Liverpool lift title and send Postecoglou close to exit

In front of their own Anfield disciples on Sunday, Arne Slot's Liverpool overcame the early rude shock of a Spurs goal from Dominic Solanke to pulverise the hapless visitors on their irresistible march to glory.

First-half strikes from Luis Díaz, Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo put them in control, before party time really began after the break when Mohamed Salah, inevitably, got in on the act with a fourth before grabbing a phone from a fan in the Kop and treating him to a selfie.

When Destiny Udogie's own goal completed Spurs' misery, it felt like the worst possible way for 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.

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.

It was a monumental achievement by manager Slot, who had the seemingly unenviable task of succeeding the hugely successful and popular Jurgen Klopp in the summer.

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."

Slot is the first Dutch manager to win in the Premier League era and the fifth man to triumph a debut campaign after Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Manuel Pellegrini and Antonio Conte.

Before that era began, Liverpool bosses Joe Fagan (1983-84) and Kenny Dalglish (1985-86) had also won at the first time of asking.

Slot, astonishingly, also achieved the feat with a month of the season remaining, with Liverpool now 15 points clear of Arsenal with four rounds left after being top of the table every day since November 2.

Remarkably, it was the first time in 35 years that the fans at Anfield were able to enjoy witnessing the title being won at their famous old fortress.

During their last win under Klopp five years ago, the season finished behind closed doors because of the COVID lockdown restrictions.

But this time, the most emotional of renditions of "You'll Never Walk Alone" from the 60,415 crowd rang around the third Liverpool cathedral.

"This is way better, 100 percent," Salah said. "It feels more special with the fans. You have a different group now, a different manager. To show you are able to do it again is something special."

It will all have been hard to hear for Manchester United fans, who earlier in the afternoon had watched their team scrape a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth through a Rasmus Hojlund goal in added time.

They'd been on course to lose for a 16th time in the league this season after Antoine Semenyo's first-half strike, but the sending off of Evanilson for a lunge on Noussair Mazraoui in the 70th minute helped United's salvage mission.

With agencies

Australian Associated Press