Source :- THE AGE NEWS
Liverpool: Liverpool sealed the Premier League title in style on Sunday with a 5-1 win against Tottenham.
The Merseyside club’s record-equalling 20th English league title matched the achievement of their great rival Manchester United.
Liverpool fans partied inside and outside their famous Anfield Stadium as coach Arne Slot sealed a remarkable first year in charge of the club.
After going behind to an early goal from Dominic Solanke, Liverpool powered back with strikes from Luis Diaz, Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo before half-time to ensure the celebrations wouldn’t be delayed any more. The title was confirmed after the break as Mohamed Salah added another and Destiny Udogie’s own-goal rounded off the rout.
Udogie’s gaffe felt like the worst possible way for Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou to take his side into battle in their Europa League semi-final first leg at home to Norwegian outfit Bodo/Glimt on Thursday.
The consensus remains that Spurs must win the second-string European competition or Postecoglou will get fired, but dismal performances like the one served up at Anfield – Tottenham’s 19th defeat of the season as they lie in 16th place – may mean he is doomed any which way.
Cody Gakpo was among the goal scorers in the winning match. Credit: AP
Postecoglou gave his triumphant counterpart Slot congratulations on their title triumph even before the final whistle had blown as the Liverpool faithful celebrated their first title since 2020 and their 20th in all, equalling the record of their deadly rivals Manchester United.
Liverpool only needed a point to be crowned champion and a packed Anfield expected nothing less than to see the job get done on home turf.
In the end, the victory was so comfortable that Salah even had time to pose for a selfie in front of the famed Kop stand after scoring his 33rd goal of the season in all competitions.
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah celebrates by taking a selfie after the team won the English Premier League.Credit: AP
“This is difficult to put into words,” Slot, who replaced Jurgen Klopp as manager last year and is the first Dutch coach to win the Premier League, said on the pitch.
“It’s more than what I can describe … Everyone said we had already won it but you still feel pressure to get the point over the line.”
It was a monumental achievement by Slot, who had the seemingly unenviable task of succeeding the hugely successful and popular Klopp.
After the match, he joined in the chants saluting his predecessor for having smoothed his path to taking over, explaining later: “It’s because of what he did before I even arrived here – I think that is something not one manager ever did before.
“That definitely helped me but, apart from that, Jurgen helped me even more by the team he left behind and the culture he left behind in that team.
“It’s always special to win something. It’s even more special if you’re the first one, and even more special at a club where it’s not common that you win the league every year.”
Liverpool’s manager Arne Slot celebrates.Credit: AP
Fans had turned up long before kick off, lining the streets around the stadium in anticipation of a title party.
The smell of sulphur filled the air as red smoke canisters were let off outside. Liverpool flags were hung from nearby houses.
Inside the ground, giant banners made their way across the stands, celebrating icons past and present.
Slot joins a select group of managers by winning the title in his first year in the Premier League era – following Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Manuel Pellegrini and Antonio Conte.
He has managed it with plenty to spare, with Liverpool 15 points ahead of second-placed Arsenal with four rounds of the season to go.
It is Liverpool’s second title in five years, having ended a 30-year wait to be champions in 2020.
This time there was a crucial difference as the players were able to celebrate in front of the fans. Five years ago they had to finish off the season behind closed doors as Britain faced lockdown restrictions because of the COVID pandemic.
As the final whistle neared, fans in the stadium were on their feet singing the club’s anthem, You’ll Never Walk Alone.
AP, AAP, Reuters
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