Tottenham vs Liverpool match preview: team news, lineups, TV, kick-off time, prediction
The games are coming thick and fast now.
Following their Carabao Cup clash mid-week, Liverpool travel to Tottenham Hotspur this Saturday for what will be their third game in the space of seven days.
The Reds have started the Premier League season better than anyone might have expected, with five wins from six outings, and remain unbeaten behind only Manchester City in the table.
There have been impressive victories over the likes of Aston Villa and Newcastle, but the trip to Tottenham perhaps represents Jurgen Klopp's toughest challenge to date in 2023/24.
Spurs too have started the new campaign in great form and appear to be enjoying life under boyhood Liverpool fan Ange Postecoglou.
Despite a generally turgid campaign, Klopp's side won home and away against Tottenham in 2022/23. If they can pull off another victory on Saturday, it could be a real statement of intent from this rejuvenated team.
Here is everything you need to know about the game.
DATE, KICK-OFF & STADIUM
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Date: Saturday, 30th September 2023
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Kick-off time: 17:30 BST / 12:30 ET / 09:30 PT
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Stadium: Anfield
HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD
In competitive encounters, Liverpool have faced Tottenham a total of 181 times since their very first meeting in 1909 (Spurs won 1-0).
The Reds have come out victorious on 89 occasions, drawing 44 and losing 48.
Liverpool's recent form against Spurs is very good.
Klopp's side have not lost at all against Tottenham since a memorably disastrous 4-1 defeat in 2017 and have won nine of the 12 clashes since – including, of course, the 2019 Champions League final.
Last season, Liverpool beat Spurs home and away, registering a 2-1 win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium back in November, while the reverse fixture at Anfield is best remembered for Diogo Jota's dramatic stoppage-time winner to make it 4-3.
WHERE TO WATCH LIVERPOOL VS LEICESTER ON TV
Following consecutive Liverpool fixtures that have been unable to be viewed live outside the stadium, UK viewers can watch the Spurs game on Sky Sports Main Event.
In Europe, the game is available on DAZN.
For US viewers, the game can be watched on the USA Network or streamed on FuboTV.
LIVERPOOL TEAM NEWS
Liverpool are set to make wholesale changes to the starting lineup for the Carabao Cup clash with Championship leaders Leicester City on Wednesday, in order to keep some of the big names fresh for the trip to London.
Trent Alexander-Arnold remains the big injury doubt.
Pep Lijnders revealed the vice-captain has returned to team training and there is a good chance he will be fit again to feature for the first time since before the international break.
Meanwhile, Thiago Alcantara remains out with the hip injury that has sideline him since last season. The 32-year-old has not started for Liverpool since the 3-0 defeat to Wolves back in February.
Backup right back Conor Bradley is the only other first-team absentee and looks set to be out until November with a back issue.
Klopp has spoken of needing the 'luxury' of a big squad this season, and there should be plenty of competition for places this weekend.
Impressive stand-in performers Joe Gomez and Joel Matip may be forced to drop to the bench, while last season's hero against Spurs, Jota, will compete with Darwin Nuñez and Cody Gakpo for a role in attack.
TOTTENHAM TEAM NEWS
Spurs' new talisman James Maddison 'jolted' his knee in a duel during the North London Derby, and is a minor doubt for the weekend.
Fellow new signing Brennan Johnson was another who left the field early in the draw with Arsenal and is currently having his hamstring issue assessed.
Rodrigo Bentancur (knee), Ryan Sessegnon (thigh) and Bryan Gil (hip) are all likely to miss the weekend clash as they continue their recoveries.
Elsewhere, Ivan Perisic remains a long-term absentee, having suffered an Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury in his right knee.
PREDICTED LINEUP
Barring any issues that arise this week, Klopp should be able to field arguably his strongest XI on Saturday for what promises to be the biggest test of 2023/24 so far.
(4-3-3): Alisson Becker; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk (c), Andy Robertson; Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones; Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nuñez, Luis Diaz
PREDICTION
With two of the Premier League's four remaining unbeaten sides going head to head, how Liverpool come out of this one could well be the best indication yet of just where 'Liverpool 2.0' – as Klopp has dubbed his team – is at in the development.
Maddison (if fit) and Son Heung-min represent two of the best attackers the Reds will have face this season and the defence cannot afford to give up sloppy chances. Going behind – as Liverpool have done in four games already this season – could prove fatal.
Liverpool's recent record at Tottenham and the form of Klopp's attacking options suggests the visitors have a good chance of coming away with at least a point.
ottenham 2-2 Liverpool