The Stats That Highlight Liverpool’s Dominance Over a Struggling Tottenham Team

It was all but certain that Liverpool would clinch the Premier League title this season; it was merely a matter of timing.

Fortunately for everyone involved, they secured it at Anfield, delighting the home fans with a stunning 5-1 victory against Tottenham.

This resulted in euphoric scenes at the club’s legendary ground, an occasion previously dampened in 2020 when Liverpool won their first English top-flight title in three decades amidst the onset of COVID-19.

Just as noteworthy as Liverpool’s convincing path to the title is the fact that this victory marks their 20th championship, putting them level with their old rivals, Manchester United.

This accomplishment also means that Arne Slot has joined an elite group of only five managers who have won the Premier League in their debut season, alongside the likes of Jose Mourinho (2004/05 with Chelsea), Carlo Ancelotti (2009/10 with Chelsea), Manuel Pellegrini (2013/14 with Manchester City), and Antonio Conte (2016/17 with Chelsea).

Virgil van Dijk became the 12th different captain to lead Liverpool to the title, and notably, he is the first non-British player to achieve this feat. Meanwhile, only Harry Kane (213 goals for Spurs) and Sergio Aguero (184 for Manchester City) have netted more Premier League goals for a single club than Mohamed Salah, who sits at 183 for Liverpool, equalling Wayne Rooney’s tally for Manchester United.

Change on the horizon for Tottenham?

On this occasion, Tottenham proved to be willing opponents, which may give chairman Daniel Levy pause for thought regarding another managerial shake-up this summer.

Their 19th defeat of the season equals their joint-most losses in a Premier League campaign, alongside the 1993/94 and 2003/04 seasons, while the 5-1 defeat marks the joint-heaviest loss suffered under Ange Postecoglou, ensuring they will finish in the bottom half for the first time since the 2007/08 season.

Sunday’s match marked the third time this season that Spurs took a 1-0 lead yet found themselves trailing at half-time, a record they hold in the Premier League for the 2024/25 season. Moreover, embarrassingly for the north London side, Liverpool’s tally of 15 goals against them in all competitions this season equals their highest in a single campaign against an opponent (the same figure against Rotherham Town back in 1895/96).

Things could have unfolded differently when Dominic Solanke scored, as he became one of only two players to find the net at home and away against Liverpool this season, alongside Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz, momentarily quieting the home crowd.

However, the visitors seemed to withdraw immediately after taking the lead, as if trying to protect their advantage, which ultimately invited sustained pressure from the hosts, bolstered by an eager crowd.

It only took 12 minutes and 24 seconds for the tide to turn, with Tottenham’s lead evaporating as Alexis Mac Allister struck to put Liverpool ahead 2-1.

A Simple Day for Liverpool

Considering that the Reds had only suffered two defeats all season and were riding a 15-match unbeaten streak at home against Tottenham (with 11 wins and four draws), winning the last three encounters with four goals each time, it was always going to be a tall order for Postecoglou’s squad to achieve anything from this match. Their own shortcomings compounded the challenge.

Historically, Tottenham sides have been recognised for their composure and ball retention, but in this match, only four players achieved over 80% pass completion.

Solanke’s figure of 28.6% is astonishing for this level, while Djed Spence’s 59.3% and Mathys Tel’s 66.7% further illustrate the team’s struggles.

It is also noteworthy how many long balls Tottenham opted for instead of playing through the lines. Out of 37 entries into Liverpool’s final third, 25 originated from defence, including four from goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

This self-imposed limitation meant that Slot’s side hardly needed to push themselves during the match.

Reds Showcase Success Without Excess Spend

Despite managing only six successful dribbles throughout the game—three by Ryan Gravenberch—and having slightly more possession won stats (45% to 41%), the home side demonstrated that they were more than capable without needing to exert full force to secure the result.

Another telling aspect was Tottenham’s alarming inability to defend effectively.

Neither Ben Davies, who registered the most touches for the visitors by half-time, nor Kevin Danso managed to make a single tackle in the entire match. Even if viewed as a meaningless end-of-season fixture, a sense of professional pride should have inspired at least some level of effort.

Furthermore, Lillywhite fans trekked for hours, spending their hard-earned money to watch the match, only to see two of their four defenders seemingly unwilling to put in any effort—an inexcusable display.

With 25 attempts from Liverpool compared to Spurs’ eight, 61.5% possession for the Reds, and an impressive 86% pass completion rate paint a dominant picture of a day that will remain etched in the memories of those fortunate enough to witness it.

As a side note, Liverpool’s ownership and management have once again proven that you don’t need to splurge astronomical amounts in the transfer market to build a successful team.

This offers a valuable lesson for everyone in the football world.