In one of the best Premier League title races we’ve had in years, Liverpool take the top spot in the Premier League table for now with a 4-0 win over a very bad Tottenham side, following the Younnes Kaboul own goal with strikes from Luis Suarez, Philippe Coutinho and Jordan Henderson.
The match was almost over after 90 seconds. Tottenham seemed to have learned nothing from their previous defeats against the big teams, conceding from a Glen Johnon cross that Kaboul clumsily handled, putting it in his own net.
Liverpool controlled the match completely through the first half, as weird positioning and defensive alignments from Spurs allowed the home side to dominate the middle of the pitch and constantly find space on the wings and behind the defense. Michael Dawson, who came on for the injured Jan Vertonghen in the 24th minute, made an awful mistake, clearing the ball blindly which allowed Luis Suarez to dispossess Kaboul and score in a one on one with Lloris, not having the best of days.
While Liverpool’s enthusiasm died down in the final 10 minutes of the first half, no tactical changes were made by Spurs to try and turn the tide, suddenly feeling the pressure from Manchester United for the final spot headed into the Europa League. Coutinho finally found the net in the 55th minute with an nice dribble from the Brazilian and an accurate shot from long range, another one Lloris might have handled on a better day, but with such a poor defense, it’s hard to blame the goalkeeper.
The hunger didn’t die down, and Liverpool kept on looking for the fourth goal, with Suarez and Sturridge wanting to add to their impressive scoring tally this season. It was eventually Jordan Henderson with a free kick that tricked Lloris, bouncing in front of him without anyone touching it, landing in his net.
Liverpool lead the league but have two matches more than Manchester City. However, winning their next six matches, including against Chelsea and City at Anfield, will give them the title for the first time since 1990. They’ve been able to focus on one match at a time so far. The closer they get to a surprising promised land, it might become more and more difficult, even for the team playing the best football in the Premier League this season.