The Independent
·22 December 2024
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·22 December 2024
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Winning mentality key to Liverpool's success - Slot
Tottenham host Liverpool in the final Premier League fixtures before Christmas. The two sides clash in Sunday’s late kick off at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium with both in search of three points.
Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs have come under pressure in recent weeks with the manager being accused of stubbornly sticking to the same gameplan when things are going wrong. Defeats to Bournemouth and Chelsea sent Tottenham into the bottom half of the table before a confidence-building 5-0 victory over Southampton, and a 4-3 Carabao Cup win against Man Utd, gave the team some momentum.
Liverpool meanwhile continue to impress under Arne Slot though there have been a couple of stumbles. Back-to-back draws against Newcastle and Fulham have allowed their rivals to close the gap in the league table and Slot will want his team to get back to winning ways with a strong performance in London today.
Follow all the action from the Premier League with our live blog below:
Ange Postecoglou names an unchanged team to the one that defeated Manchester United during the week in the Carabao Cup. Spurs won that match 4-3 and the manager believes this line-up will be able to challenge Liverpool as well.
Mike Jones22 December 2024 15:25
Line-ups should be announced in the next five minutes or so...
Chris Wilson22 December 2024 15:10
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot hopes Tottenham counterpart Ange Postecoglou’s bold attacking style is rewarded with a trophy – just not the Carabao Cup this season.
The pair meet each other in the Premier League on Sunday as a prelude to their two-legged semi-final in January and February.
Postecoglou’s brand of football has earned him plaudits and criticism, sometimes at the same time, as was evident in Thursday’s 4-3 victory over Manchester United when they almost squandered a 3-0 lead in their quarter-final tie.
The pair meet each other in the Premier League on Sunday as a prelude to their two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final in the new year.
Chris Wilson22 December 2024 15:05
Dominic Solanke says the Tottenham squad love Ange Postecoglou’s unique style of play and are convinced it can end the club’s trophy drought.
Solanke starred for Spurs in Thursday’s 4-3 win over Manchester United in the Carabao Cup with a brace, but a dramatic finale sparked more debate around Postecoglou’s bold front-foot philosophy and relentless attacking approach.
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher has repeatedly stated Postecoglou must change and cannot play the same way for 90 minutes, which was echoed by Jamie Redknapp even though injury-hit Tottenham set up a last-four showdown with Liverpool in midweek.
Tottenham’s £65million forward Dominic Solanke has targeted more goals and silverware in 2025.
Chris Wilson22 December 2024 14:55
The report from a frantic Spurs win last time out...
As Son Heung-min wheeled away and the Tottenham fans on the South Stand bounced their way into the Carabao Cup semi-finals, it was fitting of this bonkers, breathless tie against Manchester United that the winning goal would come straight from a corner kick. A huge night for Ange Postecoglou, as Spurs moved a step closer to lifting their first trophy since 2008, came with relief as Son’s corner made sure they rescued themselves from embarrassment. “Are you not entertained?” Postecoglou grinned. Aware that there would be criticism of his side’s near-collapse, he was proud of what he saw, too.
Postecoglou and Ruben Amorim chuckled as they fell into each other’s arms at full-time. How could they not after this? Tottenham are through to the semi-finals, where they will face Liverpool over two legs, but this was a tie that evidenced why these teams are currently 10th and 13th and showed how much work both managers have to do. For Postecoglou, at least, his injury-hit side displayed resilience after spectacularly shooting themselves in the foot - twice. Archie Gray, at 18, was remarkable continuing as a makeshift centre-back.
Tottenham Hotspur 4-3 Manchester United: Spurs recovered from Fraser Forster’s mistakes in a breathless tie as Ange Postecoglou’s side reached the semi-finals
Chris Wilson22 December 2024 14:35
In the immediate aftermath of the Manchester derby, Pep Guardiola was dumbfounded. He wasn’t, for once amid recent form, the only one. It was a common sensation around the Premier League over the weekend, which seemed to reach new levels of chaos.
Even one of the dullest Manchester derbies in recent history ended up transforming into one of the most sensational, both for the late turnaround and its significance. There was even the drama of the brilliant Amad Diallo vindicating Ruben Amorim’s decision to drop Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho. Tottenham Hotspur went 3-0 up at Southampton within 14 minutes, which led to one of two managerial sackings on the same day. Both Liverpool and Arsenal slipped, while Nottingham Forest continued to defy expectations.
Whatever the fair criticisms of the competition’s many modern issues, the Premier League certainly gives.
Mike Jones