The Hard Tackle lists three players who can singlehandedly influence the tie when Tottenham and Liverpool clash on Saturday.
The 2023/24 season has produced several eye-catching fixtures already, with another on the cards this weekend. Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool will bring the curtains down on the action on Saturday when they lock horns at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Tottenham Hotspur might not have envisioned an immediate impact by Ange Postecoglou. But the Australian tactician has taken no time to get his ideas through and forge a solid squad. His charges have produced an eye-catching brand of football while embarking on an unbeaten start to the Premier League table.
On the other hand, Liverpool would have hoped to get back into the upper echelons of the Premier League this term after a forgettable 2022/23 campaign. The Reds have done exactly that, with Jurgen Klopp overseeing a solid summer transfer window. And his players have been top-notch for much of the season thus far, rising to second on the table.
Matches between Tottenham and Liverpool often produce fireworks, and Saturday’s fixture should be no different. But a few players can singlehandedly influence the tie with their performances in such games. With that in mind, The Hard Tackle lists three candidates who can be “key players” this weekend.
Son Heung-min
Son Heung-min is the first ever Tottenham player to score twice in a Premier League North London Derby at the Emirates. ⚽⚽ pic.twitter.com/OwDR9ycKrq
— Squawka (@Squawka) September 24, 2023
Our list begins with a player who has been rediscovering his best form this season. That some top-class performances have come in the absence of Harry Kane makes his resurgence promising for the rest of the season. We are talking about Son Heung-min.
Son has often produced his best displays in tandem with Kane. But with the England captain now at Bayern Munich, the onus was immediately on the South Korean attacker to shoulder more responsibility. He has done that with aplomb thus far, scoring some scintillating goals.
The 31-year-old was on the money last weekend as Tottenham held Arsenal to a 2-2 draw, with the Tottenham skipper scoring both goals for his team. Meanwhile, his performances have not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of Real Madrid.
But Son will not pay attention to Real Madrid’s interest yet, considering these are still early days in the season. Meanwhile, Tottenham will look to tie him to a new contract in the coming weeks. But the focus right now will be to deliver the goods against Liverpool, which Son is capable of doing.
Darwin Nunez
.@Darwinn99 ➡️ @MoSalah
Last time out in #TOTLIV ⏪ pic.twitter.com/GnpJvNAgyV
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 30, 2023
From one attacker to another, we continue our list with a forward from the Liverpool squad. Like Son Heung-min, this player has been on a resurgent run in the early days of the 2023/24 season. We are, of course, talking about Darwin Nunez.
The Uruguayan international was the subject of ridicule during his debut season with Liverpool. Many branded him a flop after he failed to hit the ground running at Anfield. But the youngster showed promising signs as the campaign drew to a close.
Nunez has continued from where he left off last season, scoring some crucial goals already for Liverpool. The 24-year-old has four goals and two assists in eight outings thus far, with most of his exploits coming off the bench.
But the former Benfica striker will likely feature in the starting lineup on Saturday, putting the onus on him to repeat his heroics from the get-go. And if he rises to the occasion, Nunez might inspire Liverpool to a big win over Tottenham this weekend.
Richarlison
Big chance for either Solomon or Richarlison today with Johnson being out.
Massive game with the crowd going to be up for it, chance to make it another memorable match under Ange. #THFC pic.twitter.com/D3p4On5FeJ
— Mitch Fretton (@mitch_fretton) September 30, 2023
Our list ends with another attacker, and it is a rarity that such lists only feature players from one category. Nonetheless, focusing on the matter at hand, our final pick comes from Tottenham. We are talking about Richarlison.
The Brazilian international has had it tough since joining Tottenham Hotspur from Everton in a big-money deal. He arrived at the North London club with lofty expectations, hoping to become a prolific attacker. But he left much to be desired in the 2022/23 campaign.
Things went from bad to worse in the early days of the 2023/24 season, and Richarlison looked a shell of a player he was at Everton. But Ange Postecoglou’s helping hand is seemingly galvanising the underconfident Brazilian. And he has already shown what he can do if he is in the right head space.
Unlikely to start on Saturday, he will have to perform some heroics off the bench. But taking on a tiring Liverpool defence with pace and power might be a stroke of genius from Postecoglou. And if Richarlison can rise to the occasion, Tottenham will likely grab three points.
