The Reds are back at Spurs for the first time since that VAR mistake
Tottenham vs Liverpool LIVE!
Spurs are at home for their final run-out before Christmas, as they welcome Premier League title favourites Liverpool to north London. It’s been another entertaining week for Ange Postecoglou & Co. with nine goals in two games and the booking of a Carabao Cup semi-final after beating Manchester United for the second time this season.
The Reds will pose their biggest test for far this season, though. Arne Slot, a former managerial target for Spurs, has barely put a foot wrong since succeeding Jurgen Klopp in the summer, and will know his team are out of revenge after losing at Spurs last season in part due to a hugely controversial VAR mistake in a 2-1 loss.
The atmosphere at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is expected to be lively, and even more so if Chelsea beat Everton earlier in the day to leapfrog Liverpool into top spot. Spurs’ win last season was their first over Liverpool in 13 attempts. Another could do even more damage. Follow the game LIVE below with our dedicated match blog, featuring expert insight and analysis from Dan Kilpatrick at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Tottenham vs Liverpool latest updates
Team news
It’s a case of as you were for Spurs, who name the same side who beat Manchester United in the Carabao Cup in midweek. Johnson and Udogie are on the bench.
For Liverpool, it’s one change for last week’s draw with Fulham as Mac Allister comes in for Jones.
Team news in full
Tottenham XI: Forster; Porro, Dragusin, Gray, Spence; Sarr, Bissouma, Maddison; Kulusevski, Solanke, Son
Subs: Austin, Reguilon, Udogie, Dorrington, Bergvall, Olusesi, Werner, Johnson, Lankshear
Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Salah, Diaz, Gakpo
Subs: Kelleher, Tsimikas, Quansah, Endo, Jones, Elliott, Nyoni, Nunez, Jota
Tottenham XI
...and the hosts!
Liverpool XI
Here’s how the visitors look.
Team news is imminent. Will Udogie be fit, does Maddison get sacrificed for more defensive solidity?
Does Nunez get the nod for Liverpool? Robertson is also a doubt.
Lovely day for it.
Action Images via Reuters
Slot backs Postecoglou style of play
iverpool head coach Arne Slot hopes Tottenham counterpart Ange Postecoglu's bold attacking style is rewarded with a trophy.
Postecoglu's brand of football has earned him plaudits and criticism, sometimes at the same time, as was evident in Thursday's 4-3 victory over Manchester United when they almost squandered a 3-0 lead in their quarter-final tie.
Slot is a fan and believes the Australian is right to stick to his footballing principles despite the ongoing scrutiny
"I think Ange Postecoglou gives them that identity back completely. Every time it's a joy to watch them," said the Reds boss.
"Sometimes results once in a while go against them, but I think they were one of the teams that beat (Manchester) City, like us, and not all (teams) beat them in the manner like we and Tottenham did.
"It's great work that Ange is doing over there. I hope this has been seen a bit more.
"I also hope that he wins a trophy - not the League Cup - but I'm completely a fan of his team for the Europa League because people always talk about trophies, trophies, trophies (and) that it's so important.
"For his brand of football and his style, it is so much more important and if he can combine that with winning something that would be so good for football in general because people can stop talking about it's too attacking or whatever.
"How on earth can you play too attacking football? I think it is a privilege to be a season ticket holder at Tottenham because they play such a great style and it's not like since Ange arrived they don't win anything any more."
AFP via Getty Images
VAR shambles
We all remember what happened last season when Luis Diaz’s goal at Tottenham was incorrectly ruled out by VAR.
The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) has admitted a “significant human error” led to the mistake .
Replays showed Cristian Romero had played the Colombian winger on however, and VAR officials Darren England and Dan Cook sent a “check complete” message to on-field referee Simon Hooper having wrongly assumed the goal had been given.
Liverpool threatened to “escalate” the issue and, then the audio footage of the incident was released to show the officials realising their mistake moments too late, with it decided that they could not go back and award the goal after the game had restarted.
Jurgen Klopp, remarkably, then called for the game to be replayed.
POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Tottenham vs Liverpool prediction
Spurs have raised their game in some of the bigger matches this season but Liverpool look a step above.
Spurs are one of the leakiest defences in the league and that’s a problem when a team like Liverpool come to town.
Liverpool to win, 3-1.
Liverpool team news
Liverpool are boosted by the availability of Andy Roberston today.
Roberston was sent off in last weekend’s 2-2 draw against Fulham but served his one-game suspension in the Carabao Cup in midweek.
Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley remain sidelined but Arne Slot was boosted by the return of Federico Chiesa and Kostas Tsimikas in Wednesday’s 2-1 win against Southampton.
Slot was able to rest key players at St Mary’s and all of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker and Ryan Gravenberch are in line to return.
Diogo Jota is pushing for a start in attack after scoring off the bench last weekend.
On the latest on Konate and Bradley, Slot said on Friday: “These are the two that are still 'in the red', so they don't train with us at the moment. They are on their way back but they don't train with the team yet.
“The main thing is that if they come back, they are ready to come back and we must not focus on one, two or three days. It's more important for the long term that they stay fit afterwards.”
Ryan Gravenberch and Darwin Nunez are both one yellow card away from a ban.
Liverpool FC via Getty Images
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