The fact that Liverpool would win the Premier League title this season was a foregone conclusion; the only question was when. Thankfully for all concerned, it came at Anfield, and the home crowd were treated to a brilliant 5-1 win over Tottenham into the bargain.
That sparked some incredible scenes at the famous old stadium that were denied the Reds when winning their first English top-flight title for 30 years back in 2020, as COVID took hold.
The fact that this is Liverpool's 20th championship overall, bringing them level with rivals Manchester United, is perhaps as significant as the manner in which they won it. It also meant that Arne Slot joined a select club of just five managers to win the Premier League in their first season, with Jose Mourinho (2004/05 with Chelsea), Carlo Ancelotti (2009/10 with Chelsea), Manuel Pellegrini (2013/14 with Man City) and Antonio Conte (2016/17 with Chelsea) the others.
Virgil van Dijk becomes the 12th different player to captain Liverpool to the title and the first non-British player to do so whilst only Harry Kane (213 for Spurs) and Sergio Aguero (184 for Manchester City) have scored more goals for a single Premier League club than Mohamed Salah has for Liverpool (183 - level with Wayne Rooney for Manchester United).
Change afoot in the Tottenham dugout?
On the day, Tottenham were the most accommodating of opponents, and it could leave Daniel Levy wondering if another change in the dugout is needed over the summer.
A 19th loss of the season is Spurs' joint-most in a Premier League campaign (along with the 1993/94 and 2003/04 seasons), whilst the 5-1 scoreline was the joint-heaviest they've suffered in the league under Ange Postecoglou and guarantees that they will finish a top-flight season in the bottom half for the first time since 2007/08.
Sunday's game was the third time Spurs have gone 1-0 ahead but trailed at half-time in the Premier League in 2024/25, more often than any other side, and perhaps even more embarrassingly for the north Londoners, the result meant that Liverpool have scored 15 goals against them in all competitions this season - their joint-most ever in a single campaign against an opponent (also 15 vs Rotherham Town way back in 1895/96).
It could've been so different when Dominic Solanke put them ahead (one of two players to score home and away against Liverpool in the Premier League this season alongside Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz), silencing the home crowd in the process.
However, after scoring, the opponents appeared to retreat almost immediately, as if to maintain their lead. This brought the hosts onto the field, and the eager crowd added to the tension and atmosphere. In point of fact, it only took Tottenham 11:08 to take the lead before Alexis Mac Allister gave Liverpool a 2-1 lead (23:32). All too easy for Liverpool
Given that the Reds had only lost twice all season and the fact that they were unbeaten in their last 15 home games against Tottenham in all competitions (W11 D4) - winning the last three while scoring four goals each time - it was always going to be a tall order for Postecoglou's side to get anything from the game in any event, but they certainly didn't help themselves.
Tottenham sides of the past have been renowned for the way in which they keep control of the ball and knock it around with ease.
Against Liverpool, only four players made it over an 80% threshold for pass completion.
Solanke's 28.6% stat is scarcely believable at this level, though 59.3% from Djed Spence and 66.7% from Mathys Tel also speaks volumes.
The visitors' tendency to play long balls rather than build play up to feet is also interesting. Tottenham had 37 final third entries, but 25 of these were from defence including four from their goalkeeper, Guglielmo Vicario.
Arne Slot's side didn't even need to shift into second gear as a result, which came as no surprise. Dominant Reds demonstrate that success does not require massive expenditures. For example, despite only having six successful dribbles in the game - three of which were via Ryan Gravenberch - and just shading possession won stats (45 to 41), there was still an element of the hosts not needing to go hell for leather to earn the win.
Another telling statistic on the day is the inability of the away side to defend with any sort of purpose.
Neither Ben Davies (who had the most touches for the visitors by half-time) or Kevin Danso made a tackle in the entire game and even if one takes the view that it's an end of season match with nothing to play for, there's still professional pride at stake.
Moreover, fans of the Lilywhites will have travelled for hours and spent their hard-earned money to be at the match. To then have two of their four defenders not making any attempt to get their hands dirty so to speak is unforgivable.
Twenty-five shots from Liverpool to Spurs' eight, 61.5% possession for the Reds and and an 86% pass completion rate all help to tell the story on a day that will live long in the memory of those lucky enough to attend the match.
As a side note, Liverpool's owners and management team have shown once again that you don't have to spend ridiculous amounts of money in the transfer market to craft a winning team.
Moreover, fans of the Lilywhites will have travelled for hours and spent their hard-earned money to be at the match. It is unforgivable that two of their four defenders did not even attempt to "get their hands dirty," as it were. Twenty-five shots from Liverpool to Spurs' eight, 61.5% possession for the Reds and and an 86% pass completion rate all help to tell the story on a day that will live long in the memory of those lucky enough to attend the match.
Side note: Liverpool's owners and management have demonstrated once more that winning teams don't need to spend a lot of money in the transfer market.
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