10 essential things to know ahead of Liverpool vs Tottenham 

Tottenham are the visitors on Sunday at Anfield while Liverpool aim for the three points against a European football rival.

Liverpool vs. Tottenham 

The next game at Anfield offers Liverpool the chance to win a fourth successive Premier League game for the second time this season.

In their own way, a Tottenham side have had more managers in the last five weeks than Liverpool in the last 11 years. Here are 10 essential things to know ahead of Liverpool vs Tottenham.

1. Good news about injuries

Having missed out on Liverpool’s win at West Ham as a precaution, Ibrahima Konate could start after Jurgen Klopp said he would ‘come back’.

The other most notable news from the team is that Diogo Jota ‘got a slap on the back’ last time out but ‘should be fine’.

Naby Keita was also mentioned and his manager said he will train on Friday.

Meanwhile, Roberto Firmino and long-term absentees Stefan Bajcetic and Calvin Ramsay are out through injury. 2. Do you expect any changes?

Klopp is expected to stick to his mantra that ‘willingness to counter-press’ is the key attribute in his team selection.

With that in mind, it’s likely that Curtis Jones will keep his place in midfield and Jota will also start if he’s fit.

Both have repaid their manager’s confidence after periods of inactivity in recent weeks. Jordan Henderson or Fabinho could be alternated as Liverpool have played six games in 19 days – Thiago would be the man most likely to replace either midfielder.

Expected XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson, Jones; Salah, Jota, Gakpo

3. Tottenham’s turbulence

While Tottenham showed resilience as they came from behind from 2-0 down to draw Man United on Thursday, the last few months have been a disaster for the most part.

The sacking of Antonio Conte did nothing to improve Tottenham’s form and interim manager Cristian Stellini was sacked when Spurs were humiliated at St James’ Park.

The visitors, who lost 6-1 to Newcastle, were surprisingly 5-0 down within 21 minutes of kick-off. Now Ryan Mason holds the reins until the end of the season and has previously said he feels “ready” to make the job permanent.

4. Injuries affect visitors

Against Man United, Mason opted for a three-way comeback with Clement Lenglet alongside Eric Dier and Cristian Romero in defence.

While Ivan Perisic provided width from the left, Pedro Porro showed his best game in a Spurs shirt when he netted and played at right-back.

With Fraser Forster replacing Hugo Lloris, Tottenham are left without their injured captain and goalkeeper after being taken off at half-time during the embarrassing spectacle at Newcastle. Adding to Spurs concerns is the absence of Ryan Sessegnon, Yves Bissouma, Emerson Royal and Rodrigo Bentancur, who will all be missing in the Anfield clash.

5. A clean slate

After walking a tightrope in the last two games, Fabinho can finally rest easy knowing he would only be banned from the Premier League with a red card.

The Brazilian started the Reds’ last two games knowing he would face a two-game ban if warned.
However, all nine of Fabinho’s cards have now been erased and should clear the Brazilian for a cynical foul if necessary. It comes at the right time as Klopp said Tottenham have been ‘the best counter-attacking team in Europe for years’ and they still have the players who helped them get there.

6. Do you double?

Liverpool have the opportunity to complete a fourth double in five years against Tottenham after beating them 2-1 in north London in November.

Mo Salah was in the brace himself that day as Liverpool led 2-0 at half-time before Harry Kane pulled one back to make it a nervy finish. While the defense will likely remain the same, just two more outfielders who started at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in November will start on Sunday: Salah and Fabinho.

7. Liverpool has Eurovision

With Champions League qualification seemingly out of reach, Liverpool must battle Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton and Aston Villa for the remaining European places.

The maximum number of points Liverpool can reach is 71, while Brighton can reach 73 – a total that Newcastle and Manchester United could both achieve with two games to spare.

Finishing in fifth or sixth place would be enough to qualify for the Europa League, while seventh would guarantee a first appearance in the UEFA Europa Conference League. 8. Did you know?

If Salah does play, it will be his 300th appearance for Liverpool, more than anyone in the squad apart from Henderson, James Milner and Roberto Firmino.
The Egyptian’s next goal sees him fifth on the club’s all-time top goalscorers list alongside Harry Chambers with 135.

9. Tierney takes over

The referee for this case is Paul Tierney, to whom Klopp once said: “I don’t have a problem with referees, just you.”

Hopefully they both stay out of the headlines this week.
Tierney’s assistants are Richard West and Matthew Wilke, while David Coote is the main VAR.
John Brooks is the fourth official.

10. Follow the game with TIA

Liverpool vs. Tottenham are live on Sky Sports Premier League, starting at 4.30pm (BST).

TIA’s match day live blog will be available from 3:45pm, with Henry Jackson in charge of keeping you busy and up to date.

Also.. 

Liverpool ‘weapon’ in Champions League race is an open secret that Harry Kane just admitted

Liverpool could miss out on a Champions League place next season, but the Reds must heed the words of an Anfield ‘Boot Room’ member and secure European football one way or another.

Liverpool Football Club without European football is like a banquet without wine. Those were the words of former Liverpool manager and Anfield ‘Boot Room’ member Roy Evans.

Looking back on the next few years, the last five years under Jürgen Klopp will likely be seen alongside the glory days of the 1970s and 1980s, with the Reds enjoying success both domestically and in Europe, even going back to being world champions . in 2019. There is no doubt, however, that this season has been a bit of a disappointment for the German coach’s men, especially considering the high standards they have set themselves in recent years. That said, while no further trophies will be added to Anfield’s trophy cabinet during the remaining weeks of this season, there is still plenty to play for in the remaining six games of this Premier League season. With both Newcastle United and Manchester United ever closer to qualifying for next year’s Champions League, it’s clear that achieving a Europa League place must now be the goal.

Whether or not Champions League football is still viable for Liverpool this season, there are plenty of practical and emotional reasons why securing European football should be of paramount importance to the Reds. For starters, the Reds squad is set to play up to three times a week, with the benefits of using the Europa League group stage, for example, as a place to bleed youngsters and limit players’ playing time also to the advantage of hand retention. .

Furthermore, the financial benefits of participating in the Europa League should not be overlooked either. While the competition is not as lucrative as the Champions League, there is income to be gained by going deep into the round of 16. Furthermore, if the Reds manage to win the league next year, it would be another chance to secure a place in Europe’s top flight.

We mustn’t overlook the romantic element of being in Europe, which is so important for the fans as well. An opportunity to potentially add to the club’s illustrious European history should go unnoticed, with memorable runs in the league often providing a stepping stone to greater success further down the line, as was the case with the Reds’ UEFA Cup victories in 1976 . and 2001, as well as a run to the Europa League final in Klopp’s first season.

The good news is that things are starting to look up in terms of qualification, with an additional Europa League spot at the end of May set to come from an unlikely source. Having reached the FA Cup final against city rivals Manchester City, Manchester United will earn them a place in the Europa League next year. However, if they qualify for Europe’s elite competition, as expected, the Europa League spot will go to the side that finish sixth in the Premier League this season.

Additionally, should the above scenario materialize, the Europa Conference League place the Red Devils won by winning the Carabao Cup earlier this season would then go to the side who occupy seventh place in the Premier League. . With Liverpool seventh in the table, it’s more than likely to guarantee a European spot next season – should Newcastle United and Manchester United see the season finish in the top four. However, given the inconsistencies in Klopp’s squad this season, it is uncertain whether Liverpool will remain seventh in the table, with the upcoming game against Tottenham potentially a major hurdle for the Reds. The fact that the Merseysiders will play three of their remaining six home games of the season will in many ways be a huge asset in their quest for European football.

As Harry Kane himself said this week ahead of his team’s trip to Anfield, Liverpool’s ground is “a very difficult place”. The Spurs talisman was all too aware of what could weigh on the clash between the Premier League’s fifth and seventh-placed sides, adding: “They’re in a similar position to fight for the places we’re looking for. let’s fight, so much roll over it. It’s up to us to recover and show the character we showed in the second half and to be brave at Anfield.

Looking at the contrast between Liverpool’s home and away form, there is no doubt that Anfield seem to have a scare factor for opposing teams. Even amid this season’s troubles, the Reds would sit fourth in the table if only home results were taken into account – they would sit ninth away.

It’s clear that Anfield is a daunting place even for players of the England captain’s experience and quality, and that ‘X-Factor’ could well give the Reds a significant advantage in the race for Europe. The crowd will no doubt be with Klopp’s players in the remaining four home games of the season, and now they have to harness that energy to finish the season on a high.