Venue: Anfield
Liverpool form last five games (including Europa league ties):
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Tottenham form last five games (including Europa league ties):
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Premier League football finally returns as Liverpool host title chasing Tottenham in a highly anticipated clash this weekend after the international break. The recent break has seen the likes of Dele Alli, Kyle Walker, Harry Kane, Daniel Sturridge, Jordan Henderson, Eric Dier, Adam Lallana, Danny Rose and Nathaniel Clyne, to name a few, starring for England as they compete for a spot in Roy Hodgson’s Euro 2016 squad.
On the Liverpool side
The Reds will be seeking an immediate response to their shocking 3-2 defeat last time out in the Premier League, when they somehow allowed Southampton to come back from 2-0 down to snatch the three points and derail their fight for a top four spot after a largely positive March that notably saw the Reds knocking their historic rivals Manchester United out of the Europa League.
Liverpool will continue to miss influential midfielder Lucas Leiva, who is still struggling with a thigh injury since the Capital One Cup final. Brazilian Roberto Firmino who has since scored nine goals and made eight assists in his debut season, sat out the 3-2 defeat with a hamstring injury, and remains a doubt for Saturday. Klopp could be left further short up front with strikers Divock Origi and Christian Benteke both doubts for the clash at Anfield after pulling out of the Belgium squad due to injury. On a more positive note, star playmaker Phillippe Coutinho could be set for a return, with his fitness to be assessed before the game. Captain Jordan Henderson and striker Daniel Sturridge both returned unscathed from international duty and are set to feature, with both no doubt determined make an impact having seemingly failed to make the impact they would have expected themselves to make in England’s two friendly matches.
Arguably, the Reds have little left to fight for in the Premier League already, with the aim now being mainly to finish as high as possible, with a top four spot looking extremely unlikely. A win on Saturday would at most see the Reds move up to seventh in the table.
On the Tottenham side:
While Liverpool have little to be excited about in the Premier League, Spurs have plenty of incentive to grab a win on Saturday as they look to close the five-point gap on league leaders Leicester, while also widening the gap between them and cross town rivals Arsenal, who sit in third place with 55 points and a game in hand.
Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino is set to be once again unable to call on key defender Jan Vertonghen while Erik Lamela is a doubt after reportedly having suffered a muscle injury while training with Argentina. On the other hand, Toby Alderweireld is expected to be fit despite withdrawing from the Belgium squad with a stomach illness. Much will once again rest on the youthful English duo of Harry Kane and Dele Alli, who have been beyond impressive this season as Pochettino side look to take full advantage of the stumbles of traditional powerhouses Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and City. It will also be a clear chance for Harry Kane to prove his claim for a starting place in England’s Euro lineup ahead of compatriot Daniel Sturridge.
Past head to head statistics:
Liverpool has won four out of their last five Barclays Premier League meetings with Tottenham, the London side have also failed to score in four of those last five Premier League meetings.
Apart from their most recent Premier League meeting which ended goalless at White Hart Lane earlier in the season, the Reds have managed to score at least three times in each of their past four meetings.
Although recent history seems to be on Liverpool’s side, Spurs can take confidence in the fact that they have lost just one of their last 14 Premier League away matches (W8 D5 L1).