Liverpool will feel exceedingly confident heading into their Premier League clash with Tottenham on Sunday. They’ve lost just once to the Lilywhites at Anfield in their last 23 Premier League home games, winning 15, and appear to have exonerated the nightmares of their shock 1-0 defeat to Swansea City with a convincing victory over Huddersfield last time out.
So will it be another case of Liverpool putting Spurs to the sword on their own patch, or should the Reds be more wary of Mauricio Pochettino’s side this time around? Live4Liverpool editor George Dagless shares his thoughts and predictions ahead of Sunday’s game…
The 4.30pm kickoff could have a huge bearing on the final standings in the Premier League come the end of May. Spurs and Liverpool are currently separated by just two points in the table and both will be desperate for a top four finish at a bare minimum this season, ensuring their place in the Champions League for 2018/19. We often hear about six-pointers in the Premier League, so it will be interesting to see what mentality Liverpool take into a home fixture against a divisional rival.
Is this a must-win game, a must-not-lose game or will results against other Premier League sides matter more this season?
George: “I think for Liverpool it’s must-not-lose. Spurs face Arsenal not long after this game and so long as we don’t lose here and then win when they face-off, we’ll have at least kept our advantage. However, I don’t like the idea of playing for a draw – especially at Anfield with our defence – and so we need to treat it as though it is must-win. Victory widens the gap with Spurs to five points outside the top four and the players should be well aware of that.”
For all their dominance over Tottenham at home, Liverpool were thumped the last time they faced the Lilywhites as Pochettino’s side charged to an emphatic 4-1 victory at Wembley. It was a defeat that cast serious doubts over Liverpool’s top four credentials and also bucked the trend of Jurgen Klopp securing strong results against fellow members of the Big Six.
Are there lessons to be learned from that game or will it be a different kind of encounter at Anfield?
George: “Starting quicker is the first lesson we must learn. Normally the Reds go for it early on in games but at Wembley we were caught cold and out of the match before it had got going. There’s a chance Dejan Lovren could start given Virgil van Dijk is seemingly not fully match fit at the moment and if that is the case the Croatian needs to be concentrating from the first whistle. It sounds simple but switching on from the off would be a marked improvement on last time.”
Despite parting with Philippe Coutinho in January, Liverpool still boast a wealth of options in midfield. Klopp has Adam Lallana, Georginio Wijnaldum, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jordan Henderson, Emre Can and James Milner to choose from for any given fixture, offering a variety of technical quality, physicality, dynamism and experience.
How would you line up Klopp’s three-man midfield against Tottenham?
George: “I’d like to see Oxlade-Chamberlain in a game like this with his energy to drive at the likes of Mousa Dembele and Eric Dier. Henderson will surely play after a good performance coming back from injury at Huddersfield and Can is a certainty after a fine showing in that game as well. Wijnaldum often plays in these big games but I think Oxlade-Chamberlain gives you an extra attacking edge, which you need more of at home.”
In stark contrast to Klopp’s almost immaculate record against the Big Six, especially at Anfield where he’s lost to a Big Six side just once in the Premier League, Pochettino has managed just one away victory against the same opposition during his time as Tottenham gaffer. This season, the Lilywhites have already lost at the Etihad Stadium, the Emirates Stadium and Old Trafford.
What’s the underlying factor in Spurs’ poor results on the road?
George: “I think Spurs have a mental issue in these games. Ability wise they can win these games and at home – White Hart Lane or Wembley – they often have taken the points. Winning an away game like this is different, though, and Spurs haven’t done it enough to believe that they can do so on the regular. I think if Spurs could get to half-time level in more games like this they’d have that extra belief to go out and play in the second half, as well as winning the game.”
What key battle will decide Sunday’s game?
George: “Stopping Harry Kane or Christian Eriksen are the obvious ones but I think we need a plan for Dembele. He’s hitting his stride again and against Manchester United he was terrific – causing Paul Pogba to be subbed. Can is the most similar to him in our midfield and that dynamic of who runs off of who could decide which side has a better foothold in the opposition’s final third. Can has the ability to boss this game but he’s also got tendencies to get overrun – it’s a big clash.”
And finally George, let’s hear your score prediction…
George: “I think there’s a lot of goals in this. Spurs are playing well but it’s another big game at Anfield and one where we could give a real shot in the arm to our top four hopes. I’m expecting the Reds to do the business – 3-2.”
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