LIVERPOOL — Liverpool demolished Tottenham 5-1 to clinch the Premier League title at an impassioned Anfield on Sunday, sealing a record-equalling 20th English top-flight crown.
Arne Slot’s men stormed back after conceding a surprise early goal to dominate the match, feeding off the crackling energy from the 60,000-plus crowd.
Liverpool, who can no longer be caught by second-placed Arsenal, are now level with bitter rivals Manchester United as the joint-most successful club in English top-flight history.
It is just their second title of the Premier League era and the first they have celebrated in front of fans since 1990 — their 2020 triumph came at a near-empty stadium due to Covid restrictions.
Slot, who is in his first season in English football, said he had built on solid foundations left by Jurgen Klopp, who departed last year after a successful nine-year reign.
“Almost the whole season we were on the top of the league and had a team that could win it,” he told Sky Sports.
“We know how tough the Premier League is, but we always had the belief we could win it.
“The work Jurgen [Klopp] and [assistant] Pep [Lijnders] left, the culture, work-rate, quality, was outstanding. We started [the season] really well and maybe it helped that [Manchester] City had a difficult spell that they have not had in five years.
“When the season started we would have been happy with top four. But I don’t think that is fair on the players as they are much better than that and they have shown it this season.”
Slot’s men started on the front foot at an expectant Anfield after a stirring rendition of club anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone” in the warm spring sunshine, but they were rocked by an early goal from Tottenham’s Dominic Solanke.
However, Liverpool barely blinked and roared back with a Luis Diaz tap-in and a screamer from Alexis Mac Allister.
Now the party was well and truly started and Cody Gakpo made it 3-1, slamming a shot into the bottom corner after a much-changed Spurs team failed to clear.
The Liverpool fans ran through their full repertoire of songs as their team pushed for a fourth goal in the second half.
Salah selfie
Top-scorer Mohamed Salah scored the goal the crowd craved, collecting Dominik Szoboszlai’s pass before cutting in and blasting his shot into the bottom corner.
He celebrated by grabbing a fan’s phone before taking a selfie in front of the Kop.
Deafening cheers of “We’re going to win the league” and “We shall not be moved” rang out.
Liverpool had a fifth when Spurs defender Destiny Udogie poked the ball past his own goalkeeper from close range with 21 minutes to go.
As the game went into added time the club’s anthem rang out again as scarves were held aloft and the final whistle elicited a thunderous roar.
The win leaves Liverpool on 82 points, 15 clear of nearest challengers Arsenal with just four games remaining.
Tottenham are a miserable 16th in the Premier League table after their 19th defeat of the season, putting manager Ange Postecoglou under enormous pressure.
Tens of thousands of fans swarmed around Anfield in the build-up to kick-off in anticipation of Liverpool’s coronation, setting off flares as the home team bus arrived.
Flags and scarves saying “Liverpool 20-time Champions” were on sale from stalls outside the ground.
At the start of the campaign, Pep Guardiola’s City were favourites to extend their dynastic Premier League reign and make it five titles in a row but their form collapsed.
Arsenal emerged as Liverpool’s closest challengers but they drew too many games, failing to take advantage of the rare slip-ups from Slot’s team.
It was feared the club’s players would need time to adapt to the methods of Slot but the former Feyenoord boss has sailed serenely through the season despite relentless speculation over the futures of three of his biggest stars — Salah, captain Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Both Salah and Van Dijk have now signed two-year extensions, though England defender Alexander-Arnold is believed likely to be on the verge of a move to Real Madrid.
“A lot of emotions before the game, during the whole week, but we got the job done and we are truly deserved champions of England,” said Van Dijk.
“The most beautiful club in the world and I think we deserve all of this.”
