The fast pace of the Premier League means that it can sometimes be hard to stop and ‘smell the roses’ so to speak regarding some of the bigger games. Of course, that isn’t always the case, and we can often just find ourselves previewing or reviewing a game and thinking to ourselves “this one is going to be good”. That’s the situation that we find ourselves in here today, and Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur prepare to clash in a game that neither can really afford to lose if they want to end up achieving their primary goal for the season.

When it comes to natural talent and overall ability within the squad, there are very few clubs that can compare with Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur across European football. With that being said, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re immune from the odd slip up here and there. These clubs have been mocked relentlessly for their inability to hold on in certain situations throughout the course of the season, which is one of the other reasons why they can’t really afford to drop any more points. Of course, we know that’s guaranteed to happen for at least one of the two parties.

Liverpool may have tailed off a little bit in the race for the title, but they’re still within touching distance of Manchester City. Everyone thinks they’re going to end up botching their big opportunity, and to be perfectly honest, it doesn’t seem like an idea that’s so far fetched. With that being said they still have one of the best squads in the game today, and they’ve also got the Champions League to consider. If they are going to keep pushing City until the very end, though, then drawing or outright losing to Spurs is a result that could really throw them off.

Tottenham, on the other hand, find themselves locked into the battle for the top four. They seemed like dead certainties for a spot in 3rd, and potentially even a title challenge, but it just wasn’t to be. There just isn’t the same level of confidence as there was a few weeks ago, with some believing that Pochettino’s potential exit from the club has impacted them. Still, you could also note the overall strength of the Premier League, as well as the Champions League which they’re still a part of. They’re difficult to beat, but by no means impossible.

Liverpool’s last six game stretch began towards the end of February, when they drew 0-0 with bitter rivals Manchester United. They went on to stick five past Watford in what was a really efficient performance, before another 0-0 draw against Everton handed control of the title race back to City. As of late they’ve been able to put together three wins on the bounce, though, defeating Burnley, Bayern Munich and Fulham – scoring nine goals in the process. The Bayern win also helped them to register a place in the quarter finals of the Champions League.

Tottenham have been a little bit more inconsistent, and that’s an understatement. Their only two wins in their last six games both came against Borussia Dortmund, as they won 3-0 and 1-0 to book their ticket to the quarter finals of the UEFA Champions League. They’ve had two unfortunate results against relegation strugglers Burnley and Southampton, with a 2-0 loss to Chelsea thrown in there too. They looked shaky at times against Arsenal in the North London derby, but they were still able to come away with a point. Even with a point, though, they wouldn’t have been too happy given how tight it is at the top.

These two teams know one another like the back of their hands, although it’s safe to say Liverpool have been a bit more effective over the years. They lead 81-48 in the overall head to head standings with 42 draws thrown in there for good measure, with their first meeting taking place way back in November 1909. Their last encounter went down back in September when Liverpool narrowly edged out an entertaining 2-1 win, and in recent times, that’s been the common theme of this fixture. Tottenham have won just one of their last 13 games against the Reds, which was a 4-1 triumph back in October 2017.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is fighting to get back to full fitness in time for this game, but it remains to be seen as to whether or not he’ll be given the green light. Joe Gomez is training once again but is also expected to struggle to make the starting XI, whereas Shaqiri and Keita will be analysed before kick off. Oxlade-Chamberlain is still on the shelf but he’s progressing well in his recovery, whereas Joel Matip will continue to make the most of his opportunity in the first team in the absence of the aforementioned Gomez.

Eric Dier’s injury for England on international duty means that he isn’t going to be fit enough to feature in this game. The same can be said for Serge Aurier, meaning that Trippier will start – which could wind up quite a few Spurs fans. Walker-Peters will be assessed prior to the game after picking up a knock of his own, with Winks being sidelined too. Victor Wanyama will start the game in what will be a big opportunity for him, and when it comes to Tottenham’s squad as a whole, they should consider themselves lucky that the majority of their big hitters will be fit for such an important game.

Liverpool vs Tottenham Betting Prediction

In terms of free flowing attacking football, this has the potential to be one of the games of the season so far. Liverpool move the ball around well but Spurs are equally as capable when it comes to their attacking prowess, and we think the visitors are actually going to start off as the brighter of the two sides. We can see them scoring early to really set the tempo of the game, with the Reds equalising not long before half time. Then, in the second 45 minutes, Liverpool will come alive.

They’ll get Firmino and Salah on the ball and never look back, and why should they? They’ve got the ability in their ranks to beat just about anyone, and whilst we can’t see them picking up the three points, they’re going to give a damn good account of themselves. Our official prediction for this one is that it’s going to be a score draw at Anfield, with plenty of fireworks along the way. The likes of Manchester City and Arsenal will be watching on with smiles on their faces, but this run in will be far from over even after the dust has settled on this weekend.

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