Liverpool will host Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on Sunday, aiming to keep their rapidly fading title hopes alive.
With just three matches remaining in the Jurgen Klopp era, Liverpool will look to finish the season strongly and give him the send-off he deserves, starting with the game against Tottenham Hotspur.
The Reds have already secured qualification for the UEFA Champions League, and they practically have nothing to play for, although they can still mathematically win the Premier League title. However, the home fans will be expecting a strong performance here.
Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur are still pushing for UEFA Champions League qualification, and they are coming into this game on the back of three consecutive defeats in the league. They will be desperate to bounce back and close the gap to Aston Villa.
Tottenham managed to beat Liverpool earlier on in the season, and it remains to be seen whether they can complete a league double over the Reds. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Liverpool
Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara will not play again this season. Conor Bradley has resumed training, but Diogo Jota is sidelined with a muscle injury. Virgil van Dijk has not trained during the midweek, and he could be left out as a precaution.
Liverpool will shape up in a 4-3-3 formation, with Alisson Becker in goal. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson will start as the full-backs, and they will look to contribute at both ends of the pitch. Ibrahima Konate will start alongside Joe Gomez at the heart of the defence.
In the middle of the park, Wataru Endo will start as the defensive midfielder, and he will look to break up opposition attacks. Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister will look to add creativity and control on either side of him. Darwin Nunez will lead the line for Liverpool against Tottenham, with Mohamed Salah on his right and Luis Diaz on the left.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Gomez, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Endo, Mac Allister; Salah, Nunez, Diaz
Tottenham Hotspur
Destiny Udogie has been ruled out for the season with a thigh injury, while Fraser Forster remains sidelined with an ankle problem. Ryan Sessegnon is a long-term absentee because of a thigh injury, and Timo Werner has been ruled out for the season with a hamstring issue of his own.
Meanwhile, Manor Solomon remains sidelined with a knee problem, and he is likely to go under the knife once again. Finally, Ben Davies has a calf injury and he is unlikely to return this season. Spurs will shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Guglielmo Vicario in goal.
Pedro Porro and Micky van de Ven will start in the full-back positions, and they will look to protect the central defenders and provide width to the side as well. Cristian Romero will start at the heart of the defence alongside Radu Dragusin.
As for the midfield unit, Rodrigo Bentancur is likely to start alongside Yves Bissouma in the double pivot. They will look to protect the central defenders and add defensive cover and physicality to the side.
James Maddison will start as the central attacking midfielder, and he will look to create goalscoring opportunities in the final third. Brennan Johnson and Son Heung-min will start in the wide areas. They will look to link up with the striker Richarlison and open up the Liverpool defence.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Vicario; Porro, Romero, Dragusin, van de Ven; Bentancur, Bissouma; Johnson, Maddison, Son; Richarlison
Key Stats
- Liverpool are undefeated in 34 of their last 38 matches in the Premier League.
- Liverpool are undefeated in their last 13 home matches against Tottenham in all competitions.
- Tottenham have been losing at both half time and full time in their last three matches in the Premier League.
- 23 goals have been scored in the last six meetings between these two sides.
- Tottenham have conceded 12 goals in their last six outings.
Player to Watch
Mohamed Salah
The Egyptian has been below par in his last few outings, and he will be desperate to finish the season strongly. The 31-year-old has 17 goals and nine assists in the league so far, and he will look to add to his tally here.
Salah is up against a struggling Tottenham team, and he will look to make his mark against the north London club here. The Liverpool talisman is our key player to watch out for, and the Reds will need him to step up if they want to grind out all three points here.
Prediction
Liverpool 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Both clubs are going through a rough patch right now, and they have not been at their best. Liverpool’s quadruple-chasing season came crashing down in recent weeks, and Tottenham have been quite disappointing as well.
Spurs could easily miss out on UEFA Champions League qualification given their recent form. Both teams will be desperate for a win, and it will not be a surprise if they end up cancelling each other out in a draw.
