Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou famously invoked the line from Gladiator after his side’s dramatic 4-3 win over Manchester United in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, asking, “Are you not entertained?” It was his way of responding to questions about his bold, attacking approach to the game, even as Spurs threatened to throw away a 3-0 lead before sealing victory.
However, Postecoglou’s idea of entertainment is a double-edged sword, as his team found out to their cost in their latest encounter with Liverpool. On this occasion, Tottenham were brutally punished by a Liverpool side that showcased their title credentials in a resounding 6-3 victory. The result underlined why Arne Slot’s Liverpool are in full control of the Premier League title race, heading into Christmas with a four-point lead over Chelsea and a game in hand. Meanwhile, Spurs sit 11th, eight points adrift of the top four.
While Tottenham’s games under Postecoglou are rarely lacking in excitement, the “entertainment” comes with a painful downside. In their last five matches, there have been a total of 30 goals, but 10 of those have come at the expense of Spurs in back-to-back home defeats to Chelsea and Liverpool. Against Klopp’s men, the only real question was how Liverpool only scored six while still conceding three.
Liverpool’s dominance was clear in the expected goals (xG) statistics: 4.6 for Liverpool compared to just 1.2 for Spurs. Slot’s team created nine big chances, a testament to their attacking brilliance and Tottenham’s defensive frailty. Postecoglou’s side continues to leak goals, and there seems to be little sign of pragmatism being introduced to address the defensive vulnerabilities.
That said, it would be unfair to overlook the absences that have weakened Spurs in recent weeks. They are without first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and central defenders Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven. These key players are vital, particularly Van de Ven, whose pace is crucial to the high defensive line Postecoglou prefers. Additionally, the influential Rodrigo Bentancur was missing due to suspension, and his presence would have at least made it harder for Liverpool to cut through Spurs’ midfield.
Despite these challenges, Postecoglou’s decision to field an unchanged lineup from Thursday’s Carabao Cup clash with Manchester United reflected the lack of available options for the Australian manager.
In contrast, Liverpool’s squad is in robust shape. They have now won 12 and drawn three of their 16 league games this season, with the highest goal difference in the league at +21. This victory further solidified their status as the team to beat in the title race, with star player Mohamed Salah continuing to show why he is invaluable to Slot’s title hopes.
