Premier League

Anthony Elanga scored for the third Premier League match in a row to move Nottingham Forest up to third as they beat Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 at the City Ground.

Elanga, who had scored in wins over Aston Villa and Brentford, put the hosts into a 28th-minute lead after being brilliantly picked out by Morgan Gibbs-White, before prodding the ball home.

Spurs rarely threatened Matz Sels throughout the contest, with the returning Brennan Johnson unable to find a way past the Forest goalkeeper with his three efforts on target.

It was also an unhappy return for former Forest defender Djed Spence, who was given a second yellow card late on to hand Ange Postecoglou another defensive issue, having seen Radu Dragusin go off injured moments earlier.

The win lifts Forest above Arsenal and into third ahead of the Gunners’ home encounter with Ipswich Town on Friday, while Spurs stay in 11th, 10 points off the top four.

How the match unfolded

Son Heung-min was the first to test Sels in the opening exchanges following Murillo’s poor giveaway, before Callum Hudson-Odoi curled over after a quick Forest counter-attack.

But the hosts would get themselves in front soon after when Gibbs-White’s pass in behind was poked home by Elanga.

Johnson then saw his effort tipped over the bar by Sels shortly before the break after Dejan Kulusevski had done brilliantly to pick out the Welshman in the Forest box.

Johnson continued to threaten after the break, brilliantly touching the ball beyond Murillo but was again met by Sels, with Elanga going close to doubling his tally but miscuing his effort.

Fraser Forster then denied Gibbs-White from close range after parrying Elliot Anderson’s cross away, before Spence was handed his marching orders in second-half stoppage time for a mistimed tackle on Jota Silva.

Forest advance on Europe

Nuno Espirito Santo continues to play down Forest’s chances of reaching European football next season, but he is building something special at the City Ground this campaign, something he was unable to do during his short tenure with Spurs three years ago.

After a slow start, which saw Ryan Yates booked for a foul on Son, meaning he will miss Forest’s trip to Goodison Park to face Everton on Sunday, they eventually found their groove when Elanga tucked home his third Premier League goal in as many matches in the competition.

Forest continued to impress at both ends of the pitch, with Sels producing some important stops to deny Johnson, as Forster tipped away Anderson’s cross into the box before springing back to his feet to save from Gibbs-White.

Though Spurs dominated possession, they were unable to carve out any meaningful chances, though Forest could have doubled their advantage late on when substitute Taiwo Awoniyi fired into the side-netting from a tight angle, despite having better options around him.

Forest will be hoping to continue their impressive form but face a tough test against Everton at Goodison Park this Sunday, with the Toffees having held Manchester City 1-1 on Boxing Day.

Spurs’ defensive woes continue

Following their defeat against Liverpool last time out, Postecoglou believed he was being unfairly judged given his side’s long list of injuries, but his position will only be put further under the microscope after falling to defeat here.

Spurs remain without Guglielmo Vicario, Richarlison, Ben Davies, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, but started strong at the City Ground when Son tested Sels before Johnson stung the palms of the Forest goalkeeper moments later.

But Elanga’s opener seemingly clicked Forest’s slick football into gear, though Johnson was again thwarted by Sels before Son closed out the first half by sending a free-kick into the side-netting, and that effort was arguably the closest Spurs came to getting themselves level.

James Maddison was introduced from the bench but was unable to find the target, and amid Spurs’ pressure, they were unable to penetrate Forest's goal. A frustrating afternoon in the east Midlands was further compounded with Dragusin going off injured and Spence’s dismissal.

Postecoglou will have to do plenty of thinking on how to solve Spurs’ defensive issues ahead of facing Wolverhampton Wanderers at home on Sunday.

Club reports

Spurs report

What the managers said

Nuno Espirito Santo: "The belief is here but the belief doesn't hide the reality. The reality says we haven't achieved nothing yet and we have two days to recover and rest and compete against Everton. This is the reality.

"We believe we can compete as long as everybody understands every player in the squad is huge for us. We believe we can compete well. The fans should enjoy. Let's enjoy this together."

Ange Postecoglou: "It was a disappointing goal we conceded but aside from that, the boys worked hard and we tried to generate as many opportunities as we could considering the context of the game and how Forest play. We just couldn't get over the line."

Next PL fixtures

Key facts

Forest have won four consecutive Premier League matches for the first time since May 1995, while this victory ended a run of six consecutive league defeats against Spurs.

Spurs lost a Premier League game on Boxing Day for the first time since 2003 (0-2 v Portsmouth), ending their 16-match unbeaten run on 26 December (W12 D4).

Spurs averaged over 65 per cent possession for the seventh time in the Premier League this season (70.4), though they’ve ended up losing five of those games (W1 D1).

Liverpool gave their fans an early Christmas present by tearing Tottenham Hotspur apart in this game. In doing so, Arne Slot’s team extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to four points, with a game in hand.

Despite scoring six goals and maintaining their unbeaten away record in the 2024/25 campaign, the margin of victory here could and should have been greater for Liverpool.

For Spurs, defeat left them languishing 11th in the table, despite having the fourth-best goal difference in the division – eight goals better than the next-best team, with two more goals scored than any other side.

Liverpool looked to be heading into half-time with at least a two-goal lead, only for Spurs to score against the run of play. Any hope Ange Postecoglou had that the tide would turn was dispelled when Dominik Szoboszlai restored the two-goal cushion just before the break.

It looked like a humiliating thrashing was on the cards when Liverpool went 5-1 up with half an hour remaining.

Spurs, however, have developed a reputation for entertainment under Postecoglou and pulled it back to 5-3 after 83 minutes, only for Luis Diaz to snuff out any hopes of an unlikely comeback.

How the managers saw it

Postecoglou: “I’ve never questioned the players' commitment, effort – they really care and believe in what we’re doing.

"That was evident again today, but you still need to be at a certain level both physically and in terms of quality to be able to do what we need to do against the top teams… today, they were just too good for us.”

Slot: “Until 60, 65 minutes, I really, really, really enjoyed what I saw.

"But then you also saw that no matter how much quality players have, if they think they don’t have to run any more then in this league – especially against Tottenham, because they are so good with the ball as well – they immediately start to create, and that’s what they did and they scored two goals.

"I was happy that [our] sixth one went in, to be fair.”

Liverpool’s attacking shape

From their 4-2-3-1 structure, Liverpool committed significant numbers to their attacking play, beginning the match very much on the front foot.

Although nominally a centre-forward, Diaz dropped to find pockets of space in the left inside-channel, away from Spurs’ centre-backs. There, he worked well alongside left winger Cody Gakpo, who was supported by Andy Robertson’s delayed runs from deep.

On Liverpool’s right, Szoboszlai moved forward to provide similar connections around Mohamed Salah, with Trent Alexander-Arnold also supporting from deep like Robertson.

The double-pivot of Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister then protected and covered ahead of the two centre-backs, as shown below.

Liverpool’s attacking shape continued to cause Spurs problems, as the hosts’ double-pivots – from their 4-2-3-1 block – jumped on to Gravenberch and Mac Allister. This meant Salah, Diaz and Szoboszlai had space between the lines to receive and drive forward.

Diaz continued to cause Tottenham Hotspur issues by drifting wide, while Salah’s movements beyond left-back Djed Spence gave Liverpool a more direct option.

Both of the away team’s full-backs continued to make delayed runs in support, with Robertson and Alexander-Arnold crossing for the first two goals.

Liverpool’s high press

As well as creating from spells of sustained possession, Liverpool also created early chances via their high press. Where possible Diaz jumped onto Spurs’ right centre-back, which gave Salah an opportunity to press higher.

Szoboszlai moved onto the Spurs pivot who was positioned closest to the ball. From there, one of Mac Allister or Gravenberch jumped centrally, with Gakpo often forced to track back when Pedro Porro advanced.

On the other side, Salah let Spence advance and stayed higher himself, ready to receive and punish any high regain.

Salah’s five shots in the first 20 minutes alone demonstrated how attack-minded his positioning was throughout the first half.

Spurs themselves struggled to create for much of the first half, despite Spence being a clear out-ball against Liverpool’s high press. On the occasions he did receive and advance, however, his teammates’ supporting movements didn’t always help.

His space was too often filled by team-mates bringing their marker towards the ball. James Maddison’s widening to the left offered little, allowing his marker to be in a position to jump to Spence while also covering Maddison.

Dominic Solanke’s support was covered by Liverpool’s centre-back and any spare midfielder, while Son Heung-min rarely readjusted as Spence carried the ball.

As such, Spurs only created final-third entries by playing balls over the top of Liverpool's high back line. Their first goal came out of nowhere, when a high regain from sloppy Liverpool play allowed Maddison to score.

Liverpool continued with their high press in the second half, often going player-for-player on the ball-side of the pitch. Diaz and Gakpo pressed and duelled on the visitors’ left side, allowing Salah to stay high on the right.

Their back line was fully committed to supporting the press, with both full-backs happy to jump out if a Spurs winger dropped.

Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez were also happy to defend high, sometimes well into the opposition half (below), as Spurs rarely made runs or passes behind Liverpool’s high full-backs.

On the occasions when Spurs did get out – mainly through impressive individual play – Liverpool’s individual duelling recovered the ball back by the time Spurs entered the final third.

Exploiting space behind Spurs' back line

Liverpool showed their attacking prowess in going 5-1 up, but were also aided by Tottenham Hotspur's unconvincing back line. Postecoglou’s team pushed players forward almost regardless of the scoreline.

And, with both of Spurs' full-backs well out of position, their defensive box of centre-backs and pivots was easily exploited. Liverpool quickly found spaces either side, with Salah positioned high, ready and waiting for the transition.

His positioning and subsequent movements helped create more space for Gakpo and Diaz, who rotated superbly on the other side.

Additional runs from deep from Szoboszlai and one of their full-backs (below) meant that Liverpool repeatedly got numbers in the opposition penalty area.

On several occasions, three or four relatively simple Liverpool passes led to a chance, no matter where they had regained the ball. The away side exposed Spurs' lack of compactness within their defensive lines, as well as the huge amount of space in behind.

Salah and Gakpo repeatedly moved beyond, as Liverpool attacked directly over, or around, in addition to their intricate build-up play. Diaz or Gakpo withdrew, luring centre-backs out to create spaces for penetrative passes, which were complemented by runs from midfield – especially from Szoboszlai (below).

Although Spurs grabbed two late consolation goals, Liverpool's incisive attacking play and ruthless finishing completed a deserved victory.

The two teams will meet again at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in just over two weeks, in the EFL Cup. For now, though, Liverpool have their eyes firmly set on a bigger prize.

Trent Alexander-Arnold epitomised the quality that Liverpool showed going forward in their incredible 6-3 victory at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

The Liverpool right-back displayed the full range of his passing prowess by delivering a sensational cross for Luis Diaz to open the scoring at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Alan Shearer, the Premier League's record goalscorer and Hall of Fame inductee, has named Alexander-Arnold in his Team of the Week alongside team-mates Dominik Szoboszlai, Mohamed Salah and Diaz.

Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest)

"Kept another clean sheet and made a great save in Forest's superb victory at Brentford."

Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)

"Produced another crossing and passing masterclass. I would love to be on the end of his crosses!"

Alexander-Arnold's assist against Spurs

Murillo (Nottingham Forest)

"Solid all afternoon as Forest shut out a Brentford team who have scored the most home goals this season."

Dean Huijsen (AFC Bournemouth)

"Another impressive display from the 19-year-old, topped off with an excellent headed goal against Man Utd."

Jacob Murphy (Newcastle)

"Another goal and an assist in an excellent afternoon for Newcastle."

Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool)

"Didn't stop running from the first minute to the last and capped off an incredible showing with a goal and an assist."

Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)

"What an outstanding performance against his former club Manchester City! Scored one goal and set up the other to win the match for Villa."

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

"Simply on fire. Two goals, two assists. He is spearheading Liverpool's bid for the title this season."

Alexander Isak (Newcastle)

"Hat-trick hero! Took all three of his goals so well and tore Ipswich apart."

Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal)

"It's amazing what goals can do for confidence. An excellent week for Jesus where he reminded everyone what he can do, with five goals across his two matches against Palace."

Luis Diaz (Liverpool)

"Two goals and a great all-round performance. Even in an unfamiliar role up front, Diaz was too hot for Spurs to handle."

Alex Keble highlights the key talking points from Liverpool's 6-3 win at Tottenham Hotspur.

The theory that Arne Slot’s football is all about calmness and control is perhaps a little overstated.

A surreal nine-goal thriller at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ended in a richly-deserved 6-3 victory for Liverpool, who will be four points clear, with a match in hand, at the top of the Premier League on Christmas Day.

This will be the 21st time Liverpool have been top of the English top flight on Christmas Day; the most of any side. They’ve gone on to win the title in 11, or 55 per cent, of those previous 20 seasons.

This was the highest-scoring Premier League match since Manchester City beat Manchester United 6-3 back in October 2022 - and it was pretty much as bonkers as that one, with slack defending from both sides contributing to a classic in north London.

It might not have been a game typical of the Slot era so far, but the final match before Christmas did sum up this weird and wonderfully entertaining 2024/25 campaign.

Leaders Liverpool will be hard to catch

Despite conceding three goals – and eight across their last three Premier League matches – Slot will be satisfied with a powerful attacking display likely to strike yet more fear into the hearts of their title rivals.

Liverpool’s lead is looking all the healthier in the context of Sunday’s matches.

Earlier in the day, Chelsea drew a blank at Everton and struggled to create chances, which contrasted sharply with the way Liverpool’s forwards gifted each other opportunities.

Luis Diaz, given a rare start up front, took his two goals superbly and looked for all the world like a true No 9, and Cody Gakpo’s directness menaced Pedro Porro, while Dominik Szoboszlai was razor-sharp.

With Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez to come off the bench, there’s already enough to suggest Liverpool’s goalscoring form is unlikely to dip any time soon – and that’s before we even get to Mohamed Salah.

On Liverpool being top at Christmas, Slot said post-match: "Of course, it means something. You know, just as well as I know because I've won the league once, how hard it is to win it. You have to keep on going, keep on going. Every three days you have to be on top of your game, every minute of the game.

"That's why it is so hard to win it because it's not always easy to show up every three or four days. I didn't expect Chelsea to drop points today as well, so it can happen in every game and that's what makes this league so special. That's why so many people want to see it and that's why we play at Christmas time."

Salah’s genius makes Liverpool the best team

Salah’s two goals and two assists took him to a staggering 26 goal involvements from just 16 Premier League matches – and broke THREE more records.

He became the first player in the competition’s history to hit double figures for goals and assists before Christmas, as well as the first player to do so in six separate seasons, while this is the sixth Premier League season in which Salah has both scored and assisted 10+ goals; the most of any player in the competition’s history, overtaking Wayne Rooney’s five.

More than Slot’s tactical changes (which, with goals flying in at both ends, were not particularly present today), it’s the X factor of Salah’s form that’s put Liverpool so far clear at the top.

Liverpool are relentless and the football fluid, but more often than not it’s a moment of magic from Salah that sets them on their way.

You would back him to star again in some kind-looking fixtures over the next two weeks - at home to Leicester City and Manchester United and at West Ham United - such is his consistency, as Slot commented upon after the match.

“He understands what it takes to be at this level every three days,” Slot said. “That’s what impresses me the most. He understands how hard he has to work for the quality he shows.”

Spurs’ defensive frailties are exposed again

Things feel very different for Spurs.

Ange Postecoglou was without Guglielmo Vicario, Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, while left-back Destiny Udogie was not fit enough to start, leaving a depleted defence that just couldn’t cope with the waves of Liverpool attack.

But it wasn’t just the defensive side that went wrong.

Tiredness was one of the reasons cited by Postecoglou after the game, and although injuries and fatigue are important caveats, it does not entirely explain Spurs’ soft underbelly on Sunday, nor their place in the bottom half of the table.

Postecoglou has continually faced questions about the style of football deployed, but one perhaps not raised often enough is the impact is all-out attacking football has on the mind and the body.

Are the sluggish performances and injuries partly the consequence of Postecoglou’s singularly aggressive tactics?

Spurs have now conceded 31 goals in Premier League home matches in 2024, their most in a single calendar year since 2007, when they let in 34, while they conceded six in one home match for the first time since December 1997.

Their Expected Goals Conceded of 4.6 against Liverpool was by some distance the largest total of any team in the Matchweek.

This was a new low, then, although of course comfort can be taken in acknowledging just how good their opponents were: “A bridge too far for us,” said Postecoglou, while lavishing Slot’s side with praise.

Nevertheless, the manner of the defeat will sting – though not as much as looking at the league table this Christmas.

Spurs are closer to Crystal Palace in 16th than they are to the top four, where Nottingham Forest sit eight points clear of Postecoglou’s side.

Forest are up next on Boxing Day, and defeat at the City Ground would put an alarming 11-point gap between Spurs and the UEFA Champions League places.

The idea of Forest being so far ahead of Spurs would have been inconceivable at the start of the campaign.

It’s a great example of why 2024/25 is one of the strangest and most entertaining in Premier League history.

But an even better example was the wild and unwieldy 90 minutes witnessed on Sunday.

Ange Postecoglou has reiterated he will not change his style of football despite Tottenham Hotspur losing 6-3 at home to Liverpool on Sunday, their fifth defeat in their last 11 matches in all competitions.

Postecoglou has been criticised this season for failing to adapt despite Spurs suffering an injury crisis; they were without nine first-team players for Sunday's match, including their first-choice goalkeeper and left-back, as well as both centre-backs.

Spurs' struggles at the back are clear to see. They have now conceded 13 goals in their last three home matches across all competitions, while in total in 2024 they have conceded 31 goals in home matches, their most in a single calendar year since 2007.

Furthermore, Sunday's match was just the second time they had conceded six goals in a Premier League home game, along with a 6-1 defeat against Chelsea in December 1997.

Those numbers do not put off Postecoglou.

"I have been really patient the last 18 months sitting up here answering the same questions over and over again. If people want me to change my approach, it’s not going to change," Postecoglou said in his post-match press conference.

"We are doing it for a reason, we are doing it because we think it will help us to be successful. If people don’t understand the circumstances we are in at the moment, the challenges we have from a squad perspective which are as obvious as you want to make them. I get the idea that people think that I should just flip a switch and change and somehow that will miraculously make us a better team. It is what it is. I’m just going to continue, stay focused on trying to build this team to be the team we want. In the interim we are going to have to accept there are going to be challenges along the way.

"What I will say is the players are not wavering in their commitment to what we are trying to do. Even today, a difficult day, I’m really proud of the fact they still tried to play a certain way knowing that is our way forward.

"The fans, I've often said, should feel they need to about what's happening. I thought they were good today, very good, given it was a difficult day for sure. But they still got support of the players which was important. And who knows, maybe some of them understand the situation we're in right now. It seems many don't. In the context of what we're trying to do, where we're at, I hope they see what we're trying to build here because I really believe it's going to be something that gives the club and fans what they want."

'I don't know what Plan B or C is'

To a question posted by BBC Match of the Day asking about Spurs' problems in defence, Postecoglou added:" If you took out Liverpool's goalkeeper, left-back and two centre-backs - well, maybe any team apart from Liverpool - they might find it tough going as well."

He was then asked by Sky Sports if he takes any solace in the fact Spurs' loss came despite them sticking to his attacking beliefs: "No, I don't like losing. Any way you lose, I don't like it. We want to be an attacking team and we want to win... We're not at that level yet."

On if he needs a Plan B, he added: "I don't know how to answer that question. I don't know what Plan B or Plan C is."

'You have to adapt at some stage'

On the flip side Postecoglou's style has helped Spurs become this season's top Premier League scorers, with 39 goals, two more than Liverpool and Chelsea.

Indeed, they are the league's great entertainers. Spurs' Premier League matches under Postecoglou have had an average of 3.6 goals scored per game (both teams combined). Among those to take charge of 50+ games in the competition, this is the highest goals per game rate for any manager.

But despite being so fun to watch, many suggest Spurs' attacking style is working to their detriment.

Former Premier League striker Michael Owen says Postecoglou should have played more cautiously against a Liverpool team who had an extra day's rest and were able to rotate players in their midweek EFL Cup tie.

"You've had 24 hours less recovery and you're playing the same team, whereas Liverpool are rotating. You're playing against better players, and you go gung ho - go toe-to-toe at your peril!"

Former Spurs striker Jermain Defoe added: "You're going to have to adapt at some stage. If you continue playing this way and conceding this many goals, you're going to go backwards."

Ange not worried by position

Spurs' form, winning only one of their last five Premier League matches, has dropped them to 11th in the table, eight points behind Nottingham Forest, the team they travel to on Boxing Day.

Postecoglou knows his team are in a difficult situation but says his team's position in the table does not mean he's doing a bad job.

"We knew this would be our toughest period for sure," he said. "We've had shorter turnarounds than just about every opponent we've played so far, shorter rest days than every team we've played whether it's here or in Europe. And I haven't been able to rotate the team, rest players or rotate players. I have massive admiration for the efforts these players are putting in for this club at the moment. We know what a difficult situation it is and that's not going to change in the short-term. We've just got to push on.

"All I can do is navigate us through a difficult period and try and make sure we do get to a position where hopefully we have a healthier squad and some key players back where we're in a position where we can improve our position in the table. If you're saying that 10th means I'm not doing a good job and I'm maybe somehow should be uncomfortable, well that's for others to judge."

When will key players return?

Postecoglou hopes to have left-back Destiny Udogie back to full fitness from next week, while Rodrigo Bentancur has now completed a seven-match ban and is available for the trip to Nottingham Forest.

Spurs still have a couple long-term injuries, according to Postecoglou, but there are hopes the likes of Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Ben Davies will return in January.

"We're at different stages of getting players back from injury," Postecoglou revealed. "We've got a couple of long term ones in [Guglielmo] Vicario and Wilson [Odobert], but the rest hopefully at some point in January they'll come back.

"That will help us in terms of just getting numbers back and dealing with the schedule, because the schedule is not going to change. We're in the Carabao Cup semi-final, we're still in Europe and the FA Cup starts. We're still in all the competitions, so it's not going to get any easier. We're going to need some of those players hopefully to come back and contribute."

On if Spurs will try to sign reinforcements in the January transfer window, Postecoglou added: "Yeah, I guess if the right players are there. Again it's about making sure it's something that's going to help us continue to build on what we’re doing."

Next PL matches

Mohamed Salah has overtaken Erling Haaland in the race for this season's Premier League Golden Boot award after an incredible performance in Liverpool's 6-3 win at Tottenham Hotspur, breaking numerous records in the process.

Salah scored his 14th and 15th goals of the Premier League campaign, putting him two clear of Manchester City striker Haaland, who has scored only three times in his last 12 appearances. Salah has scored 12 goals in his last 12 matches.

If Salah finishes as this season's top scorer then he will equal Thierry Henry's record of four Golden Boot awards. Apart from Henry, only Harry Kane and Alan Shearer can match Salah's three Golden Boots.

Fourth-highest Liverpool goalscorer

Salah has also now moved up to fourth place in Liverpool's all-time goalscorers' chart.

His 229 goals put him one ahead of former Scottish forward Billy Liddell, who scored 228 times for Liverpool in 534 appearances in the mid-1900s.

Salah can now set his sights on Gordon Hodgson, who scored 241 goals for the club between 1925 and 1936.

Salah has some way to go to beat Ian Rush and become Liverpool's all-time leading scorer, something that looks unlikely given Salah's 32 years of age and the fact he is out of contract next summer.

Liverpool all-time leading scorers

Player Years active Apps Goals Ian Rush 1980-87; 1988-96 660 346 Roger Hunt 1958-1969 492 285 Gordon Hodgson 1925-1936 377 241 Mohamed Salah 2017-present 373 229 Billy Liddell 1938-1961 534 228 Steven Gerrard 1998-2015 710 186 Robbie Fowler 1993-2001; 2006-07 369 183

Double figures before Christmas

Having also assisted goals for Dominik Szoboszlai and Luis Diaz on Sunday, Salah moved onto 11 assists for the season, one above Bukayo Saka, who suffered a hamstring injury for Arsenal on Saturday.

They were Salah's 79th and 80th assists of his Premier League career, putting him joint-10th in the all-time chart, level with Man Utd legend David Beckham.

Most assists Premier League history

Player Assists Ryan Giggs 162 Kevin De Bruyne 114 Cesc Fabregas 111 Wayne Rooney 103 Frank Lampard 102 Dennis Bergkamp 94 David Silva 93 Steven Gerrard 92 James Milner 89 David Beckham 80 Mohamed Salah 80

It means Salah is in pole position to win the Golden Boot AND Playmaker awards, a feat he achieved in 2021/22.

He has also broken THREE records.

Salah is the first player in Premier League history to reach double figures for goals AND assists before Christmas, while he is also the first player since the competition began in 1992 to produce 10+ goals AND 10+ assists in four consecutive seasons.

This is also the sixth Premier League season in which Salah has both scored and assisted 10+ goals; the most of any player in the competition’s history, overtaking Wayne Rooney’s five.

Most goals and assists 2024/25 PL

Goals Total Assists Total Salah (LIV) 15 Salah (LIV) 11 Haaland (MCI) 13 Saka (ARS) 10 Palmer (CHE) 11 Amad (MUN), Palmer (CHE), Robinson (FUL), Son (TOT) 6

Closing in on Henry

Salah now has 172 Premier League goals in his career, just three shy of Arsenal legend Henry.

At his rate of scoring, he could overtake Henry, Frank Lampard, Sergio Aguero AND Andrew Cole to become the fourth-highest scorer in Premier League history before the end of the season.

Most goals in Premier League history

Player Goals Alan Shearer 260 Harry Kane 213 Wayne Rooney 208 Andrew Cole 187 Sergio Aguero 184 Frank Lampard 177 Thierry Henry 175 Mohamed Salah 172

'I'm proud' - What Salah said

On hitting double-figures for goals and assists before Christmas: "I didn’t think about it before the game to be fair but I’m glad I did it. [It’s] something that makes me happy. I’m proud and I’ll just keep working hard."

On moving fourth on the all-time list of Liverpool goalscorers: "Of course it’s something great to achieve. It’s such a big club Liverpool. But again, the most important thing is we won the game, but to have that achievement is great."

On whether he can break Ian Rush’s all-time record: "I don’t know how he scored that many goals to be fair. I think the football in that time was quite seven versus seven and not really 11 versus 11! He's a great legend for the club and we have a good contact. Whatever I’m going to end my career with I’m happy about it, so let’s see."

Liverpool stormed four points clear at the top of the Premier League heading into Christmas with a thrilling 6-3 win over Tottenham Hotspur.

Having been buoyed by Chelsea’s earlier draw at Everton, Liverpool took full advantage of the Blues’ slip-up with a dominant display at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where Spurs did briefly offer hope of a fightback.

Liverpool led 3-1 by the interval – Luis Diaz, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai on target, with James Maddison having scored for the hosts.

Mohamed Salah helped himself to a deserved double early in the second half, and though Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke made matters interesting, Diaz made sure for Liverpool with a goal in the 85th minute.

The Reds will top the tree at Christmas for the first time since the 2020/21 season, while 11th-placed Spurs must lick their wounds ahead of a tough trip to in-form Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day.

How the match unfolded

After seeing a glut of chances fall by the wayside – including Salah hitting the woodwork – Liverpool deservedly went ahead in the 23rd minute when Trent Alexander-Arnold’s exquisite cross was headed home by Diaz.

Liverpool added a second 13 minutes later – Mac Allister gambling on a loose ball to send a looping header over Fraser Forster – though the Argentinian was at fault when Maddison robbed him of possession and bent in a low finish.

Yet Liverpool’s two-goal cushion was restored on the stroke of half-time when Salah slipped in Szoboszlai, who finished coolly, and the Egyptian turned from provider to scorer nine minutes after the restart as he tapped into a gaping net following a blistering counter-attack.

Salah scored again just after the hour, slotting in from Szoboszlai’s neat pass, though Spurs rallied, first through Kulusevski’s excellent volley and then Solanke’s close-range prod.

Liverpool had too much, though, and Diaz swiftly assured there would be no comeback for the ages.

Rampant Reds get their Christmas wish

Liverpool will top the table on Christmas Day for the first time since the 2020/21 season, though it is worth noting that only once in the last seven top-flight campaigns in which they have sat at the summit on 25 December, have they gone on to win the title.

The Reds were held to frustrating draws by Fulham and Newcastle United in their last two league outings, but when they are on top form in attack, they can be unstoppable, and at times on Sunday they were just that.

They set the tone early when Salah pounced on Forster’s error, only to fire into the side netting. He then saw an attempt clatter the crossbar and two efforts blocked by Djed Spence, before Alexander-Arnold delivered a sensational cross from which Diaz could hardly miss.

This Liverpool display was different to many that have come so far under Arne Slot, though. They exposed Spurs’ high line time and time again, in counter-attacks reminiscent of the very best of the Jurgen Klopp era.

Salah was, as he has been all season, supreme – his two second-half finishes took him fourth on Liverpool’s all-time goalscorer list.

If not for Forster, it could have been more, too. Spurs’ second-choice goalkeeper denied Alexander-Arnold twice, first from a fantastic free-kick and then from a shot from a tight angle.

That full-throttle approach from Slot did leave Liverpool fragile at the back, but they took on Spurs at their own game and came out on top.

Spurs given something to cheer, but form must pick up

At 5-1 down, matters really did look grim for Ange Postecoglou, who was left shaking his head on the sideline.

Ultimately, this is the risk that the Australian takes with his style of play.

However, the fans stood by their team, and were rewarded with something of a resurgence, led by Kulusevski and Solanke.

It was Solanke’s clever chip that was deflected on into the area for Kulusevski to volley home, before the former AFC Bournemouth striker diverted Brennan Johnson’s header beyond Alisson Becker. But in the end, Liverpool’s attacking prowess just proved too formidable.

Postecoglou will not change his approach – that much is certain – but the fans may not be as forgiving as they were on Sunday, when Spurs did come up against what is arguably the best team in Europe as it stands.

A trip to the City Ground is no small challenge for Spurs next, and they are far from where they want to be in the standings. Indeed, a defeat at Forest would see them drop 11 points adrift of the top four, so the time for Spurs to show some consistency is now.

Club reports

Spurs report | Liverpool report

What the managers said

Ange Postecoglou: "It’s obviously a painful one for us. Credit to Liverpool, they were too good for us. They're in a great moment, great form, feeling confident. It was a bridge too far for us, We looked like we lacked energy which is understandable."

Arne Slot: "For 60 minutes we did everything we had to do, we were comfortable and good with the ball. The main thing is we worked very, very hard. But then the same players with the same quality thought that 10 or 15 minutes of not working as hard was good enough.

“Tottenham have enough quality to score goals if you give them chances. You have to be on top of your game for the whole game and we didn’t do that.”

Next PL fixtures

Key facts

This will be the 21st time Liverpool have been top of the English top-flight on Christmas Day; the most of any side. They’ve gone on to win the title in 11 of those previous 20 seasons (55 per cent).

Nine goals is the joint-most that have been scored in a league fixture between Spurs and Liverpool, along with a 7-2 win for Spurs in April 1963 and a 7-2 win for the Reds in October 1914.

Spurs' Premier League matches under Postecoglou have seen an average of 3.6 goals scored per match (both teams combined). Among those to take charge of 50+ matches in the competition, this is the highest goals per match rate for any manager.

Spurs have conceded the opening goal in 14 different home matches in the Premier League in 2024; the joint-most ever by a team within a calendar year in the competition (also Crystal Palace in 2017, Ipswich and Spurs in 1994).

With Tottenham Hotspur producing some wildly contrasting results and performances this season, football writer Ben Bloom wonders how they will turn up at their stadium on Sunday.

After witnessing his team survive their latest habit for self-destruction in Thursday’s dramatic 4-3 EFL Cup quarter-final win over Manchester United, Spurs head coach Ange Postecoglou remained as defiant as ever.

“We’re trying to keep folks entertained,” he said. “I can’t see how that’s a bad thing.”

If Postecoglou desires judgement on those parameters, he is irrefutably delivering in abundance.

No Premier League side has lurched from brilliance to despondency so much as Spurs this campaign.

Their goal difference is bettered only by Liverpool and Chelsea, aided by unexpected thrashings of Manchester City (4-0), Man Utd (3-0) and Aston Villa (4-1) among a host of other wide-margin triumphs.

Yet their win-loss ratio stands at an even seven victories and seven defeats, having provided first league wins of the season to the likes of Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town.

Their unpredictability suggests they are just as likely to win and potentially see Liverpool surrender top spot to Chelsea. So is there any rhyme or reason to their tumultuous season?

‘How can you be too attacking?’

There was a familiar feel to Postecoglou’s pre-match press conference on Friday.

Asked whether Spurs could afford to be as “gung-ho” against Liverpool as they had when beating Man Utd the previous night, the Australian retorted that he did not understand the description of his team, but they would “play our football because that’s what is winning us games”.

But, he made clear, football should be more than just that.

“I genuinely believe that a big part of our game is, maybe entertainment is the wrong word, but you go to the game of football to kind of feel emotions that maybe in your day-to-day existence you don’t get the opportunity to, both exhilarating and anxious,” he said.

“I think that’s what we love about it. I’ve said before there’s a lot of suffering in there when you’re watching a football game, but if you come out on the right side it’s an exhilarating feeling.”

The man in the opposite dugout on Sunday is certainly a supporter.

“It’s great work that Ange is doing over there,” said Liverpool manager Arne Slot. “I hope this has been seen a bit more.

“I also hope, hope, hope that he wins a trophy – not the League Cup [in which Liverpool and Spurs face one another in the semi-final]!

“But I’m completely a fan of his team for the [UEFA] Europa League because people always talk about trophies, trophies, trophies [and] that it’s so important.

“For his brand of football and his style, it is so much more important and if he can combine that with winning something, that would be so good for football in general because people can stop talking about it’s too attacking or whatever.

“How on earth can you play 'too attacking' football?”

Not all Spurs fans would necessarily agree.

While there have been no shortage of thrills this season, Postecoglou’s all-action approach has seen his team fail as much as flourish, with little indication of which to expect when supporters prepare for kick-off.

Dedicated to running

The contention arises from Postecoglou’s dogmatic devotion to a relentless style, regardless of opposition or match situation.

When 2-0 up at half-time against Man City last month, the commitment to that approach over protecting what they already had — sprinkled with some handy good fortune – yielded two more goals.

Conversely, a fortnight later they were punished for doing the same at home to Chelsea, when they were unable to maintain the intensity that had provided another 2-0 lead, going on to lose 3-4.

Opta Analyst found that Postecoglou’s side rank first in the Premier League this season for sprints (180.7 per game), pressures in the final third (68.7 per game), off-the-ball runs to try and receive a pass (172.5 per game), sprints to try and receive a pass (59.8 per game), and overlapping runs (32.8 per game).

Their average distance of each off-the-ball run (22.1 metres per run) is also further than any other team.

It all requires an extraordinary amount of work that is inevitably difficult to maintain at all times.

In fact, Postecoglou’s demand for high intensity even extends to getting the ball back into play.

Opta Analyst found there is scarcely any effort to slow play and run down the clock when Spurs are ahead in games, using an average of just 17.3 seconds (the quickest in the league by some margin) to take a goal-kick when they are winning.

Taking its toll

This week’s edition of The Breakdown delved into why Postecoglou’s tactics are so high-risk and unpredictable, looking in particular at how Spurs’ impressive running statistics might, in fact, prove problematic.

It showed that Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski both sit within the top three Premier League players for time spent at high speed this season.

There are also no fewer than five Spurs outfielders among the top 25 players for total sprints.

It is no wonder they sometimes tire, and perhaps little surprise Spurs have won just two of their six weekend Premier League matches after playing in the Europa League a few days earlier.

Their defeat against Chelsea also came three days after losing to AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League.

Directly attributing injuries to any particular style of play is impossible, but Spurs’ medical staff have certainly been busier than most this season.

After Thursday’s thrilling win over Man Utd, Postecoglou described working with “the bare bones of a squad”, pointing to a glut of unavailable players including first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, first-choice centre-backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, and first-choice left-back Destiny Udogie.

“We self-inflicted some pain on ourselves, but we ended up getting a fourth goal and winning the game,” said the Spurs head coach.

“I still can’t get away from the fact this group of players is doing an unbelievable job.

“We had 10 players unavailable for one reason or another. We can’t rotate like other clubs. The current situation is incredible.”

Low league position

Postecoglou should have one or two extra players back at his disposal for Sunday’s visit of Liverpool, although the bulk will remain on the sidelines.

Regardless of personnel, do not expect any change in approach.

Spurs have kept just one clean sheet in their last 23 Premier League home matches, and Postecoglou said he will be “very surprised” if the match ends goalless.

Recent history suggests he would do well to secure a rare Spurs win in a fixture that has seen Liverpool lose just two of the last 23 in the Premier League.

Asked what he expects from Sunday’s hosts, Slot described Spurs as “sometimes a bit unlucky”.

He added: “I don’t think there are many season-ticket holders in the country that can say they watch so many great games. Maybe the ones at Liverpool!

“I think it is a privilege to be a season-ticket holder at Tottenham. It’s a privilege to be a fan of them at the moment because they play such a great style.”

Speaking late last month, in the wake of defeat to Ipswich, Postecoglou admitted the club “need to address our position” in the table.

“If we’re 10th at Christmas it won’t be great,” he said. “Rightly so, there would be a lot of scrutiny and probably a lot of scrutiny around me.”

Four weeks on, they head into the weekend still placed 10th and with that Christmas prospect a distinct possibility. But the manager is not for changing; not now, not ever.

“For me, there is no real advantage to doing what everyone else or the majority is doing,” said Postecoglou on Friday.

“I’m a young 59-year-old sitting in the Premier League after coming from Australia. I think for us to be successful in the Premier League we’ve got to do things a little bit differently.

“It’s not easy but I think it is the path we need to choose.”

Adrian Clarke looks at significant tactical points and players who can be decisive in Matchweek 17.

Team analysis: Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool

Unbeaten in 20 matches in all competitions, Liverpool’s next examination will see their title credentials tested by an unpredictable, but dangerous Spurs side.

Spurs have scored 11 times across matches against Chelsea, Manchester City and Aston Villa this season, and netted four times in their midweek EFL Cup success at home to Manchester United.

Yet defensive issues for Ange Postecoglou’s side mean they still find themselves languishing in 10th place.

Free-scoring Liverpool have also been a touch porous of late, leaking five goals in back-to-back Premier League draws against Newcastle United and Fulham.

So, a shootout of sorts potentially awaits…

Could be fireworks early on

Spurs like to produce explosive starts, scoring nine goals in the first 15 minutes of Premier League matches this season, and conceding just once.

The hosts, who have netted six times inside the first quarter-hour across their last three matches, will tear out of the blocks against Liverpool.

Arne Slot’s men must be ready for that onslaught, so do not be surprised if Liverpool take a more pragmatic approach than usual early on, in a bid to frustrate and quieten the home supporters.

Liverpool are strong starters themselves, scoring nine and conceding only three goals in the first 30 minutes of league matches.

But across that period, Spurs are by some distance the most productive top-flight team, boasting a +9 goal difference.

PL opening 30 mins stats 24/25

Team Scored Conceded Goal diff. Spurs 15 4 +9 Fulham 10 3 +7 Liverpool 9 3 +6 Chelsea 12 7 +5

Key duel: Salah v Gray

In the continued absence of key defenders Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, it looks as if 18-year-old Archie Gray will continue to deputise at the heart of Spurs' defence.

The teenager made his name with Leeds United as a composed central midfielder who can fill in at right-back, so it is unusual seeing him operate as a left-sided centre back.

Gray was impressive, though, in victories against Southampton and Man Utd this week.

Losing possession only nine times across the last 180 minutes - less than any Spurs player - his cool-headed distribution and effortless defending caught the eye.

When Postecoglou’s side play out from the back, Gray becomes a senior figure, completing 91 accurate passes at St Mary’s Stadium last weekend, with a 96.1 per cent accuracy rate, as indicated in the chalkboard below.

With Fraser Forster looking uneasy when he has the ball at his feet, the young defender's assurance on the ball is going to be vital when dealing with Liverpool’s press.

A key part of Gray's brief will also be to handle the threat of Mohamed Salah whenever he drifts inside left-back Djed Spence or Destiny Udogie.

His positioning must be spot on, and how well he anticipates Salah's canny movement will determine how he fares.

The task in hand is incredibly tough.

Salah has only failed to score or assist in two Premier League appearances so far in 2024/25, against Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace.

In both those matches, Liverpool’s opponents set up in a relatively low block, sacrificing possession to deny Salah space behind them.

This is unlikely to be the approach taken by Spurs, so Gray will probably find himself a bit more isolated and stretched than those who successfully shut him out.

If he can stop Salah, Liverpool’s prospects of winning this match will suffer greatly.

The 32-year-old has been directly involved in 22 of Liverpool’s 31 Premier League goals this season.

No one else in the division comes close to that 71 per cent share.

Standing on 13 goals and nine assists, Salah could also become the first player in Premier League history to reach double figures for both before Christmas.

Most PL goals and assists 24/25

Player Goals + Assists % Team goals Salah 22 71% Saka 15 52% Haaland 15 50% Isak 11 48% Palmer 17 46%

Will Maddison be trusted by Postecoglou?

It has been a strange couple of months for attacking midfielder James Maddison.

The 28-year-old was brilliant when scoring a brace in their 4-0 win at Man City, and last weekend he was equally superb, netting twice in a 5-0 victory at Southampton.

Maddison's first goal v Southampton

Yet the England international has also spent plenty of time the substitutes bench, featuring for just 154 Premier League minutes on home turf since October’s international break.

With Dejan Kulusevski and Son Heung-min regular fixtures in the starting XI, it feels like Postecoglou is torn between using Maddison or Brennan Johnson.

The Spurs head coach made a big call at the Etihad Stadium when leaving out an in-form Johnson to push Kulusevski onto the right wing; stationing Maddison on the left of a midfield three.

That decision was vindicated, with both players excelling, but will he show as much faith in his talented No 10 against Liverpool?

Statistically, Maddison is performing well enough to earn that trust.

He is among the most productive attackers in the Premier League this season, serving up seven goals and four assists, at a rate of 0.96 direct goal involvements per 90 minutes.

Team-mate Son is also in the division’s top five, currently led by Salah.

Most goals and assists per 90 mins 24/25*

Player Total Mohamed Salah 1.50 Cole Palmer 1.10 Buyako Saka 1.08 Son Heung-min 1.00 James Maddison 0.96

*minimum 500 minutes played

The heat map below shows how Postecoglou has primarily used Maddison on the left of a three this season, rather than as a central attacking midfield playmaker.

If selected on Sunday, Maddison will look to create 2v1s with Son, doubling up on Trent Alexander-Arnold down that side.

He overlapped in this exact manner against Man Utd on Thursday night, before delivering a cross that was finished by Kulusevski.

Maddison's assist for Kulusevski v Man Utd

If Maddison starts on the left of midfield, Alexander-Arnold will have a lot of defending to do down that side of the pitch.

Sweden international Kulusevski loves to make long diagonal runs across the field to pop up on that side, with Spurs tending to feed most off their distribution down that flank.

In the matches against Southampton and Man Utd they were extremely left-side heavy in their approach, as reflected below.

Spurs' attacking areas v Southampton

Spurs' attacking areas v Man Utd

Expect goals

Liverpool have scored multiple goals in 13 of 15 league matches so far this season, and boosted by the return of Diogo Jota - their second-biggest goal threat behind Salah - they will fancy their prospects of netting at least twice once again.

The Portuguese front man bailed Liverpool out last weekend with a terrific solo equaliser in the 2-2 draw with Fulham.

And his numbers are strong for the campaign so far.

Diogo Jota's stats 24/25*

Stat Per 90 Liverpool rank* Goals 0.53 2nd Goals and assists 0.89 2nd Shots in box 2.66 2nd Shots 2.83 3rd Headed goals 0.71 1st Mins per goal 169.3 2nd

*minimum 500 minutes played

Keeping only one clean sheet in their last 23 home Premier League matches, Spurs must be positive to win this contest.

Having netted seven times against Chelsea and Man Utd in their previous two home encounters, outscoring the leaders is something they will believe is possible.

A thrilling match-up lies in store.

Also in this series

James Allcott examines the tactical reasons behind Spurs' inconsistent season, which has featured stunning victories and shock defeats