diaz 'cleaned' Alexander-Arnold's right boot - paid obvious tribute to the fantastic cross from the vice-captain to set up the chance.

Liverpool continued to pile forward and looked like scoring every time they swept into Spurs' third. It eventually came when Alexis Mac Allister pounced inside the six-yard box after the tireless Dominik Szoboszlai had been caught between two defenders trying to win a header.

The two-goal advantage was nothing less than what Slot's leaders were worthy of but Spurs responded with their first real effort when James Maddison finished smartly after Mac Allister had been pickpocketed by Dejan Kulusevski.

It looked like the goal might give the hosts the impetus before the break but the cushion was soon restored when Alexander-Arnold's clearance was turned into something more substantial by Szoboszlai, who won a flick-on for Mohamed Salah before carrying on his run and finishing off the return pass. It was a devastating move.

Hungary captain Szoboszlai has had accusations of a lack of output in the goals and assists column levelled at him but he was once more excellent in a big game for the Reds. His running power and ability to press gave Spurs no respite at the back and he had the quality in possession when it was really needed. He is becoming so tactically important for what Slot is trying to do now, particularly in the more glamorous fixtures.

And a word for Salah, whose assist saw him become the first Premier League player in history to reach double figures for both goals (now 15) and assists (now 11) before Christmas. The two goals snaffled after the break, both after more hard running and unselfish play from Szoboszlai, means Salah now has the most goal contributions by Premier League players across all competitions this season, 10 more than his closest rival, Bukayo Saka.

Now up to fourth in the club's all-time list of scorers with 229, behind only Ian Rush, Roger Hunt and Gordon Hodgson, Salah has arguably been in the form of his career since August, which is quite the claim considering the legendary tenure he has enjoyed on Merseyside. It's a period that has to be extended, however the agreement over his contract is reached; the Egyptian is desperate to stay and some wage structures are worth breaking, however proud you are of the prudent manner of the way the football club is run.

Spurs responded with efforts from Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke but the hosts never had a deficit that was less than two goals once it went to 3-1. Luis Diaz eased any lingering fears in the away end of a late Spurs rally when he dispatched another razor-sharp attack to make it 6-3 and belatedly extinguish the hosts' hopes.

Postecoglou was moved to channel his inner Russell Crowe when asked by Sky Sports after Thursday's 4-3 win over United to assess the madness of what happens at this particular stadium under his guidance. "Are you not entertained?!" he joked, referencing The Gladiator film, whose famous line he borrowed for the quip.

This time there would be no chance to offer up such a slick post-match soundbite as Slot's rampant team ripped through a backline that offered little resistance for much of the contest. This wasn't so much Gladiator Maximus putting his feared nemesis to the sword as it was the defenceless victim being thrown to the lions.

And the speed at which the 'Spurs 3-6 Liverpool' scoreline was taken down off the two giant scoreboards at each end of this impressive stadium said it all as the home fans streamed for the exits at full time. They were not entertained.

Liverpool are looking to stay top of the Premier League table on Christmas day when they face Tottenham Hotspur in north London this afternoon. The Reds have lead the way for several weeks after an incredible start to the season under new boss Arne Slot, but Chelsea are breathing down their necks after an impressive run of form of their own.

The Reds face an inconsistent Tottenham team who sit 10th in the table despite being the league's second top scorers. Liverpool go into the game on the back of two consecutive league draws, away at Newcastle and at home to Fulham, and will be desperate to get back to winning ways.

Slot is without Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley for the game, with the pair still working on their recoveries from injuries sustained during the win over Real Madrid in November. The Dutchman otherwise boasts a fully fit squad to choose from after the return of Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa in the past week.

Spurs will be without as many as 10 first team players for the game. First choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario remains injured, as are key men Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero as well as Ben Davies. Destiny Udogie and Timo Werner are hoping to be fit to play, though.

Paul Gorst, Ian Doyle and Theo Squires will be at the Tottenham Stadium for live score updates, team news and analysis throughout the afternoon, with all the best match reaction to follow.

Former Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt has revealed that he once rejected a move to Tottenham Hotspur prior to signing for the Reds

Arne Slot’s incredible start to life as Liverpool head coach shows no signs of slowing down as the Reds head into the Premier League’s festive period. They currently sit top of the Premier League by two points, and also boast a game in hand.

Chelsea could admittedly overtake them on Sunday prior to Liverpool’s trip to Tottenham Hotspur, courtesy of the Londoners travelling to Everton in the earlier kick-off, but the Reds are in a particularly strong position as they pursue only their second league title since 1990.

Meanwhile, they sit comfortably atop the Champions League league phase table, having won all six of their matches to date and are on the verge of sealing their place in next year’s round-of-16.

Throw in a League Cup semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur to look forward to in the New Year, plus the visit of League Two Accrington Stanley to Anfield in the FA Cup third round, and things are looking rosy for Slot and his side.

Overseeing 20 victories from his 24 matches to date, losing just once, the Dutchman - who rejected taking over at Tottenham last year - has made a mockery of doubters who thought Liverpool would collapse following Jurgen Klopp’s departure.

But the former Feyenoord boss is not the first man to thrive after trading De Kuip for Anfield, with both Jerzy Dudek and Dirk Kuyt both previously making the same switch - albeit during their playing careers - and becoming club icons in the process.

Meanwhile, like Slot, Kuyt even turned down a switch to Tottenham a year before making his move to Liverpool too.

The forward joined the Reds in a £10m move from Feyenoord in the summer of 2006, and went on to score 71 goals from 285 appearances during six years at Anfield. But the former Netherlands international could have made the move to England 12 months earlier.

Having just won the Eredivisie Golden Boot with 29 goals in 2004/05 - netting 36 goals from 44 appearances in all competitions - Kuyt attracted interest from Tottenham at the end of the summer transfer window. But he rejected their advances as he did not wish to leave Feyenoord without a striker.

"One year before I left for Liverpool, I was able to go to Tottenham Hotspur on the last day of the transfer market,” he recalled on the Kieft Jansen Egmond Gijp podcast last year. “Spurs chairman Daniel Levy called, he wanted me.

“I thought that was a very strange moment to leave Feyenoord behind. Leaving Feyenoord without a striker, albeit with a bag of money. Then [agent] Rob Jansen and I decided together not to do that.”

Why Kuyt would reject Spurs’ advances, the lure of Liverpool proved too big in August 2006 following a 25-goal campaign for Feyenoord. And speaking at the time, the forward admitted that then Netherlands manager Marco van Basten helped him decide to move on after telling him he had grown ‘too big’ for Dutch football.

"Marco van Basten has told me this is a very good move not only for myself but for the Dutch team,” he said. "He thinks I have become too big for football in Holland and I need a move to a bigger club.

“And he thinks Liverpool is a good club for me. It is a dream that a club like Liverpool with their history wanted me.

“The beginning of the week I was just stunned by things, now it is a privilege to play for them. I think my game is suited to England, I think I am a typical type of player for the Premier League.

"I know there is a lot of competition up front, but that is only good for the team. Not everybody can play 50-60 games a season."

A look at the injury and suspension latest ahead of Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday

It's the final Premier League match before Christmas - and what a cracker it promises to be. Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool rarely disappoints, with 32 goals having been scored in the last eight meetings between the teams.

And tomorrow's game, which gets under way at 4.30pm at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, is a big one. It will give Liverpool the chance to regain or extend their lead at the top while for Tottenham, it provides them with another chance of a scalp.

While Ange Postecoglou's side are wildly inconsistent, that has not stopped them from recording emphatic league victories over Manchester United, Aston Villa and Manchester City this season.

Spurs also knocked City and United out of the Carabao Cup on route to setting up a semi-final showdown with their opponents this weekend.

However, Tottenham boss Postecoglou does have major injury concerns for the visit of the Reds, for whom their own problems are beginning to clear up. For now, at least.

Second-choice keeper Fraser Forster will continue in goal for Spurs, despite his blunders in Thursday's 4-3 cup victory over Man United., as No.1 Guglielmo Vicario remains sidelined after underdoing surgery on an ankle injury last month.

"Going well," Postecoglou said on Friday. "Typical Vic as he's pushing every boundary. He's still a fair bit away but he'll make sure he's back as quickly as possible. He's still around the group and invested in what we're doing. He's progressing well."

Also out are first-choice centre-backs Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero as well as Ben Davies.

But there is more encouraging news over another defender, Destiny Udogie, and forward Timo Werner, who both missed the midweek quarter-final win.

Postecoglou said on Friday: "Timo was unwell yesterday so we've got 48 hours or so before the game and hopefully he will recover. The plan is Destiny should be okay."

Werner's return, like that of Udogie's, would be timely as Tottenham also have a number of attacking players currently unavailable. Wilson Odobert, Mikey Moore and former Everton hero Richarlison will play no part against Liverpool, who should be able to name a full squad bar from injured defenders Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley.

Andy Robertson returns from suspension but two other players will have to tread carefully against Spurs if they want to feature in the Boxing Day home clash with Leicester City.

Ryan Gravenberch and Darwin Nunez are both a booking away from a one-match ban. Konate is, too, but there is no chance of him playing on Sunday.

Fluminense president Mario Bittencourt has spoken openly about the club's willingness to bring the striker back to Brazil

It would be fair to say it's been tough going for Richarlison since he left Everton for Tottenham Hotspur in 2022. Now one of his former clubs wants to help reignite his career.

During his time with the Blues, the forward developed into a crucial performer for both club and country. Richarlison was a huge fan favourite at Goodison Park and a consistent source of goals at a time when the team struggled.

Eventually Everton had to sell the Brazilian in order to improve their financial situation and better fall in line with the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules. Spurs landed him for £60 million.

However, injury issues and fluctuations in form have ruined Richarlison's time in the capital so far. After missing two months of the current campaign already due to a groin problem, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou suggested the 27-year-old would now be out for the 'long-term' due to a hamstring problem.

Postecoglou also revealed Spurs will be looking to sign another forward as a result, potentially casting doubts over Richarlison's future at the club.

After links to Saudi Pro League clubs in the summer, reports in Brazil suggested that Fluminense, who sold Richarlison to Watford in 2017, wanted to bring him back to his homeland. Speaking to Globo Esporte (h/t Sport Witness), the club's president Mario Bittencourt confirmed the interest is real.

"Tottenham replied that they are open to offers, but at the moment they have no interest in getting rid of the player," he said. "They are willing to listen. We're also talking to the player to see if he's interested in coming back.

"What is concrete is that we have expressed a formal interest in Richarlison. We know how difficult it is to bring him in. We believe that he may want to be close to the Brazilian national team, to return home to the club where he excelled. I have a close relationship with him. I was vice-president of football when he arrived.

"I brought Richarlison in as vice-president of football. We've created a relationship, not a friendship, but a strong one. We sent a first document to the English club, still without an offer, but asking if they would like to negotiate."

Tottenham appealed the severity of Rodrigo Bentancur's seven-match ban but it has been dismissed following a hearing

Tottenham Hotspur have failed in their appeal against Rodrigo Bentancur's seven-match suspension ahead of their Premier League showdown with Liverpool. Ange Postecoglou's side challenged the severity of the Football Association (FA) sanction after the Uruguayan was hit with the ban, as well as a £100,000 fine for using a racial slur against teammate Son Heung-min.

The 27-year-old has already served five of those matches, and an appeal was lodged, but following a hearing, the appeal was dismissed, which means he will be forced to sit out their upcoming matches against Manchester United in the Carabao Cup and Liverpool's trip to North London on December 22.

Bentancur apologised to his club teammate, describing the comments as a "very bad joke”, after an interview this summer where he was asked by a reporter to get hold of a Tottenham shirt.

However, the FA investigated the comments and hit him with a lengthy ban along with a hefty fine. Following the decision from the appeal hearing, the Football Association released a statement which read: "An independent Appeal Board has dismissed an appeal by Rodrigo Bentancur in relation to his recent suspension.

"An independent Regulatory Commission imposed a seven-match suspension on the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder for an aggravated breach of FA Rule E3 in relation to a media interview.

"This appeal was dismissed following a hearing, and the seven-match suspension remains as ordered by the Regulatory Commission. The Appeal Board’s written reasons for its decision will be published in due course."

Liverpool take on Manchester City at Anfield in a huge top of the table clash next weekend

Manchester City defender Kyle Walker has warned they are determined to turn things around when they face Liverpool in the Premier League next weekend.

The current champions suffered their fifth consecutive defeat across all competitions, and third in the league, when they were battered 4-0 by Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad on Saturday evening. James Maddison scored twice in the first half before Pedro Porro and Brennan Johnson added a further two after the break.

Liverpool have a golden opportunity to move eight points clear of their rivals with a victory over Southampton on Sunday afternoon. Arne Slot's side have suffered just one defeat all season across all competitions as things stand.

Regardless of Liverpool's result against the Saints this weekend, the visit of Manchester City in seven days time is huge in terms of the title race. Walker insists City are hopeful of turning things around and has challenged his teammates to prove themselves between now and next Sunday's clash to prevent a 'walkover'.

but focus must first be on their Champions League clash with Slot's former club, Feyenoord.

"It [a trip to Liverpool] is a great game to turn it around, to take three points off a team that's sat above you," Walker told Sky Sports after City's defeat to Spurs. "But we can't go out and do a performance like that, because we're going to get walked over, so that's down to each and every one of us at the club, from now until next Sunday.

"We've a game midweek in the Champions League [against Feyenoord] to prepare for this massive game on Sunday and make sure we can keep within touching distance of Liverpool."

Injuries have contributed to City's significant dip in form, with Rodri currently sidelined with an ACL injury, but dwindling confidence played a huge part in their sub-par display on Saturday.

"We've lost confidence as a team because we haven't won in a while," Walker continued. "What we've won in the past counts for nothing, and what it's about is winning the Premier League now, and we're making it harder for ourselves because we've got teams around us and one team that's above us that's doing really well.

"We'll keep fighting to turn this around, and hopefully the mojo comes back and you see the normal City that you have done in the last eight seasons."