Liverpool routs Tottenham to gain ground on Arsenal
LONDON — Liverpool delivered a potent attacking master class on Sunday, with Luis Suarez at his devastating best in a 5-0 rout of Tottenham that signals the team can sustain a Premier League soccer title challenge.
The 18-time champions, who haven’t won the title since 1990, moved two points behind Arsenal after the leaders were stunned 6-3 at Manchester City on Saturday.
Defending champion Manchester United trails Arsenal by 10 points after winning 3-0 at Aston Villa to avoid a third successive league loss.
After Danny Welbeck’s double for United, Suarez netted twice for Liverpool and played a part in the other three goals at White Hart Lane.
After another demoralizing collapse, Tottenham, which see itself as a Champions League team, is five points from fourth place but above United.
It is Liverpool exceeding expectations this season, sitting in second place.
The gulf between Liverpool and Tottenham, although only six points, seemed far wider on the basis of Sunday’s lopsided encounter.
The contrast between the strike forces in the league is glaring.
Suarez has 17 goals in a season that only began in late September as he completed a 10-game biting ban.
Tottenham has scored only 15 times in 16 league games and couldn’t even muster a shot on target against the visitors who were without the injured striker Daniel Sturridge and captain Steven Gerrard on Sunday.
“I loved our arrogance today,” Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said.
At Villa Park, Welbeck seized on Robin van Persie’s injury absence to score his first goal since the opening day of the season in August.
Welbeck buried there bound in the 15th minute after Adnan Januzaj headed against a post, and netted again three minutes later from Antonio Valencia’s cross.
“It is really important for Danny,” United manager David Moyes said. “He is a forward and he needs to get himself goals. He got two poacher types today and he could have had another.
“With Robin out he stepped up to the mark. When you get opportunities, you show what you can do. Danny certainly did that.”
In the day’s other game, Norwich and Swansea drew 1-1.