Díaz and Salah double up as leaders Liverpool run away at Tottenham | first division

Well done guys, good process. Liverpool extended their lead at the top of the table. first division to four points, having played one game less than second-placed Chelsea, in the latest illustration of their relentless attack and attack under Arne Slot.

It was an occasion when Tottenham, playing in their own way, in the Ange Postecoglou way, without compromise, were destroyed. They conceded six, but they could and should have been double figures. Again and again, Liverpool cut and a notable detail at the end of a wild occasion was the stunning nature of some of his misses.

In the corresponding match last season, Luis Díaz had a goal incorrectly disallowed in the 34th minute 0-0 for offside even though it was clearly on. It was a monumental error between the referees and the VAR team in a match that Spurs would win 2-1. Here Díaz had his revenge, scored two and went crazy. She wasn't the only star dressed in red. Mohamed Salah scored two goals and at times seemed to have freedom on the field. Liverpool's other goalscorers were Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.

Spurs were witnessing a historic thrashing when Salah scored his second goal to make it 5-1 just after the hour mark and they might say they kept fighting. They were able to keep the margin of defeat relatively tight in the context of the enormous gulf that was on display between the teams. James Maddison had scored 2-1 in the first half. Dejan Kulusevski, who never stopped, and Dominik Solanke made it 5-3 again before Díaz's last second. Don't be fooled. This was humbling for Postecoglou.

Slot, who could have left for Spurs from Feyenoord in May 2023 only for the clubs to fail to agree on a compensation package, had been so effusive about Postecoglou and his approach on Friday that people were wondering why . One interpretation: keep attacking, please, and leave those big spaces behind.

Liverpool's dominance was almost total. His press was suffocating. Every time a Spurs player had the ball, which wasn't very often, he invariably felt the heat. Slot ranked Diaz at No. 9 in part because of his relentless energy and the tone he sets when in possession.

It was also about what Liverpool did with the ball. They repeatedly threatened to open up Spurs, to get in on the sides with overlaps. Or through more central areas of the transition. Basically, from any angle.

Díaz's header for the breakthrough was a beauty; He was coiled like a spring, almost sideways, and the power and precision of the throw were too much for Fraser Forster. Trent Alexander-Arnold's cruel delivery wasn't bad either. It was far from his only wonderful pass. After what happened last season, Díaz was forgiven for sneaking a glance at the assistant referee. He was on his side. Then again….

Liverpool could have scored a couple of goals by then. Salah had several chances, seeing Djed Spence get in the way once and then again on one of them, hitting the crossbar with another after some fascinating footwork. There was also a moment early on where Forster threw a pass straight to Salah, who took a deflection.

The second goal coincided with everything before, Liverpool with men up the left. It was Andy Robertson who hung up the cross and Szoboszlai had a respite when he came up with Archie Gray and Spence, the ball being kindly passed to Mac Allister. He stood up to nod home.

It was a surprise when the Spurs closed the gap. Kulusevski won possession high above Mac Allister (Liverpool's cries for a foul were in vain) and Maddison curled in from the edge of the area. The resumption of natural order was no surprise, Spurs were so open after Szoboszlai won a header from Alexander-Arnold's ball. He kept running. Salah played the pass. Szoboszlai was never going to fail.

Postecoglou did not change his starting XI in the Carabao Cup victory over Manchester United on Thursday despite the availability of Destiny Udogie; Spence continued at left back, a huge vote of confidence for him.

Slot, by contrast, had rotated cleverly on Wednesday in the Carabao Cup in Southampton, leaving seven key men on Merseyside and winning. He called six of them into the starting eleven; Curtis Jones was the exception. Liverpool seemed more agile and fresh. In Postecoglou's defense, he was still without eight players.

The match had been framed to some extent by a protest against Spurs chairman Daniel Levy on the High Road in the countdown to kick-off; a couple of hundred fans put up some banners and chanted aggressive slogans. On the pitch, the Spurs support was looking through their fingers.

The Spurs stood tall, cautious in the face of the icy wind. Liverpool just ran through them. It was easy to fear for Postecoglou's team when Salah made it fourth after good work from Cody Gakpo. Salah's second shed more light on Spurs' recklessness. Why did Radu Dragusin get so close to Díaz? Liverpool moved quickly from behind and Szoboszlai made the decisive pass.

Moments earlier, Szoboszlai had run unopposed from halfway following a long ball from goalkeeper Alisson. It was too easy. Szoboszlai wasted that opening. Just like Diaz when he was clean, throwing high. By then Kulusevki had volleyed home from a Solanke pass and Solanke's goal was equally pleasing to watch, a good volley with spin. Salah scored Diaz's second goal and, madly, the match would have finished 6-4 had Alisson not made a smart save from Spurs substitute Brennan Johnson.