Liverpool equalled the Premier League's record win as they crushed sorry Bournemouth 9-0 at Anfield to claim their first victory of the season.
Jurgen Klopp's side had gone into the game facing pointed questions about a team depleted by injuries following a 2-1 loss to Manchester United on Monday.
But those questions were answered in remarkable fashion against Scott Parker's side as they scored twice in the opening six minutes and five times in the first half.
Luis Diaz opened the scoring with a fine header before Harvey Elliott found the net for the first time in the Premier League. Trent Alexander-Arnold answered critics of his performance at Old Trafford with a spectacular strike before Roberto Firmino capped a three-assist first half with a goal and Virgil van Dijk headed in the fifth.
Chris Mepham's own goal continued the rout after the restart, while Firmino and Diaz each doubled their tallies either side of a Fabio Carvalho goal to make Premier League history.
Diaz found the top-right corner with a powerful header back across goal from Firmino's cross, and Elliott produced both placement and power to bend into the bottom-left corner from the edge of the area.
Mohamed Salah twice saw gilt-edged chances go begging, turning wide at the end of an intricate move involving Diaz, Firmino and Elliott before his close-range volley was turned over by Mark Travers.
Yet Travers was helpless to deny Alexander-Arnold as he rifled a scorching long-range strike into the top-left corner and he was soon picking the ball out of his net once more when the excellent Firmino volleyed in after Salah's pass was deflected into his path.
There was yet more first-half pain for Bournemouth, which came courtesy of Van Dijk, whose towering header from Andrew Robertson's corner made it 5-0.
Bournemouth's day was encapsulated under 60 seconds into the second half when Mepham turned into his own net under pressure from Diaz, who was in an offside position.
Firmino prodded in after Travers spilled Robertson's cross, with Carvalho then getting in the on the act with a volley and Diaz tying the record through a header from a near-post corner.
Postecoglou: Spurs have a confidence problem to overcome
Ange Postecoglou says that Tottenham need to "overcome" their low confidence after suffering a 4-2 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday.
Spurs slipped to their fourth consecutive Premier League defeat, being left to bemoan their slow start as they found themselves 4-0 down by the hour mark thanks to goals from Mohamed Salah, Andrew Robertson, Cody Gakpo and Harvey Elliott.
Richarlison came off the bench to salvage some pride for Spurs, scoring one before setting up Son Heung-min for a goal on his 300th Premier League appearance.
Spurs had the opportunity to cut the gap to the top four after Aston Villa’s defeat to Brighton, but they remain seven points off a Champions League spot.
Postecoglou’s side still have a game in hand over the Villans, though he was sure that Spurs would be able to put their recent poor run behind them.
Asked if Spurs had a confidence problem, Postecoglou told Sky Sports: "Maybe in the front third there is.
"It probably is a bit of a lack of confidence, but again, that's something the guys have to work through.
"You have to find a way to overcome that because, ultimately, if you don't put pressure on the opposition in the front third after you've worked your way up there, they're going to get comfortable with their position."
Spurs have won just one of their last nine Premier League away games, failing to win any of the last five.
Despite that run extending at Anfield, Postecoglou highlighted what he thought was an improvement on their recent performances.
He continued: "Obviously a hugely disappointing outcome for us but at least we were more like ourselves today in terms of our football.
"Our last two away games at Newcastle and Chelsea, apart from the results which weren't great either, we just didn't try and play our football.
"I thought today, even in the first half, some of our football, our pressing was back to where it should be."
Klopp hails 'special' Anfield following Tottenham win
Jurgen Klopp says Anfield "was a special place" after Liverpool got back to winning ways at home against Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday.
The Reds cruised into a 4-0 lead against Spurs by the 59th minute as Mohamed Salah and Harvey Elliott played starring roles, with Andrew Robertson and Cody Gakpo also getting on the scoresheet.
They were set up for a slightly nervous finish by Spurs, with substitute Richarlison coming on to score and assist late on to half the deficit to 4-2 by the final whistle.
Victory kept Liverpool’s very slim title hopes alive after a recent dip in form that saw them take just one win from five before this, and Klopp was pleased with the Reds’ reaction in his penultimate game at Anfield.
"We are outstanding until we are not," the German told Sky Sports. "It was a really good game. Tottenham can put pressure on Aston Villa again for the Champions League. In high-performance things, you need a spark.
"Anfield was a special place today. We were 4-0 up, I made the changes, and we lost organisation. Tottenham showed how good they could be. I was happy with the performance.
"We were good in pretty much all areas offensively. The passes were good. So many things were good. We stayed calm. As long as they don't break the lines, then it's fine. Let them pass. I liked our game a lot. The goals were outstanding.
"You do it when you do it and if you miss it, then you miss it. If we win all three, then we can achieve the fifth-highest points tally of Liverpool.
"I would be lying if I said I was at my highest emotion, but I have another game. In two weeks’ time is another day. I have said it before, I love absolutely everything about this club."
Salah was restored to the starting line-up against Spurs after making headlines last weekend for a spat with Klopp on the sideline before he was brought on as a substitute.
He scored the opening goal for Liverpool and became the first player in Premier League history to score 10+ goals and provide 10+ assists in three consecutive seasons. He is also only the second player to tally 10+ in both in five separate seasons in the competition overall, after Wayne Rooney.
After assuring that the rift between him and Salah was resolved in the build-up to this game, Klopp was quick to praise his star man.
He added: "Mo was outstanding, he played a really good game. His side with Harvey [Elliott] was good. I was pleased for him.
"None of the boys want to play not great, why would they? Mo showed what he is capable of."
Salah makes Premier League history in Anfield thriller
Mohamed Salah made more Premier League history as he scored and provided an assist in Liverpool's 4-2 win over Tottenham.
Salah, who had a public disagreement with outgoing Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp during last week's 2-2 draw with West Ham, was back at his best as the Reds returned to winning ways on Sunday.
He opened the scoring in the 16th minute at Anfield, where Liverpool cruised into a 4-0 lead before Spurs fought back to make matters interesting late on.
Harvey Elliott curled in Liverpool's fourth goal, having received a pass from Salah, who in the process went into the Premier League's record books.
Salah is the first player in Premier League history to score 10+ goals and provide 10+ assists in three consecutive seasons.
Meanwhile, he is also only the second player to tally 10+ in both in five separate seasons in the competition overall, after Wayne Rooney.
"Mo was absolutely outstanding," Klopp told Sky Sports.
Salah's earlier goal had also seen him draw level with Harry Kane as the highest goalscorer in Premier League matches between Liverpool and Spurs, with nine. He is also squandered a great chance to make it 5-2, before seeing a goal disallowed for offside in stoppage time.
Indeed, the fixture itself is now the highest-scoring one in Premier League history, having overtaken Arsenal v Liverpool.
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