Our live stream ahead of Thursdays Premier League match, Tottenham vs Liverpool is now up, kicking off at 20.00 GMT
You can keep an eye on the commentary as it happens below, but first, we take a preview into the fixture, lineups, predictions and much more…
Monday’s 4-1 thrashing of Wycombe means that Spurs have now tasted success in five of their last six matches across all competitions – scoring 18 goals and conceding just three in that run – but Mourinho still has his work cut out for him if Spurs are to mount another charge for a maiden Premier League title.
Spurs have eased past Leeds United and Sheffield United either side of a draw with Fulham in 2021, but Spurs have only managed to take maximum points from two of their last seven Premier League outings to sit fifth in the table – one behind fourth-placed Liverpool and seven behind leaders Manchester United – who have both played a game more.
As the only team in the top 13 without a win in their last five league matches, Liverpool’s hard-earned crown is slowly slipping off amid their alarming goal drought.
A 1-0 home defeat to Burnley – their first top-flight defeat at Anfield since April 2017 – represented their fourth league game in a row without finding the back of the net, meaning that the Reds are suffering their worst goal drought for over 20 years.
It is simply unfathomable to imagine a team that boasts the famed attacking trio of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino struggling for goals, but whispers surrounding the former’s future are not helping matters in the slightest, although he did manage to break his duck against Man United in the FA Cup.
LAST MEETING:
The two clubs last met in December, with Liverpool coming back from behind to win 2-1 at Anfield…
PRESS CONFERENCE:
JOSE MOURINHO
On his birthday…
“It was good because it was the day after a victory. It was good because I was able to be with my people here and to be with my family. Everything was calm, but good. A good feeling.”
Team news…
“We have some problems, I don’t want to speak about them, I don’t want to give any information – I’m not really happy to say player A, B or C is not in the squad but we have problems that in the end are normal problems.
“We cannot expect to be playing so many matches without problems so it’s a normal situation, we are going to miss a couple of players but that’s that. We are ready for the game.”
On playing Liverpool during their slump in form…
“Now or later… it doesn’t make a huge difference. It’s just a bit strange that we’ve finished the first 19 matches playing twice against Liverpool and not playing against Aston Villa – it’s just a bit weird – but to play Liverpool is always a motivation, especially in the last years where they were dominant in our league, winning in Europe, amazing team, so it’s a good motivation to play.”
Shutouts to continue?
“They scored seven against Crystal Palace and then they didn’t score goals in some matches but the chances were there. When a team is not creating chances, you just feel that not scoring goals is a natural consequence of it, but when a team creates chances, you have to believe that at any time, they can score.
“In fact, in the last match, they went to Manchester United, they saved some players, they didn’t risk players like (Joel) Matip, (Jordan) Henderson, (Sadio) Mane, so they went a little bit relaxed about what the game meant for them, they clearly showed that the game for them is the next one and the next one is us.
“Liverpool is a fantastic team, they went to Manchester, they scored two goals, they could score three or four, so for me they’re a top team.”
Source of goals?
“That’s good for us, that’s important for us. Of course, the story will not change, like it never changes in other clubs. For us, Son and Kane, Kane and Son, they will score more goals than other people and you go to the majority of the clubs and there is always one or two ahead of others, but it’s important to have some goals from other people and it’s good, it’s a good feeling.”
JURGEN KLOPP
On the difference in the teams from his first match in charge of Liverpool against Tottenham in October 2015…
“It was a completely different situation. When I arrived in England, Spurs was, for sure, the most talented squad – incredibly talented players and very young.
“I forget now, 100 per cent, a couple of them, but Lloris was maybe not a kid anymore but in the best age for a goalie, Harry Kane, Eriksen, Dele Alli, Eric Dier, Lamela, Davies, Alderweireld. So they were all really young at that time and already really good.
“They were upcoming and it was just a matter of time before they would be really successful – and by the way, they were really successful, I think they came second that year if I am 100 per cent right.
“It was a different situation and when I arrived here, I had a different squad, I had a different age group, we had to change things and so that’s different. It says nothing, it is just more about how the situation was at that time. They were in the best age and we weren’t.
“They were in a really good place and we weren’t. So, you have to make more changes then if you are not happy with the situation and that’s what we tried to do.”
On Liverpool’s tough run coming up and how they will approach these fixtures…
“First and foremost, and you might remember it, we never thought about the game after the next game. So we play Tottenham, nothing else.
“We only have to play Tottenham and we don’t have to play the other four, whatever it is. It’s tough enough and that’s what we have to make clear.
“Again, in the best times we had to say and we said it because it was the truth – we went game by game.
“In this moment, we go game by game. Tottenham, do you think it’s impossible for us to get something there? No, probably not, I don’t know. Is it difficult? Yes.
“That’s with all the Premier League games the same and we just have to make it happen. That’s how it is. It’s difficult, I know, but we will try, we will see.”
On whether he’s seen anything different with the mental approach of his players this season…
“Of course, because we are different. It’s always like this. Time changed and everything changed. Of course things are different – new players in, things are different. Because the results are not as good, people might say now it’s worse, but that’s not true.
“Changes, you cannot judge them only because of the result, the short-term result. So, we make all our decisions for the long term, that the club has the benefit in the long term. And that’s what we did this time again. We will give our absolute everything this season.
“It’s not about defending the title or whatever, it’s about winning football games – it was always about this. This defending or attacking the title, that’s more something you have to say because you ask me.
“This club and this team has the potential to fight for the title. We will see if we can make that happen, if we can get close again this year. If not, we will try next year. We give our absolute everything this season, especially for the next game.
“With all the difficulties we had, we try really all we can and that’s it. We get judged for that, that’s how it is, that’s fine as well. I understand 100 per cent if we don’t win the game people think you don’t try hard enough, but I can tell you we try hard and we will continue trying.”
FORM:
Tottenham Hotspur Premier League form: LLDWDW
Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions): WWWDWW
Liverpool Premier League form: WDDLDL
Liverpool form (all competitions): DLWDLL
LINEUPS:
Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:
Lloris; Aurier, Dier, Rodon, Davies; Sissoko, Hojbjerg; Bergwijn, Ndombele, Son; Kane
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Fabinho, Robertson; Wijnaldum, Thiago, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Salah, Firmino, Mane
THATSAGOAL TIP:
Heung-Min Son Anytime Scorer – 21/20 with FanTeam.
Liverpool are on a poor run of form the magnitude of which has not been seen in years. No wins in five in the league followed by a loss to rivals Manchester United in FA Cup leave the Reds in a tough spot. Much has been made of Liverpool’s lack of goals but their defence is also far from secure.
Tottenham scored in their reverse fixture with Liverpool. Heung-Min Son was the scorer as the Reds ran out 2-1 winners, and will likely have space to cause issues once again.
Time to take a look at our Tottenham vs Liverpool live match stream as it happens…
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