Liverpool’s procession towards a 20th league title sparked an eruption 35 years in the making. Anfield exploded with emotion, passion and noise as its long wait to celebrate a Premier League triumph in unison ended in a style befitting Arne Slot’s new champions. Tottenham were dismantled, just as the rest of the top flight has been in Slot’s superb debut season, as Liverpool took the crown with a flourish.
Even Slot, the calmest man in the house, indulged in a spot of dad‑dancing, sang Jürgen Klopp’s name and led a moving rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone after Liverpool’s record-equalling title. Alisson fell to the ground in prayer. He and his team-mates have answered Anfield’s. A five-star performance – with goals from Luis Díaz, the brilliant Alexis Mac Allister, Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah, the man of the season, who took a selfie with the Kop – sealed the title with four games to spare.
The celebrations started long before the coronation. Denied a mass communal party by the Covid pandemic in 2020, Liverpool fans were determined to make up for lost time. Not since April 28th, 1990 had they and their team savoured a championship triumph together. This opportunity would not be missed.
Thousands lined Anfield Road to greet the team coach before kick‑off, many with “Champions 20” printed on the back of their replica shirts. The air around Anfield was filled with an overwhelming smell of sulphur from flares that added to the sense of expectation. Someone did not get the memo and let off a blue one.
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Tottenham’s coach was diverted away from the crowds and dropped the squad off behind the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand, requiring Ange Postecoglou and his players to walk around the pitch to their changing room. The Courteeners’ song Not Nineteen Forever blared from the PA system as Liverpool warmed up. Such was the expectation that even the principal owner, John W Henry, made an appearance from Boston.
The possibility of Spurs spoiling the fun had not been given a second thought. It was seemingly a matter of how Liverpool would win the league, not if, and so Anfield was briefly stunned into silence when Dominic Solanke headed the visitors in front. The former Liverpool striker towered above Ryan Gravenberch to convert a James Maddison corner. Spurs had started brightly but are not a team to ruin a script.
Postecoglou had complained about the negative narrative that surrounds Spurs in his pre-match press conference. It was a bit rich given how often his team have fed that narrative this season, and they duly succumbed to an 11th away defeat of a dreadful Premier League campaign.
Their subsequent performance suggested Solanke’s surprise opening goal, and defying expectations briefly, was enough. There was a gulf in hunger and desire between the new champions and the visitors. Each one of Liverpool’s three first‑half goals resulted in Spurs’ players arguing among themselves over their weak defending.
Liverpool levelled four minutes later when Salah released Dominik Szoboszlai behind Archie Gray with a superbly weighted pass. The midfielder squared for Díaz to slide home but his celebrations were curtailed by an offside flag against Szoboszlai. The video assistant referee confirmed the Hungary captain had timed his run to perfection, however, and Liverpool players swarmed over Díaz when the equaliser was given.
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A draw was enough for Slot’s side to seal the deal but they naturally wanted more, as the outstanding Mac Allister demonstrated throughout. The World Cup winner fired Liverpool ahead from 20 yards after Destiny Udogie played a dangerous pass across his own area towards Gray, who was beaten to the ball by the more determined Gravenberch. Mac Allister gave the Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario no chance with an emphatic drive into the roof of the net. No doubts now. This would be the day.
Comfort came in the form of a third goal from Gakpo. Lucas Bergvall failed to deal with a Mac Allister corner to the near post and steered his headed clearance straight to the Netherlands international. Gakpo collected, stepped easily away from Brennan Johnson and Solanke, and swept a shot into Vicario’s bottom right hand corner.
Liverpool performed with a freedom and style their superiority allowed. The players were as determined to enjoy themselves as the fans. All that was missing from a perfect afternoon for Liverpool was a goal for Salah, the remarkable driving force behind the 20th title.
It arrived at the end of a move that underlined why Slot’s team have been a class apart. The immovable force that was Mac Allister halted Bergvall on the edge of the Liverpool area and released Szoboszlai, who swept half the length of the pitch before finding Salah in space on the right. Liverpool’s leading marksman cut inside Udogie and sent an unerring finish into the bottom corner. Salah celebrated his 28th league goal by accepting a fan’s offer of their mobile phone to take a selfie in front of the Kop.
It was soon five when the hapless Udogie, attempting to stop Salah reaching Trent Alexander-Arnold’s flick across the Spurs goal, bundled the ball into his own net. That was the cue for a resounding version of “Champions” to reverberate from the Kop and Anfield to experience ecstasy. – Guardian
