Postecoglou insists he will not change approach as sublime Liverpool trounce Spurs in festive thriller

Tottenham Hotspur 3 Liverpool 6
The Tottenham faithful accepted their fate long before the end of this masterclass by Liverpool.
While Spurs drew a little fightback in this nine-goal thriller in north London, the reality is that they were emptied by Arne Slot's machine with more than twenty minutes remaining.
It wasn't so much a case of which version of Tottenham would turn up - the attacking, confident one as seen at Manchester City, or the skittish, vulnerable one which has seen them flounder against Chelsea and Bournemouth. Liverpool's sheer superiority in all departments from early on indicated that Ange Postecoglou's hopes for the hosts would be extinguished with minimal fuss.
Spurs are now 11th in the Premier League table, just above Brentford on goal difference. Meanwhile, Liverpool are four points clear of Chelsea with a game in hand - and look in the mood for the title in Slot's first season at the Anfield helm.
The rout was so emphatic Liverpool could have scored more. Yet Tottenham's tentative response - it was quite surreal to think they managed to net three times in a game where they were utterly outclassed - at least ensured Postecoglou was spared very audible wrath from the stands.
The Tottenham boss has had has critics across the season to date, but even those predisposed to doubting the Greek-Australian could not summon much energy to jeer at the climax. Theirs was a recognition of losing to a well-drilled outfit, comprehensively superior in thought and movement.
The Reds went 1-0 up, courtesy of a Luis Diaz header and Alexis MacAllister doubled the lead inside 35 minutes before Spurs' responded against the run of play with a neat, curling shot by James Maddison.
Yet Dominik Szoboszlai - the man of the match where there were many contenders in red - slipped the ball under Forster to leave the Merseysiders 3-1 ahead at the break.
Risky
Spurs' risky strategy to attack as part of Postecoglou's stated credo, at the start of the second half always had potential for further punishment from Slot's effervescent side.
And in the 54th minute Liverpool added a fourth on the counter attack. Diaz and Cody Gakpo combined superbly on the left before the latter's low cross caused sufficient confusion in the home ranks for Mohamed Salah to tap home inside the six yard area.
Impressively, Liverpool made it 5-1 just part the hour mark. Szoboszlai drove forward with Spurs all at sea further up the pitch and, linking well with Gakpo, the assist was an easy conversion for Salah.
Then, the brief Tottenham fightback. Or one to at least to provide some respectability.
A more convincing foray in the 71st minute saw Spurs' striker Dominic Solanke cleverly chipping the ball into the path of the onrushing Dejan Kulusevski who volleyed home, left footed.
With eight minutes remaining and the home crowd silenced by Liverpool's sheer command, Tottenham somehow made it 3-5. Solanke forced the ball past Reds' keeper Alisson Becker after Brennan Johnson headed Lucas Bergvall's back post cross for the striker.
In 85 minutes, again, as Tottenham's stuttering cavalier instincts got the better of them, a quick fire move involving Szoboszlai and Salah saw Diaz tee-up to drill low past Forster, thus wrapping up a stunning score line.
A final flutter from the north Londoners saw Alisson denying Johnson with a great stop. Little moments like this at least gives Postecoglou some consolation.
"It was a difficult day for us. Credit to Liverpool who are a very good side in great form," said the Spurs chief. "It was a bridge too far for us today. You could tell we were lacking a bit of energy and couldn't complete with them at the same level. They are a top side.
'Challenges'
"People think I should just change and miraculously make us a different team - but I'm just staying focused in building this team. I'm going to have to accept there will be challenges along the way.
"We're still growing as a team and 18 months into a new way of playing. It's fair to say we've had challenges along the way. I'm really proud that they still tried to play a certain way."
Postecoglou also accepts there will be mixed feelings across the Tottenham fan base, particularly after taxing days on home soil, albeit against the title favourites.
He added: "I thought the fans were good today on what was a difficult day. Maybe some of them actually understand the situation we're in right now even if many of them don't. I hope they can see what we're trying to build here but that's up to the situation. I haven't been able to rest players or rotate players. That won't change in the short term."
Slot, meanwhile, admitted he enjoyed much of Liverpool's performance against Tottenham, a team he respects.
"Until 60-65 minutes I really, really enjoyed that," said the Liverpool boss.
"It was our best performance away from home. I was pleased to score six goals but it could have been more. Maybe when you are 5-1 up it is normal to say 'okay'. But Tottenham still had an attacking threat.
"You have to keep on going every game, every three or four days. It is not easy. I didn't expect Chelsea to drop points today (away to Everton). But that's the Premier League and why it is so popular."
When asked about potential recruitment, Postecoglou indicated that he hopes to bring in new players if the "right ones become available."
"We're in a difficult situation. All I can do is navigate us through this period," he concluded.
At least the Australian won't have too many chastening afternoons of such depth as this one, while Liverpool march on with full title intent.
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