Tottenham Hotspur faced Liverpool in a Premier League match at home on Sunday, December 22, 2024. The game ended in a heavy 6-3 defeat for Spurs, who were outclassed in every department. Despite a brief rally in the second half, Tottenham’s defense was dismal, and their attack could not compensate for the issues at the back. Liverpool dominated from the start, and Spurs never truly recovered after conceding three goals in the first half.
Liverpool took the lead early in the match, with Trent Alexander-Arnold providing a pinpoint cross that found an unmarked Luis Diaz. The Liverpool forward headed the ball into the net, giving the visitors an early 1-0 advantage. Tottenham’s defense, particularly Radu Dragusin and Archie Gray, failed to react in time to the cross, leaving Diaz with an easy opportunity to score.
Things got worse for Tottenham when Fraser Forster, the Spurs goalkeeper, was caught out of position on the second goal. A clearance from the defense ricocheted up into the air, and the ball landed for Alexis Mac-Allister. The Liverpool midfielder, standing at only 5ft7”, outmuscled the defenders around him and managed to head the ball into the net. Forster had no chance, but his reaction time to the ball could have been quicker, which contributed to Spurs’ growing defensive woes.
Tottenham managed to get back into the game briefly when James Maddison scored a brilliant goal. He picked up a loose ball, made a powerful run, and finished with a superb strike. This goal gave Spurs some hope and briefly reduced Liverpool’s lead to 2-1. However, that optimism was short-lived as Dominik Szoboszlai restored Liverpool’s two-goal lead just moments later. The Hungarian midfielder slotted the ball past Forster to make it 3-1 just before halftime.
After the break, Spurs’ defense continued to leak goals. Liverpool’s Mo Salah added a third goal for his team in the 53rd minute, following a scramble in the box. Despite two goal-line clearances from Tottenham defenders, the ball eventually fell to Salah, who tapped it in at the third attempt. The failure to clear the ball and the lack of composure at the back allowed Liverpool to extend their lead to 4-1.
Szoboszlai scored again in the 58th minute, completing a well-worked move between him and his teammates to add another goal to Liverpool’s tally. Tottenham’s defense had been caught out once again, with Dragusin and Gray failing to deal with the attacking threat. Tottenham’s makeshift defense was simply overwhelmed by Liverpool’s attacking talent.
Tottenham did manage to pull another goal back in the 72nd minute. Dejan Kulusevski, who had been one of the few bright spots for Spurs in the game, linked up with Dominic Solanke in a neat one-two. Kulusevski then fired a powerful volley into the net to reduce the deficit to 5-2. This was a good individual effort from Kulusevski, but the game had already been lost by this point.
Solanke, who had been largely ineffective in the match, showed a bit more energy as the game wore on. Seven minutes later, in the 79th minute, he scored a header from a cross by substitute Brennan Johnson, making the score 5-3. Johnson, who had been introduced in the second half, provided a well-placed header across the box, which Solanke finished with composure.
However, Liverpool was not done yet. Luis Diaz, who had been dangerous throughout the match, added a sixth goal for Liverpool in the 85th minute. He made a clever run to lose his marker, Archie Gray, and finished with precision past Forster to seal the victory for the visitors. Spurs’ defense was once again exposed, and they failed to stop Diaz from scoring.
Overall, it was a disastrous defensive performance from Tottenham. Their backline was porous, and their players were unable to cope with Liverpool’s attacking power. Spurs were caught out multiple times by crosses and quick passes, and there was no cohesion or communication at the back. Some of the players also looked out of their depth, particularly the inexperienced Gray and Dragusin, who failed to deal with the threat posed by Liverpool’s front line.
Fraser Forster, the Tottenham goalkeeper, had a difficult game. He made a few decent saves, including an early stop to deny Salah, but was at fault for some of the goals. His indecision at times cost his team, and his lack of command in the box left the defense exposed. Forster received a low rating of 3/10 for his performance.
Pedro Porro, the right-back, also struggled throughout the game. He was caught too high up the pitch on several occasions, leaving space behind him for Liverpool to exploit. He was particularly at fault for the fourth goal when Salah scored. Porro’s defensive positioning was poor, and he too received a rating of 3/10.
Radu Dragusin, playing as a center-back, had a particularly rough day. He was caught out of position for the first goal, failing to track Diaz. He also made several mistakes in dealing with crosses and failed to clear the ball effectively. His poor performance earned him a 2/10 rating.
Archie Gray, the young center-back playing out of position, had a tough time against Liverpool’s attacking players. He was caught ball-watching and failed to track runs, especially when Diaz made a darting run for the sixth goal. Gray was exposed and struggled throughout the match, earning a 3/10 rating.
Djed Spence, the left-back, was also caught out of position and had trouble dealing with Liverpool’s attacking threat. He was passive in defending the second goal and was often too far forward, leaving space behind him. Spence was given a rating of 4/10.
In midfield, Pape Sarr and Yves Bissouma were both ineffective. They struggled to control the game and failed to protect the defense. Neither player could prevent Liverpool from dominating possession, and they rarely looked in control. Both Sarr and Bissouma received a rating of 5/10.
Dejan Kulusevski was one of the few bright spots for Spurs. He provided the assist for the first goal and scored a brilliant volley for the second. He showed desire and creativity but was let down by his teammates. Kulusevski earned a 6/10 rating.
James Maddison also scored a great goal to briefly give Spurs hope. However, he was largely ineffective after that and couldn’t provide much in terms of creativity. Maddison received a rating of 6/10.
Son Heung-min had a quiet game. He showed flashes of quality but was unable to make a significant impact. Son received a 5/10 rating.
Dominic Solanke also had a quiet match but contributed with a goal and an assist late in the game. He showed some spirit, but it was too little too late. Solanke received a rating of 6/10.
Substitutes Lucas Bergvall and Brennan Johnson both came on in difficult circumstances. Bergvall moved the ball well and showed some good touches, while Johnson assisted Solanke for a late goal. Both players received a rating of 6/10.
In summary, Tottenham’s defensive weaknesses were fully exposed in this match. Their failure to deal with Liverpool’s attack and the lack of a solid game plan led to a heavy defeat. The defense was the main issue, and changes need to be made if Spurs are to bounce back from this disappointing loss.
