Liverpool.com

Tottenham hosts Wolves in the Premier League later today, with Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou under pressure to deliver a win after two poor performances.

Tottenham has lost its last two games against Nottingham Forest and Liverpool to leave it sitting in 12th in the table, with more and more questions being asked about their manager's style of play.

They come up against a Wolves side on a massive high after back-to-back wins over Leicester City and Manchester United, with the arrival of Vitor Pereira making an instant impact.

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Here's all you need to know in order to be able to watch the match...

What time is kick-off?

The match kicks off at 3pm in the UK, which is 7am Pacific Time and 10am Eastern Time in the US. Chris Kavanagh is the referee for the clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Jarred Gillett on VAR duty. The two sides last met back in February, with a Joao Gomes double securing a 2-1 win for Wolves in north London.

Is the match on TV?

Viewers in the UK will be unable to watch the game live, with Sky Sports instead showing Leicester vs Manchester City and West Ham vs Liverpool today.

In the US, the game can be watched live on Peacock Premium, while it can be streamed on Peacock.

Want to watch more live sports? Peacock has your favorite sports, shows, and more all in one place. Peacock offers plans starting at $7.99 so you can stream live sports like NFL, Premier League, and Big Ten Football.

Where can I catch the highlights?

Highlights from the game will be uploaded to the Sky Sports Premier League channel on YouTube shortly after full-time. Fans in the UK will also be able to catch extended highlights on Match of the Day, which is scheduled to be shown at 10:30pm on BBC One and will include highlights from five other games, including Liverpool's trip to West Ham.

Early team news

Tottenham could be without nine players later as their injury crisis continues. Djed Spence is out through suspension after being sent off against Nottingham Forest, while seven players are set to be missing through injury or illness.

Ben Davies, Mikey Moore, Guglielmo Vicario, Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Wilson Odobert and Richarlison are all ruled out, while Radu Dragusin is a doubt after picking up an ankle knock.

As for Wolves, Pablo Sarabia, Sasa Kalajdzic, Boubacar Traore, Enso Gonzalez and Yerson Mosquera are all set to miss out through injury, while Mario Lemina is a doubt with a calf problem.

Ex-Tottenham striker Gary Lineker believes that regardless of the strategy deployed by Ange Postecoglou, Liverpool would have emerged victorious over Spurs in their 6-3 defeat on Sunday, simply due to their superior roster.

Spurs were left red-faced at home by Arne Slot's Reds, with Postecoglou's team trailing 5-1 just an hour into the match. Despite a late surge from Spurs, reducing the gap to 5-3 after goals from Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke in the final 20 minutes, it was insufficient. Luis Diaz then scored his second goal of the game to secure an exhilarating win for league leader Liverpool.

Postecoglou has been heavily criticized for his tactical decisions in some of Spurs' most significant losses this season, despite dealing with numerous injuries, particularly in defense. However, Lineker is of the opinion that irrespective of the formation or tactics used by their Australian manager, Spurs would have found it tough against Slot's side.

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In an exciting encounter, James Maddison managed to pull one back for Spurs in the first half, reducing Liverpool's earlier 2-0 lead provided by goals from Diaz and Alexis Mac Allister within the first 35 minutes.

Hopes of a Tottenham comeback were briefly ignited until Dominik Szoboszlai breached their defense in a quick counter-attack, slotting the ball through Fraser Forster's legs as Spurs were caught out once again having recklessly pressed too high up the pitch just before half-time.

Spurs' mastery of match tempo has come under the microscope, with a slim 2-1 deficit at half-time seen as potentially crucial in offering a lifeline for regrouping against Liverpool. However, heading into the break 3-1 down proved an insurmountable challenge for Tottenham facing a Liverpool team hitting its stride.

Gary Lineker, sharing his views on The Rest is Football podcast, didn't mince words when discussing Spurs' chances against the Reds. "When those two teams lined up today, you thought, well, however Tottenham shape up they're going to get beaten by that [Liverpool] side, particularly if they're playing that well," he said.

The former England striker did give a nod to Tottenham's expansive style of play under Postecoglou, which has yielded them the most goals in the Premier League so far with a tally of 39. Despite currently sitting 11th in the table, Lineker recognizes how supporters relish the team's dynamic football.

Yet, dissatisfaction brews among many fans who lay blame squarely at the feet of Daniel Levy and the board for their standing, accusing them of inadequately backing the manager in the transfer market, thus crafting a squad lacking enough depth to truly challenge the league's best — a sentiment that fueled protests against Levy just last Sunday.

"It's Tottenham. I mean, they're gung ho, we know that," Lineker remarked. "And [Postecoglou] doesn't change things just because he's got a few injuries and played boring football. I mean, every time Tottenham play, I think, and some of the fans will disagree with me, and that's absolutely fine because we know it's a results business. But you must look forward to going to see the games and not knowing quite what to expect."

On the other hand, his podcast mate Alan Shearer pointed out that player naivety and recklessness were partly to blame for Spurs' collapse against Liverpool, particularly in the moments leading up to half-time, which left them vulnerable and allowed the Reds to effectively clinch the match. "Sometimes, as a player or a team, you have to take responsibility without your manager, without whatever way he wants to play," Shearer commented.

"You know, they get to 2-1 today and a minute before half-time, it's still gung ho. You just say, 'OK, we've actually taken a beating in that first half. If we can get to 2-1, we've probably been extremely lucky'. So once you get that goal, you say, 'OK, two minutes to half time, let's just see'."

"But yet, they still commit so many men forward and then get hit on the break. And once Liverpool get that third one, just before the break, you're thinking, done. I thought that minute cost them the game. And then they were never going to come back from that."

Spurs are now gearing up for a challenging visit to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Boxing Day. Liverpool will host Leicester City at Anfield later the same day.

The dates for Liverpool’s two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur have been confirmed by the EFL.

The Reds were paired with Spurs just two days before Sunday’s pulsating 6-3 win in the capital, and Liverpool fans - and neutrals - will hope for a repeat of that when the Reds travel to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium again next month.

The first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final will be played at the ground on Wednesday 8 January, in between Liverpool’s games against Manchester United and Accrington Stanley. There is also a four-week gap between the two legs against Spurs, with the second to be played at Anfield on Thursday 6 February. Both matches will kick off at 20:00 GMT.

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The home tie will be sandwiched either side of a Premier League trip to Bournemouth, and a fourth-round FA Cup clash, should Liverpool progress. Assuming Arne Slot’s side eliminate Accrington it means that a fourth-round tie will most likely be played on the Sunday or Monday after the Spurs second leg.

Elsewhere, in the other semi-final, Arsenal and Newcastle United will see the first meeting take place at the Emirates on Tuesday 7 January, with the return fixture set for Wednesday 5 February.

The 2025 Carabao Cup final will take place on 16 March, meaning, should Liverpool secure its place, the home Premier League match against Wolverhampton Wanderers will need to be rearranged.

Given Liverpool’s fixture pile up that is far from ideal. Progression into the last four of the Carabao Cup means the Reds have midweek matches in six of the next seven weeks, and that’s after a run of four midweek matches since the November international break. With a trip to Everton to be squeezed in somehow as well, the mounting number of games could become a pressing subject for Slot in coming months.

For now, the Dutchman will still be reveling in Liverpool’s 6-3 win on Sunday. Goals from Luis Diaz (2), Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Mohamed Salah (2) secured the three points, although Slot was disappointed with Liverpool’s defending at times.

“Until 60 to 65 minutes, I really, really, really enjoyed what I saw,” the 46-year-old said after the game. “But then you also saw that no matter how much quality players have, if they think they don’t have to run anymore in this league, especially against Tottenham, they immediately start to create and they scored two goals. I was happy when the sixth one went in.

“Maybe it is human when you are 5-1 up. You think: ‘OK’. But Tottenham always keep on going and they have the ability to create. You have to be on top of your game every second of the game and if you’re not 100% then it hurts you.”

The win at Spurs means Liverpool tops the Premier League table by four points at Christmas, with a game in hand. Next up is the home match against Leicester City on Boxing Day.

Liverpool racked up a first Premier League win in three weeks as the Reds routed Spurs in North London to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table.

Arne Slot's men will spend Christmas Day four points clear of nearest challenger Chelsea and with a game in hand, after Enzo Maresca's side was held to a 0-0 draw at Goodison Park earlier on Sunday.

While Slot was not totally happy with his players' performance, despite the six goals scored, he cannot have been too surprised by the way the match panned out.

The last five matches involving Spurs have now featured 30 goals, with the all-or-nothing approach favored by Ange Postecoglou gaining plenty of attention of late.

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Postecoglou's stubbornness was always likely to lead to a frenetic game against Liverpool, but not many people were expecting nine goals to be scored between the two sides.

That's exactly what happened though, and whoever was in charge of controlling the scoreboards inside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was keen to quickly remove the scoreline from it as soon as the final whistle went, according to the Liverpool Echo.

Despite the swift removal of the final score from the huge screens that are stationed in each corner of the stadium, those in attendance will not forget the outcome of the nine-goal game in a hurry.

The result never really looked to be in doubt after the first goal of the game was scored by Luis Diaz after 23 minutes, and by just after the hour mark Liverpool had scored five times.

Even when Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke scored to make it 3-5, there was always a feeling that Liverpool could score at will, and that's exactly what happened when Diaz rounded off the afternoon's scoring in the 85th minute.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot was generally pleased with his side's performance but was not happy with the manner of the goals it conceded in the second half. "For 60 minutes we did everything we had to do, we were comfortable and good with the ball. The main thing is we worked very, very hard," Slot told Match of the Day.

"But then the same players with the same quality thought that 10 or 15 minutes of not working as hard was good enough. Tottenham have enough quality to score goals if you give them chances. You have to be on top of your game for the whole game and we didn't do that."

Liverpool injury latest

Liverpool's injury problems have eased massively in recent weeks, with a number of players having returned since the start of December.

Alisson, Harvey Elliott, Federico Chiesa, Diogo Jota and Kostas Tsimikas have all contended with significant spells on the treatment table this season, but all five players returned to action this month.

However, Arne Slot still does not have a completely clean bill of health, with Conor Bradley and Ibrahima Konate both unavailable.

See where both players are up to with their recoveries here

Neville makes Liverpool and United comparison

Gary Neville said that the current Liverpool team reminds him of how his all-conquering Manchester United sides of old used to play.

The Reds underlined their title credentials on Sunday, scoring six times against Tottenham to ensure they will spend Christmas Day with a four-point lead at the top of the table.

Arne Slot's men recorded a 6-3 win over Tottenham after a predictably frantic game in North London on Sunday, and Neville praised the Reds' game management — despite the two goals they conceded after the 70-minute mark which gave Ange Postecoglou's men a glimmer of hope heading into the closing stages of the match.

"They remind me a little bit of us (the United teams Neville played in)," Neville said on Sky Sports. "We would play high tempo for 15 minutes then we'd sit back and play deep on the counter, then sometimes we'd slow it down and try and control the game if we were one or two goals up."

See what else Neville had to say here

Slot expresses frustration despite victory at Spurs

Despite a commanding 6-3 victory over Tottenham, Liverpool manager Arne Slot expressed his dissatisfaction with the team's performance.

The Reds dominated the game against Ange Postecoglou's side, and despite the scoreline suggesting a close match, Tottenham never seemed likely to win. Liverpool had a comfortable lead of 5-1 before late goals from Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke spared Spurs further embarrassment.

However, Slot was not entirely pleased with his team's performance, criticizing some players for easing off after the hour mark. He deemed this 'not good enough', even though they secured all three points.

"For 60 minutes we did everything we had to do, we were comfortable and good with the ball. The main thing is we worked very, very hard," the Liverpool boss told Match of the Day.

"But then the same players with the same quality thought that 10 or 15 minutes of not working as hard was good enough. Tottenham have enough quality to score goals if you give them chances. You have to be on top of your game for the whole game and we didn't do that."

See what else Slot had to say here

Mohamed Salah asked about his future

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"I didn’t think about it before the game but I am glad I did it," Salah told Sky Sports after the match. "It’s something that makes me happy and proud and hopefully there is more to come."

Asked if there was an update on his future, he simply added: "No."

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Musiala claim

Liverpool is poised and ready to pounce if a transfer deal for Bayern Munich attacking midfielder Jamal Musiala becomes a possibility, according to Rousing The Kop. The 21-year-old is under contract until 2026 but no agreement has been reached yet over an extension for the exciting young player who used to be in Chelsea's academy before he made the move to the Bundesliga giant.

It is still very much a possibility that Musiala will sign a new deal with Bayern Munich, and, of course, the Germany international has a year longer on his contract than some key men at Anfield, so all is not lost for Vincent Kompany. But Liverpool has supposedly "made contact" to express its interest should anything happen.

A gutted Son Heung-min, the skipper of Tottenham, has confessed that the 6-3 thrashing by Liverpool was "very, very painful" following the Premier League frontrunners' emphatic win at the Tottenham Stadium. Mohamed Salah led the charge with a brace, matched by Luis Diaz, while Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai also found the net.

Despite efforts from James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, and Dominic Solanke, Spurs were left to rue an ignominious defeat on their own turf. Confronting the media in a post-match Sky Sports interview, the captain didn't mince his words, conceding that Spurs were outclassed by Arne Slot's men.

He lamented: "I'm very disappointed with the result and conceding six at home is not the idea. It's really, really painful. What can I say? As a footballer you always want to play but we've got to work hard and recover but we don't want to make any excuses."

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When quizzed about Liverpool's quality, Son acknowledged their superiority, saying: "There's no question. They are top of the league you can see. Top players, top discipline. There's a reason they are top (of the Premier League). If you make any mistake, they punish you. They are a very very good side."

Amidst the fallout, Tottenham's adventurous style of play has come under scrutiny, with questions aimed at manager Ange Postecoglou regarding his tactical flexibility, especially given the absence of 10 first-team players.

Son, the Tottenham Hotspur forward, expressed his thoughts: "Football is always risky. When you sit back you sometimes concede goals. this is our plan so we've got to stick together in the good times and also the difficult times. Today was very painful for the players, fans and club. But we've got to move together and bounce back stronger."

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR STADIUM, NORTH LONDON // Liverpool extended its superb record away at Tottenham with a hefty win over under-pressure Ange Postecoglou. Dominik Szoboszlai, Luis Diaz and several others excelled with their side now four points clear with a game in hand at the top.

Szoboszlai added a third Liverpool goal after Diaz and Alexis Mac Allister had beaten Fraser Forster before Mohamed Salah fired home in the second half. James Maddison had earlier pulled one back but Liverpool was thoroughly deserving of its lead. When Salah made it 5-1, some in the home end headed for the exits with the home crowd left in a stunned silence.

Dejan Kulusevski got one back and Dominic Solanke a third, but the result, by that point, had long been sealed. It finished 6-3 with Diaz getting a second. Here are the five things Liverpool.com spotted as the game unfolded in North London.

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Midfield decision vindicated

Liverpool boss Slot went with Mac Allister and Szoboszlai ahead of Curtis Jones in the more advanced midfield roles and that proved to be the right call. Mac Allister and Szoboszlai scored and the latter, in particular, was sensational.

As the number six, Gravenberch held things together at the base while driving forward plenty of times. And between that trio, they got a grip of the game in the main.

Spurs were always going to create chances with the number of bodies they throw forward. But Liverpool was able to cope well with that and limit and control the threat as much as realistically possible. Scoring six goals, Szoboszlai was central. It was a perfect tactic to go with him and he delivered on the trust that was instilled in him.

Arne Slot puts down latest marker

Arne Slot spoke in glowing terms about the style of play that Ange Postecoglou has installed at Spurs before this game. Within three minutes, though, Fraser Forster, who had a nightmare midweek against Manchester United, had passed the ball straight to Salah in the penalty area. Fortunately for the shot-stopper, the Egyptian hit the side-netting on that occasion, though he did net twice later on.

This was not a bad Spurs showing. It did not give up chances and goals anywhere near as it has at times under Postecoglou, but the gulf to Liverpool was clear. It was more that the Reds were good then the host was poor. Putting down a marker and largely being in control of things, Slot's men showed why they lead the standings as the halfway stage nears.

Luis Diaz puts VARce behind him

At the center of the VAR controversy in this fixture last season, Luis Diaz got one back over Spurs here. Robbed of a goal in this stadium last year, nothing could stop him powering home a header in the first half. It would have helped had one of the Tottenham defenders picked him up, but left unmarked, his finish was unerring.

Selected over Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota through the middle of Slot's attack, he justified that decision. Cody Gakpo next to him was bright too, while Salah kept Djed Spence busy. The midfield trio were the stars of the show but the forward line played its part as well. Salah and Diaz ended up scoring twice each, and they could have had even more.

Depth returns... but not required

Brennan Johnson and the inexperienced but talented Lucas Bergvall were the only really threatening options for Ange Postecoglou to bring off the bench. Slot, in contrast, could turn to numerous attacking players — with Federico Chiesa left on Merseyside and not required. None of the bench were needed to turn the game but leaving the Italian at home speaks volumes about the depth of the Liverpool roster.

With only Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley out injured for the Reds at the moment, the whole squad is looking very healthy. That can change quickly, of course, but at a busy time of year — when Liverpool will be back in North London in just a few weeks for the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final — having an many options as possible will be vital. The Reds are going places.

Premier League picture shifts

Going into the game with two Premier League matches in hand on every potential title rival, Liverpool was in a strong position on paper, but with matches against Spurs and Everton, both away from home, to play. Nothing could be taken for granted in terms of those fixtures leading to the three points being won, but the first has now been taken care of.

Already confirmed as being top of the table at Christmas with Everton having held Chelsea to a goalless draw at Goodison Park earlier in the afternoon, Liverpool was one ahead of the Stamford Bridge outfit and three above Arsenal having played two games fewer. That gap is now four points and six points respectively with one more game in hand to be played.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR STADIUM, NORTH LONDON // Liverpool extended its lead at the summit of the Premier League table with Dominik Szoboszlai starring for the Reds and Luis Diaz and Ryan Gravenberch excelling too.

In a nine-goal thriller, Diaz opened the scoring after a brilliant cross into the box from Trent Alexander-Arnold teed him up. Alexis Mac Allister and Szoboszlai both then scored before the interval with James Maddison pulling one back in between.

It was always going to be a game filled with goals and it took only nine minutes of the second half for Mohamed Salah to add his name to the scoresheet. Seven minutes later, he had his second and Liverpool's fifth before Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke made it 5-3.

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With the scoring still not done, Diaz got his second and Liverpool's sixth, by which time it is a good job there was a screen inside the stadium to remind those watching of the score. It was 6-3 to the visitor in an early Christmas cracker.

Winners

Szoboszlai was central to pretty much everything that Liverpool did on the day, all while working his socks off without the ball too. This is what the Hungarian captain is capable of when he ties all the best elements of his match together. He was superb here, as were the other midfielders. Mac Allister popped up with a header while Gravenberch ate up the ground.

Losers

Missing out on this game completely, Federico Chiesa wasn't even named among the substitutes. Darwin Nunez, meanwhile, found himself on the bench even though Diogo Jota was involved from the off. With Jota, who is still coming back from injury, it makes sense; for the Uruguayan striker, it is not a good sign that this is happening regularly and in big games.

Player ratings

Alisson Becker (7). Untested during the first half when he barely touched the ball. He could do nothing with the Maddison shot that beat him, nor the other two goals. He made a good save low to his right near the end of the second half.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (7). Produced a wonderful cross to assist the opener from Diaz and sprayed some really nice passes. Did a good job up against Son Heung-min defensively too. Better in the first half and faded in the second.

Joe Gomez (7). Covered the ground really well at the back when Alexander-Arnold was pushing forward to attack. A tricky task with Son playing down that flank. Defended well and put in some great blocks but turned a bit easily on the Kulusevski goal.

Virgil van Dijk (8). Strong and composed up against Dominic Solanke. He confidently set the high defensive line and played some switches across to Salah's path too.

Andy Robertson (7). Back in the team with something of a point to prove after he was sent off early on against Fulham last weekend, he did well against Dejan Kulusevski, who is an excellent player at his best. Composed on the ball and well-positioned defensively. Probably beaten a bit easily in the air by Brennan Johnson for the third Spurs goal.

Ryan Gravenberch (8). Away from home against a team as expansive and attack-minded as Spurs, this was likely to be one of the biggest tests of how good Gravenberch can play his holding role in a defensive sense. It would be fair to say he passed that with flying colors. He covered kilometer after kilometer and was excellent at winning the ball back and then driving forward with it.

Alexis Mac Allister (8). Refreshed from a couple of matches sidelined through a suspension, the Argentine kept things ticking over in the middle and also found the time to break forward and score a header when the ball broke free in the box. Curtis Jones was unlucky to be benched, but the starting trio bossed things here. Mac Allister was very much a part of that.

Dominik Szoboszlai (9). Chosen ahead of Jones for his running power and physicality in the number 10 role, Szoboszlai was sensational. He was instrumental to everything Liverpool did, particularly first half, including the brilliant move that he finished coolly just before half-time. The Hungarian tied everything together in the middle and had the required quality in front of goal too. Booked, but superb in and out of possession.

Mohamed Salah (8). Could perhaps have done better with the early gift from Fraser Forster. Hit the bar in the first half and looked very sharp up against Djed Spence. It took less than 10 minutes of the second half for him to add his name to the scoresheet having reached double figures for assists in the first. Seven more minutes passed before he got his second.

Luis Diaz (8). Playing through the middle, he tended to drift into wide areas rather than occupy the slightly makeshift center-back pairing of Radu Dragusin and Archie Gray. One of the few times he was in the middle, he powered home the opening goal (with no VRR controversy to get in the way this time...). Tied everything together and looked a natural in the number nine berth.

Cody Gakpo (7). The Dutch winger has been in good goalscoring form this season, netting nine so far in all competitions. He is well on track to beat last season's total of 16. He was bright here, even though he didn't find the back of the net. Gakpo played a role in the fourth goal and was often an out ball where he can hold things up because of his height and strength.

Substitutes

Diogo Jota (7). Like against Fulham, he looked so sharp when he came on. The Portugal striker buzzed around and caused problems, all while pressing relentlessly. He will be eyeing a start on Boxing Day against Leicester City, for sure.

Curtis Jones (7). Entered the match when the game was already long won, but kept things ticking over. Considering how well the starting trio did, he would have wanted to leave a positive impression. He did that.

Liverpool returns to Premier League action today after the midweek win over Southampton in the Carabao Cup, with Arne Slot naming his starting XI for the away game at Tottenham.

Alisson Becker is restored in goal, with a back four of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson. The Scotland left-back is available again after his one-match ban was served at St Mary's.

In midfield, Slot has gone with Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai on either side of Ryan Gravenberch. That means that Curtis Jones is on the bench, alongside the likes of Harvey Elliott and Wataru Endo.

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In attack, Slot has picked Luis Diaz through the center. Cody Gakpo will play on the left with Mohamed Salah on the right and Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota as options in reserve. Federico Chiesa is not with the squad.

Only Conor Bradley and Ibrahima Konate are out injured for Liverpool at the moment. Gravenberch and Nunez, though, are only one booking away from a suspension. If the Dutchman or the Uruguayan are yellow-carded today, they will sit out the Boxing Day clash against Leicester City at Anfield.

"They are consistent in their playing style and what they want," Slot said about Spurs during his pre-match press conference. "For me, they are sometimes a bit unlucky as well because what happened yesterday [against Manchester United], they dominated the game.

"They always like to attack. Sometimes they play with three attackers, then with two attacking midfielders [and] the full-backs join so much. For me, they were so unlucky.

"People say "Why do you bring the ball out from the back?", because they lost the ball. And then the second one the goalkeeper wanted to kick it away, which is what everyone wants then, but it's still a goal.

"So, 4-3 [against Manchester United], I don't think there are many season ticket holders in the country that can say they watch so many great games. Maybe the ones at Liverpool!

"I think it is a privilege to be a season ticket holder at Tottenham. It's a privilege to be a fan of them at the moment because they play such a great style, and it's not like since Ange arrived, they don't win anything anymore.

"Before that, they were not a club that won many things, but they always won the sympathy of the fans in Europe, maybe also in England as well, I don't know, but definitely in Europe because of the style of play they had. That is something which you cannot underestimate."

Tottenham starting team: Forster; Porro, Dragusin, Gray, Spence; Sarr, Bissouma; Kulusevski, Maddison, Son; Solanke. Subs: Austin, Reguilon, Udogie, Dorrington, Bergvall, Olusesi, Werner, Johnson, Lankshear.

Dominic Solanke has admitted he may have been ‘too young’ to flourish during his Liverpool days and revealed it ‘always means a little bit more’ to face the Reds.

The now Tottenham Hotspur striker joined Liverpool in 2017 for a fee of around $3.8m (£3m/€3.6m), a price that was determined by an independent tribunal given Solanke was a teenager when he left Chelsea. But he failed to have a real impact at Anfield - perhaps unsurprisingly given the plethora of attacking talent Jurgen Klopp had at his disposal.

Solanke scored just one goal in 27 senior appearances and departed in 2019, joining Bournemouth. But in five-and-a-half years on the south coast the forward established himself as one of the most reliable English goalscorers, and has earned a second chance with a top club following his $81.7m (£65m/€78.3m) switch to Spurs in the summer.

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This time around he’s excelling, and Solanke’s time at Liverpool has helped him adjust to the pressure of representing one of the country’s most storied clubs.

“I was still very young and it might have been a bit too young for me going there, but I learned a lot and I was thankful for my time there,” Solanke said in a recent interview with PA, when asked about his stint on Merseyside.

“Every game you want to win and do well. Obviously when it’s an old club, it always means a little bit more because you see familiar faces and want to get the better of them. It will be another tough game but we’ll take that challenge.”

After a slow start in north London, Solanke has now netted nine in 22 appearances - including a brace in the midweek Carabao Cup win against Manchester United, which set up a double-legged semi-final clash with Liverpool. He’s targeting more in the coming weeks and wants to win a first trophy since leaving the Reds.

“I always want more goals no matter how many I score,” Solanke explained. “I would have liked to have a few more by now, but that’s always the mindset, you always want more. I think the main point is trying to get the consistency in the team right now and working towards some trophies.”

“I feel like I am where I wanted to be but I feel like I have still got a lot more to give though, so I will keep working and improving. And our main goal here is to win something now. The manager speaks about it all the time, we all obviously want to win something as well and that’s the dream of the football club.”

Solanke has never scored against Liverpool in eight previous appearances, a record Arne Slot will hope continues at Anfield on Sunday.