Why Tottenham embarrassed Daniel Levy again and what Ange Postecoglou did as Djed Spence lost it
Even at 1-0 up there was barely a celebration from Tottenham. Not just because it would be slightly shameless to be happy when sitting so far down the Premier League table - especially after Manchester United picked up a point in the battle to not finish 17th - but because most people knew this was just a blip for Liverpool. It didn't take long for things to revert to expectation.
Liverpool were never going to be denied their crowning moment at home. Not after all the build-up and the hurt. There was such a sense of inevitability around this game that Dominic Solanke's early header really may as well have not happened.
Luis Diaz quickly equalised. Alexis Mac Allister put the hosts ahead. Two players Liverpool have signed in the past two years scored for a manager Tottenham had chased themselves. Recruitment and planning coming to the fore with brilliant coaching. It was in stark contrast to what Ange Postecoglou's side put on display.
Cody Gakpo made it 3-1 before the break with the second half played out in a sense of waiting for more to be scored. Could Mohamed Salah get his customary goal? Yes, of course. He would be missing out if he didn't score against Tottenham.
Destiny Udogie put through his own net soon after. Salah was there to score if not. He had just taken a selfie in front of the Kop. It was total mockery and cannot be disguised.
Amid it all were some moments that might have been missed on initial viewing. If you want to go through the pain of it, football.london has you covered.
Spence gets angry
Tottenham may well have taken an early lead but the dysfunction in the team was clear pretty much from the off. Liverpool found it far too easy to cut through the midfield and were in no mood to give up the acres of space afforded to them in transition.
With Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz they have willing runners who are quick enough to take advantage. It showed when the score was still 0-0.
Liverpool found an ocean of room on the left side as they raced into the Tottenham half. Salah streaked into it and saw Diaz there waiting ahead of him.
Kevin Danso was no match for the pace of either of them and the gap between Guglielmo Vicario in goal and the players sprinting towards him was giant. Salah sought to bend the pass into the corridor but Diaz got his wires crossed and had come short.
Tottenham got away with offering so much ground to the pair and Djed Spence, left for dead with a ball over the top initially, was only just coming into view when Tottenham recovered possession. He wasn't happy with the organisation.
Throwing his head back, Spence shouted at his teammates for the vacant midfield, the lack of pressure on the ball, and to the world in general. He was bemused at how easily Liverpool had created a nice opportunity and it wouldn't be the last time either.
Solanke's awkward moment
We mentioned Tottenham's response to stunning Anfield. Scored by a former Liverpool player, there were many reasons for the subdued reaction.
Maybe the Spurs players couldn't actually believe they were winning. Maybe they didn't really care. Either way, it was nice for Solanke to get a moment at Liverpool to show how he has come on.
After joining from Chelsea in 2017, Solanke only scored one Premier League goal for Liverpool. His stock dropped from being an academy prodigy and there was doubt over if he would ever reach the heights.
He took time to get to the £60million player Tottenham signed over the summer but when fit he has shown why there was such a price tag. Here, his well-directed header was evidence of his finishing skills and some.
Perhaps the muted celebration was out of respect or maybe it really was because Solanke knew just how embarrassing things have been and remain for Tottenham. The rest of the game would show that and his awkwardness with the rest of the team could not have been more clear.
On the bench and Postecoglou gave a little fist bump. He had been determined before the game not to just let Tottenham play a part in Liverpool's stroll towards the title. As it happened, they were hardly an obstacle at all and his high five with a member of the backroom staff was as good as it got.
Tottenham's midfield problem
Liverpool's well-crafted and well-coached midfield has experience in the Champions League and some in World Cup finals. It was signed for around £130million. It has been utilised spectacularly by Slot this season.
Tottenham, on the other hand, sent out two teenagers to try and deal with a ferocious atmosphere and high press. Archie Gray, who has had to spend most of his first year at the club playing at right-back or centre-back, was thrown into the middle of the pitch. Lucas Bergvall, a better carrier and progresses maker, went to his right.
James Maddison was in there but has been out of top form for over 12 months now. He looks a shadow of his former self and provided very little defensive help or link to the Spurs attack. They didn't seem like they knew each other, let alone had any cohesion.
It was telling that Mac Allister would put Liverpool ahead with a left-footed thunderbolt. Tottenham did not get close to him after failing to clear their lines twice.
Maddison dribbled himself into trouble by the touchline before turning and hacking the ball out. Mathys Tel picked it up and was put under pressure. His slash away went wide of Gray, who was outmuscled by Ryan Gravenberch on the edge of the box.
Mac Allister collected things from there and smashed one home. It was a goal with all of Tottenham's midfield outdone by two of Liverpool's trio as Bergvall could not prevent the shot with an attempted block.
At half-time Postecoglou made two changes, as has been a staple of late in attempts to keep the squad fit and fresh for the Europa League. Gray and Maddison were taken off in a telling turn of events. Rodrigo Bentancur had been kept out of the squad entirely with a rest day given and Pape Matar Sarr came on.
Dominik Szoboszlai surged through into a four-on-four in the 60th minute to help Salah make it 4-1. Another Liverpool midfielder having much better day than the Tottenham counterparts.
The manner in which this group have been built has been under the microscope all season, as has Daniel Levy's role in it all. Here, the team he has helped fund was truly out of its either through individual talent or setup, maybe, probably, both.
Viacrio's latest headloss
Tottenham's goalkeeper is emotive. Postecoglou has said as much himself. He wears his heart on his sleeve and then some. At Anfield he really was not ready to let the game slide.
After each goal he jumped to his feet to berate and to moan. He shouted, waved his arms like a mixture of a Mr Men cartoon and a robotic octopus. He was furious with the defending (or absence of) in front of him.
The most obvious came when Gakpo managed to worm away from three Tottenham bodies inside the box to score following a near-post corner. The Liverpool attacker held the ball under his foot after Solanke had failed to deal with the initial crosses. Brennan Johnson couldn't get rid either.
Maddison was slow to close down and then the shot is in the net. Vicario is up and off on one. Tottenham players start to hold another inquest as to what has gone on but it's no use with the game already looking to be out of reach and the damage in a broken team beyond repair.
