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West Ham United were relegated and Tottenham Hotspur survived on an emotional final day of the Premier League season when Pep Guardiola and Mohamed Salah made their exits after record-breaking spells in English football.

West Ham beat Leeds 3-0 on Sunday, but that was not enough to climb out of the relegation zone because fourth-to-last Tottenham also won, 1-0 at home to Everton, to stay two points clear of their London rivals.

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Spurs kicked off against Everton needing, realistically, only a draw to avoid relegation for the first time since 1977 – as they sat two points clear of the Hammers with a significantly better goal difference.

Joao Palhinha released the mounting pressure at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium just before half-time, poking home after his header thundered back off a post.

That meant West Ham’s 14-year stay in the Premier League was over and Tottenham will be in the top division for a 49th straight season.

Guardiola’s decade-long tenure at Manchester City – which has included six Premier League titles – ended with a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa that featured a mid-match guard of honour, first for Bernardo Silva, and then John Stones, two of Guardiola’s stalwarts.

Guardiola hugged both and wiped away tears with his T-shirt

In Liverpool, Salah was given a standing ovation – before he kissed the Anfield turf – during his second-half substitution in his 442nd and last game for the Reds, in which he grabbed an assist in a 1-1 draw with Brentford.

The Egyptian winger finished his nine years with the Reds with 257 goals.

The point sealed Champions League football for Liverpool next season.

Meanwhile, Arsenal had already clinched the title and closed their first championship-winning campaign since 2004 with a 2-1 win at Crystal Palace.

Sunderland became only the fifth side ⁠in ⁠Premier League history to qualify for Europe in their first season following promotion ⁠after beating Chelsea 2-1 on Sunday.

Sunderland will join Bournemouth, who drew 1-1 at Nottingham Forest, in the Europa League next season with Chelsea missing out on Europe entirely after finishing in 10th place – just 10 months after winning the Club World Cup.

The Conference League spot went to Brighton ⁠in eighth despite a 3-0 ⁠home defeat by Manchester United.

United, whose talisman Bruno Fernandes scored a goal and supplied a record-breaking 21st assist of ⁠the season, had Champions League qualification wrapped up, as did ⁠champions Arsenal, Manchester City and ⁠Aston Villa.

Crystal Palace can also qualify for next season’s Europa League if they beat ‌Rayo ‌Vallecano in the Conference League final in Leipzig on Wednesday.

In Sunday’s other games, relegated sides Burnley and Wolves played out a 1-1 draw, while Fulham beat Newcastle 2-0.

Haaland crowned Premier League’s top scorer

Erling Haaland won a third Premier League Golden Boot in four seasons at Manchester City on Sunday despite not featuring in Guardiola’s farewell at the Etihad after being left out of the squad.

Norwegian star Haaland scored 27 times in 35 league appearances as City fell just short in their quest to deny Arsenal the Premier League title.

Haaland joins Alan Shearer and Harry Kane as three-time winners and trails Salah and Thierry Henry as the only players to win the award four times in the Premier League era.

Brentford’s Igor Thiago finished second to Haaland on 22 goals, which propelled him into the Brazil squad for the World Cup.

Follow the build-up, analysis and live text commentary of the game as Spurs host Arsenal for a crucial North London derby.

Who: Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal

What: English Premier League

Where: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, UK

When: Sunday, February 22 at 4:30pm (16:30 GMT)

How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 13:30 GMT in advance of our live text commentary stream.

Arsenal will look to banish their untimely bout of title race anxiety as the wobbling Premier League leaders head to bitter rivals Tottenham for the north London derby.

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Mikel Arteta’s men are in danger of blowing a commanding position in the title race after successive draws against Brentford and Wolves left them with just two wins in their last seven league matches.

The Gunners squandered the lead in both matches, with Wednesday’s 2-2 draw at bottom-of-the-table Wolves especially galling as they conceded a stoppage-time equaliser having led 2-0.

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side will move two points behind Arsenal if they beat Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Tottenham’s new coach, Igor Tudor, faces a baptism of fire in his first game in charge of the club as he is tasked with steering Spurs out of a relegation battle.

Thomas Frank was sacked as Tottenham manager following the defeat to Newcastle earlier in February, as a dire domestic campaign has left Spurs in 16th place going into the weekend, just five points above the relegation zone.

Saka urges Arsenal to ‘get over the line’

On February 7, Arsenal players walked off the field after a convincing 3-0 home win against Sunderland with their lead in the Premier League at nine points. Then things started to go wrong.

Defiant Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka is adamant his side will eventually “get over the line” and end their trophy drought.

After allowing City to overhaul them in the 2023 and 2024 title races, the north Londoners, who have not won silverware since the 2020 FA Cup, face pointed questions about their ability to handle the mounting tension.

Saka said Arsenal must silence the doubters by getting back on track at archrivals Tottenham on Sunday.

“I believe the next few years are going to be the years that we get over the line, and we’re able to win trophies and make history for this club,” Saka said. “We’re back where we belong, fighting for everything.”

Arteta dismisses ‘bottlers’ talk

Arsenal’s boss rejected the term “bottlers’ ahead of Sunday’s Premier ⁠League visit ⁠to Tottenham Hotspur.

“It’s not part of my ‌vocabulary and I don’t see it like this because I don’t think anybody wants to do that as an intention,” Arteta told reporters on Friday, when asked about the term being used regarding their latest wobble in the title race.

“That’s individual opinion, perspective. You have to ⁠respect that. That’s what I said after ⁠in the press conference. You lose two points against Wolves in the manner that the game played out, you have to take it on the ⁠chin. It’s part of our role.”

“What I’m very interested in is the next one, ⁠what we are made of, what ⁠we love about this and how we write our own destiny from here.”

‘No time to find excuses’

Tottenham Hotspur’s new interim head coach Tudor says instilling the players with confidence is his most urgent task.

“First priority is to give everything the team needs in these moments. The team need, I believe, first of all, to get some confidence, to get some courage, but also, in same way, the concrete things in the pitch,” Tudor told Spursplay.

“Of course, I’m coming here knowing that situation is not easy. There is no time to find excuses. What I said from the first day here, each of us, need to give something more, something extra.”

He added: “The position of the club in this moment is one that nobody can accept. Every Tottenham fan cannot accept the situation. We are aware of that. But it’s not enough to just be aware of that.”

Tudor wants a team prepared to ‘suffer’

While Tudor is aware of the significance of a derby win over Arsenal, he is more concerned with building a strong team spirit to help fuel their survival bid.

“I understand the importance of this game. This is a derby, a north London derby,” he said.

“This is a team that is full of quality, full of talented players, with good motor engines. But my goal in these first training sessions is that we become a team, with a really right way of going to war.

“A team who want to suffer. To fight, to run, to have the right mentality. This is the start.”

Head-to-head

Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal have locked horns on 212 occasions; Arsenal won 90 of the games, while Spurs won 67, and 55 were draws.

Arsenal are now unbeaten against Spurs in their last seven games. Earlier this season, Eberechi Eze scored a hat-trick in November as the Gunners thrashed Tottenham 4-1 at the Emirates.

Arteta’s side also did the double over their bitter local rivals in 2024-25, winning 1-0 at Tottenham and earning a 2-1 victory at home.

Tottenham’s team news

Spurs were dealt a big blow when promising young winger Wilson Odobert ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament against Newcastle.

He joins a long injury list of players who will miss the derby, including James Maddison, Ben Davies, Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur, Mohammed Kudus, Destiny Udogie, Kevin Danso and Lucas Bergvall.

Cristian Romero will serve the second of his four-game suspension after the Spurs captain was sent off in the defeat to Man United earlier this month.

Brazilian forward Richarlison is back in training after a knock and could be available for selection, while Pedro Porro faces a late fitness test as he looks to return from injury.

Predicted starting XI:

Vicario (GK); Palhinha, Dragusin, Van de Ven; Gray, Gallagher, Sarr, Spence; Kolo Muani, Simons; Solanke

Arsenal’s team news

Versatile midfielder Mikel Merino has undergone surgery for a stress fracture in his right foot, an injury sustained in January, and could miss the rest of the season.

Leandro Trossard is a serious doubt for the derby after he went off injured in stoppage time against the Wolves.

But Arteya has said he hopes to have captain Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz available for selection after they were struggling with injuries, and youngster Max Dowman has returned to training after an ankle problem.

And while Saka also limped off against Wolves, he is expected to be declared fit for this match.

Predicted starting XI:

Raya (GK); Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli

Tottenham Hotspur have sacked manager Thomas Frank after eight ⁠months in charge, ⁠the Premier League club said on Wednesday, after a woeful run of results left the North London club hovering ⁠five points above the relegation zone.

Pressure on Frank had been mounting, and Tuesday’s 2-1 home defeat by Newcastle United left his ⁠team in 16th place with 29 points from 26 matches and looking over their shoulder at the relegation zone.

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“Thomas was appointed in June 2025, and we have been determined to give him the time and ‌support needed to build for the future together,” Spurs said in a statement.

“However, results and performances have led the Board to conclude that a change at this point in the season is necessary.”

Frank, who joined Brentford in 2018 and established them as a top-flight club after gaining promotion, has struggled to replicate those ⁠methods for last season’s Europa League winners, Tottenham.

The writing looked to be on the wall for the 52-year-old after Tuesday’s defeat by Newcastle United – their 11th of the league campaign.

Supporters left no doubt about their ⁠feelings with jeers ringing out around the club’s stadium and chants of “You’re getting sacked in the ⁠morning” directed at Frank.

It was Tottenham’s seventh ⁠league defeat at home in the Premier League this season and they have won only two of their 13 league games in front of their own fans.

Tottenham supporters ‌were also singing the name of former coach Mauricio Pochettino, who got them to the 2019 Champions League final, on Tuesday. The ‌Argentinian ‌is currently the manager of the United States men’s national team.

Manchester United profited from Tottenham captain Cristian Romero’s red card to stretch their perfect start under Michael Carrick to four games, with a 2-0 win at Old Trafford in the Premier League.

Goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes on Saturday ended an eight-game winless run against Spurs for the Red Devils, who cemented their position in the Premier League’s top four.

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United close to within two points of third-placed Aston Villa and open up a five-point cushion over Liverpool in sixth.

A place in the top five is likely to secure a spot in next season’s Champions League due to the strong performance of English sides in European competition.

Spurs’ hopes of qualifying for the Champions League through their league position have long since disappeared, as another damaging defeat for Thomas Frank leaves Tottenham in 14th.

But there could be lasting consequences for Romero after his ill-discipline cost his side just days after a social media outburst aimed at the club’s hierarchy.

Frank said the Argentinian international had been “dealt with internally” after he described Tottenham’s threadbare squad as “disgraceful” following the closure of the transfer window.

Romero’s future as skipper had already been called into question, and the 27-year-old will now be suspended for four matches after his second red card of the season and sixth of his Spurs career.

The centre-back lunged in to catch Casemiro on the ankle on 29 minutes after playing himself into trouble just outside the Tottenham box.

United had been the better side during the opening half hour, even against 11 men, and made their numerical advantage count.

Mbeumo stroked into the bottom corner for his third goal in four games since Carrick took charge, after a clever corner involving Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo freed the Cameroon international at the edge of the box.

Amad Diallo and Matheus Cunha had goals ruled out for offside as the home side dominated but had to wait until nine minutes from time to make the points safe.

Fernandes showed Romero how to lead from the front with another fine individual display.

The United captain prodded in Diogo Dalot’s cross at the back post for his 200th goal or assist in 314 games for the club.

Carrick said before the game that United cannot afford to rush their choice of a new permanent manager.

But the former midfielder, who enjoyed a stellar playing career at Old Trafford, is making his case for that job as he continues overseeing United’s stunning turnaround in fortunes since the departure of Ruben Amorim last month.

Fernandes had plenty of praise for Carrick in a post-match interview with TNT Sports.

“The energy ⁠is different because we are winning games and when you win games, everything is brighter,” Fernandes said.

“Michael came in with the right idea of giving the players more responsibility and freedom to make decisions on the pitch. I was always sure Michael could be a great manager, and he is showing that.”

Meanwhile, it is now two Premier League wins in 16 for Frank and his Spurs side.

“I think the first 30 minutes were a good away performance,” Frank told TNT Sports after the game.

“I’m very proud of the players, the resilience, staying in the game, mentality [to] still be a threat at times, to try to create something. Very proud of them.”

Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario told TNT Sports that Romero had apologised to his teammates for the sending off.

“Yeah, of course, he’s disappointed, because he knows that this card could have been avoidable, and so he apologised,” he said.

“He made his mistake, but we know the player he is, and he’ll be back for sure, stronger, and he’s going to help us massively.”

Follow the build-up, analysis and live text commentary of the game as Man United host Spurs at Old Trafford.

Who: Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur

What: English Premier League

Where: Old Trafford, Manchester, UK

When: Saturday at 12:30pm (12:30 GMT)

How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 10:00 GMT in advance of our live text commentary stream.

A rejuvenated Manchester United will look to extend interim coach Michael Carrick’s perfect start and make it four wins out of four against a troubled and injury-ravaged Spurs side.

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Carrick’s United followed up statement wins over Manchester City and league leaders Arsenal with a battling 3-2 victory over Fulham on Sunday, leaving the Red Devils in fourth place in the table with 41 points.

While Spurs are languishing in 14th place on 29 points and are without a win in six Premier League games, they are also unbeaten in their last four games, including an impressive comeback from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Manchester City on Sunday.

And while Tottenham’s dire home form has hobbled their season, five of their seven league victories this season have come on the road, with only Arsenal and Aston Villa winning more away points than Spurs so far.

Tottenham have also recently become a bit of a bogey team for United, who have not beaten Spurs in their last eight encounters.

Carrick stresses importance of Munich air disaster to United’s history

United’s players must “understand the history” of the Munich air disaster, Carrick says, as the club prepare to mark the 68th anniversary of the tragedy.

The United team were on their way back from a European Cup draw with Red Star Belgrade on February 6, 1958, when their plane crashed in Munich, after a stop to refuel, causing 23 deaths, including 11 players and staff of the English giants.

Carrick made the comments at Thursday’s pre-match news conference ahead of the clash against Tottenham, moved forward a day so as not to coincide with Friday’s service at Old Trafford to mark the disaster.

“Munich is probably the biggest part of the history of this club in terms of the tragedy itself, how the team and the football club bounced back from it and then went on to success, and everything from there was carried on,” said Carrick, who has served United as a player, coach and manager.

Tottenham ‘certainly bring a challenge’

Looking ahead to Saturday’s game, Carrick said Spurs would pose a tough test for his side.

“They’ve got really good attackers who look to stretch the backline and play forward and attack the box an awful lot. It’s something we’ve got to be aware of,” he said.

“A slightly different game to maybe what we have played over recent weeks in some ways, but we’re looking forward to it. We’re in a good place, the boys have worked well again this week.”

He added that while “the three wins have been fantastic in different ways” United need to keep their “feet on the ground, let’s not get carried away with what has gone on.

“It’s about what’s next. A big challenge ahead but we’re looking forward to it.”

Spurs boss says Romero outburst ‘dealt with internally’

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank said Cristian Romero’s outspoken social media comments about the club’s transfer policy had been “dealt with internally” as he refused to confirm whether the Spurs skipper had been disciplined.

Romero made headlines on Monday when he revealed on Instagram that he played with an illness in Sunday’s 2-2 draw against City and called it “disgraceful” that the squad were left with only 11 fit players.

It was a view which resonated with many Tottenham fans, given the north London club’s lack of transfer activity since the signing of Conor Gallagher on January 14, especially as Spurs have lost nine players to injuries since the start of 2026.

But Frank, speaking ahead of Saturday’s trip to United, said: “If you want to know what he meant, you of course need to ask him.”

Frank added: “[Romero] is a very passionate character and player. He wants to leave everything on the pitch and he is very ambitious and wants to win every time.

“Sometimes when you are like that, sometimes there can be an outburst, which happened this time. It is something we have dealt with and dealt with internally.”

‘We are getting closer and closer’

Tottenham’s poor season has put Frank’s position in peril, but the Spurs boss said he saw signs of improvement in recent games and pleaded for patience.

“I think there has been, I said it for a while, I think the performances are more competitive and consistent. Are they perfect? No, but we are getting closer and closer,” he said.

He acknowledged that while some recent second-half performances were encouraging, ” I think we can also add up more in the first half. [But] I think we are in a place where we can look forward.”

Head-to-head

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have faced each other 206 times, with United winning 96 of those encounters, Spurs winning 58, and 52 ending as draws.

Spurs are unbeaten in their last eight games with United, winning five and drawing three – with the most consequential win being the 1-0 Europa League final victory in May.

United’s team news

Patrick Dorgu remains out with a hamstring injury he picked up after scoring in the 3-2 win at Arsenal, while Carrick said Matthijs de Ligt and Mason Mount are nearing a return to action but will miss the Tottenham game.

Predicted lineup:

Lammens (GK); Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Diallo, Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo

Tottenham’s team news

Frank has to contend with a lengthy injury list, as Kevin Danso, Richarlison, Pedro Porro, Lucas Bergvall, Rodrigo Bentancur, Mohammed Kudus, Ben Davies, Dejan Kulusevski, and James Maddison are all ruled out.

Dominic Solanke starred with two goals against City last weekend after returning from a lengthy injury layoff, however, he is again a worry for Spurs after he limped off in the second half of Sunday’s game.

Defender Micky van de Ven has returned to training and is available for selection. Romero and Djed Spence are also both expected to be declared fit to play after recovering from illness and a calf problem.

Predicted lineup:

Vicario (GK); Spence, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bissouma, Gallagher; Odobert, Simons, Kolo Muani; Solanke

Follow our live build-up, with full team news coverage, before our text commentary stream of the EPL clash in London.

Who: Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool

What: English Premier League

Where: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, United Kingdom

When: Saturday December 20, at 5:30pm (17:30 GMT)

How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 17:00 GMT in advance of our text commentary stream. Click here to follow our live coverage.

Defending champions Liverpool will seek back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time since September when they visit Tottenham on Saturday, but the Reds’ woes are far from a distant memory.

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The pressure building on manager Arne Slot, who last year won the title in his first season in charge, was mounting after a run of nine defeats in 12.

The public fallout between the Anfield club and their star forward, Mohamed Salah, has overshadowed the Slot situation – but it has not gone away. Spurs similarly had a sticky run of six defeats in 10 games during October and November and it has hardly improved since.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at a game that sees both managers concerned for their immediate futures.

What is the latest on Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool future?

Salah has now departed for Egypt duty at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, but it has not changed his situation at Anfield.

Ever since the 33-year-old claimed he had been “thrown under the bus” by the Reds for their woeful season – after he was dropped to the bench for three consecutive games – rumours had been rife that his time on Merseyside was coming to an end.

The Saudi Pro League have made no secret of their desire to make a move for Salah, who was dropped from Liverpool’s squad for their Champions League match in Milan following his outburst.

The forward did return to the bench for the visit of Brighton in the Premier League last week but his time away at AFCON is likely to be surrounded by speculation that the January transfer window will see a switch to Saudi Arabia.

What happened in Tottenham’s last game?

Tottenham were soundly beaten 3-0 at Nottingham Forest last Sunday, in a game that saw rumours of Thomas Frank’s demise as Spurs manager increase.

Callum Hudson-Odoi scored the first two goals for the home side before Ibrahim Sangare ended any hopes of a Spurs comeback in the 79th minute.

What happened in Liverpool’s last game?

Liverpool put aside the Salah saga and the speculation about Slot’s future with a 2-0 win against Brighton at Anfield last Saturday.

Hugo Ekitike scored both goals, the opener in the first minute of the match, while Salah was an early first-half substitute and assisted for the second from a corner kick.

Whether that was Salah’s last game as a Red remains to be seen.

How have Tottenham fared in the Premier League this season?

Tottenham began their Premier League campaign, Frank’s first in charge, with a run of only one defeat in their opening seven games. The North Londoners have since lost five of their last nine in the league.

The run of six defeats in 10, in all competitions, has been followed by two wins, and the defeat by Forest, in their last four in all competitions. It is just one win in seven, however, in the league – a run that has seen Spurs slip into the bottom half of the table.

How have Liverpool fared in the Premier League this season?

Liverpool won their opening seven games of the season in all competitions, excluding the preseason Community Shield defeat on penalties against Crystal Palace.

Four straight defeats followed, which began the run of nine defeats in 12. In Premier League terms, the Reds have only won three of 11 games – losing six. On the back of winning their first five league games of the season, the Anfield club have been able to hold onto a top-half position in the league, and they start the latest round of matches in seventh position – 10 points of leaders Arsenal, who travel to Everton Saturday evening.

How much pressure is on Tottenham manager Thomas Frank?

Tottenham lifted the UEFA Europa League last season, but that was not enough to stop Ange Postecoglou from being axed at the end of the campaign. The recent run of matches has resulted in huge pressure being placed on Frank.

The biggest rumour to mount has been that former Spain and Barcelona midfielder, Xavi, is being lined up to replace Frank.

Spurs have been renowned for being a sacking club, with Frank being the fifth permanent manager since Mauricio Pochettino was sacked in 2019.

Should Frank be shown the door, his would not be the shortest tenure of a Spurs manager in recent times – Nuno Espirito Santo lasted only four months and two days during his 2021 stint in charge.

What happened the last time Tottenham played Liverpool?

Liverpool thumped Tottenham 5-1 in the Premier League at Anfield in April when the sides last met.

Dominic Solanke gave Spurs a 12th-minute lead before Luis Diaz, Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo responded for the Reds by the break.

Mohamed Salah and a Destiny Udogie own goal completed the rout in the second period.

What happened in the corresponding fixture between Tottenham and Liverpool last year?

It was a Premier League double for Liverpool last season as they won the first meeting of the last campaign with a nine-goal thriller at Tottenham on December 22.

The 6-3 win for the Reds saw Diaz and Salah both hit braces in a game where the away side led 3-1 at the break, and 5-1 by the 61st minute.

When did Tottenham last beat Liverpool?

Tottenham did actually manage to beat Liverpool last season in the first leg of their League Cup semifinal. The 1-0 home win wasn’t enough for Spurs, however, as the Reds had the last laugh, winning 4-0 in the return fixture at Anfield.

Lucas Bergvall scored the only goal in London, while the aggregate score was level at the break in the second leg after Gakpo’s first-half strike. Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and Virgil van Dijk settled matters in the second period.

When did Tottenham last beat Liverpool in the Premier League?

Tottenham’s last league win against Liverpool came in September 2023, courtesy of a 2-1 home.

Curtis Jones saw red in the 26nd minute with Son Hueng-min netting Spurs’ first 10 minutes later.

Gakpo levelled for the Reds on the stroke of half-time but the second half went from bad to worse as Diogo Jota was given his marching orders in 69th minute before Joel Matip put through his own net in the final minute of the game.

Head-to-head

This is the 186th meeting between the sides, with Liverpool winning 90 times and Tottenham emerging victorious on 50 occasions.

The first match was in November 1909 on the old Division One (now the Premier League) with Spurs winning 1-0 in London. Liverpool won the return match that season 2-0 in March 1910.

Tottenham team news

James Maddison, Destiny Udogie, Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski are all injured, while Kota Takai and Radu Dragusin are still deemed short of match fitness as they make their returns from knocks.

Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr are both at the Africa Cup of Nations, meaning Frank is set to be without eight players for Liverpool’s visit.

Liverpool team news

Salah is the number one absentee for Liverpool, although the Egyptian did start the last four league games on the bench.

Cody Gakpo, Giovanni Leoni and Wataru Endo are all injured while Conor Bradley is suspended.

Dominik Szoboszlai and Joe Gomez both picked up knocks in the Brighton game and are a doubt, but Jeremie Frimpong is close to a return following a hamstring injury.

Predicted Tottenham starting lineup

Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Palhinha, Bergvall; Kudus, Simons, Kolo Muani; Richarlison

Predicted Liverpool starting lineup

Alisson; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Chiesa, Jones, Wirtz; Ekitike

Arsenal midfielder Eberechi Eze showed Tottenham what they missed out on with a brilliant hat-trick in a 4-1 north London derby demolition that bolstered the Premier League leaders’ title charge.

Mikel Arteta’s side were too strong for timid Tottenham on Sunday as Leandro Trossard and Eze netted in the first half at the Emirates Stadium.

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Eze, who spurned Tottenham’s advances to join Arsenal in the close season, struck again in the second half.

Richarlison’s incredible long-range goal reduced the deficit, but it was no consolation as Eze completed his superb treble to fire the Gunners six points clear at the top.

It was only the fourth north London derby hat-trick after Ted Drake, Terry Dyson and Alan Sunderland, the latter being the most recent in 1978.

Arsenal’s 10-match winning streak was ended by Sunderland’s late equaliser in a 2-2 draw before the international break.

But Eze’s best performance since his 60-million-pound ($78m) move from Crystal Palace erased that bitter taste as Tottenham were put to the sword at the Emirates yet again.

The Gunners – unbeaten in the last seven north London derbies – have lost just once in 33 home meetings with their bitter rivals from the other end of the Seven Sisters Road.

Arsenal’s biggest win over Tottenham since 2012 was the perfect start to a crucial period featuring a visit from Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday before a trip to second-placed Chelsea next weekend.

Arsenal’s unbeaten run in all competitions has reached 15 games, ensuring they took advantage of Manchester City’s 2-1 defeat at Newcastle on Saturday.

With City spluttering and champions Liverpool in turmoil, Arsenal have a golden opportunity to end their wait for a first English title since 2004.

Tottenham arrived with the Premier League’s best away record, but the limp end of their five-game unbeaten run on the road raised fresh questions about boss Thomas Frank’s negative philosophy.

The absence of injured Arsenal centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes had been highlighted as a potential weakness for Tottenham to exploit.

Yet Tottenham rarely got close enough to the Arsenal penalty area to test that theory.

Mikel Merino was again deployed as Arsenal’s makeshift striker in the absence of the injured Viktor Gyokeres, but the Spain midfielder dropped deep into more familiar terrain to set up Trossard’s goal in the 36th minute.

Caressing a sublime pass over the Tottenham rearguard, Merino picked out Trossard, who was played onside by the dozing Kevin Danso.

Trossard smartly twisted and turned to find space for a shot that deflected past Guglielmo Vicario from 10 yards.

If Tottenham had their way in the summer, Eze would be turning out for them, but Arsenal hijacked the deal with Palace to sign the England star at the 11th hour.

Frank had joked, “Who’s Eze?” when asked this week about the failed move.

Eze had the perfect riposte in the 41st minute as he took Declan Rice’s pass in stride and weaved through to drill a fine low finish past Vicario.

Frank sent on Xavi Simons for Danso at the interval, but the introduction of the forward Tottenham signed instead of Eze made no difference.

Eze struck again just 35 seconds after half-time, punishing Tottenham’s flat-footed defence with a predatory finish from just inside the area.

Richarlison briefly silenced the crowing Arsenal fans when he lobbed David Raya with a sensational effort from 35 yards in the 55th minute.

But that was Tottenham’s first shot of the game, and Eze, picked out by Trossard’s pass, put a fitting seal on his masterclass with a blistering strike from 12 yards in the 76th minute.

Eze told Sky Sports after the game that he had prayed for a hat-trick.

“I am grateful for this. I have worked hard for this. That was the prayer today, for a hat-trick,” he said.

“All my family is here. It makes it even more special.”

Tottenham’s goalkeeper Vicario apologised to the Spurs fans and said his side did not show enough fight.

“We need to fight every day, and fight every duel. In that aspect, we didn’t play our game,” he told Sky Sports. “You can speak about tactics and build-up, but if you don’t put in a performance as a collective …

“Today, we didn’t show it.”