Liverpool have been quite poor in recent weeks, and they have lost two of their last five Premier League matches ahead of the game vs Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on Sunday evening. The Reds are sixth in the league table, and they will be desperate to pick up all three points. Arne Slot’s men cannot afford to keep dropping points if they want to finish in the top four.
On the other hand, Tottenham are fighting for survival in the Premier League. The Lilywhites have lost five Premier League matches in a row, and they will be desperate for a turnaround. It will be interesting to see if Igor Tudor’s men can bounce back strongly with a positive performance here.
The away side have multiple injury problems heading into this game, and this will be a massive challenge for them. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
The home team will be without Giovanni Leoni (knee), Conor Bradley (knee), Wataru Endo (ankle), and Alexander Isak (fracture) this week. Meanwhile, Alisson Becker and Federico Chiesa remain a doubt.
Liverpool are likely to start in a 4-2-3-1 formation vs Tottenham Hotspur, with Giorgi Mamardashvilli in goal. Jeremie Frimpong and Andy Robertson will start as the full-backs. They will look to help out at both ends of the pitch. Meanwhile, Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk will form the central defensive partnership.
As for the midfield unit, Ryan Gravenberch will start alongside Dominik Szoboszlai in the double pivot, aiming to add control and composure to the team. Alexis Mac Allister will look to create opportunities for teammates in the final third.
Finally, Hugo Ekitike will lead the line for Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur, with Florian Wirtz and Mohamed Salah on either side of him. So, Cody Gakpo will be a backup option on the bench for the home side this weekend.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Mamardashvilli; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai; Salah, Mac Allister, Wirtz; Ekitike
James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are unavailable due to their long-term knee injuries. Ben Davies, Lucas Bergvall, Yves Bissouma, Mohammed Kudus, Wilson Odobert, Destiny Udogie, and Rodrigo Bentancur also have injury problems. Cristian Romero and Joao Palhinha miss out due to a concussion. Micky van de Ven is suspended. Conor Gallagher misses out due to illness.
Tottenham Hotspur will shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation vs Liverpool, with Guglielmo Vicario in goal. Pedro Porro and Djed Spence will start as the full-backs. They will look to help out defensively and contribute in the final third as well. Meanwhile, Kevin Danso and Radu Dragusin will pair up at the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Pape Matar Sarr will add defensive cover and physicality alongside Archie Gray in the central areas. They will look to keep things tight in the middle of the park. Xavi Simons will start in the attacking midfield role, looking to link the midfield to the attack.
Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani will add pace, flair, and unpredictability from the flanks. Finally, Dominic Solanke will lead the line for Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Vicario; Porro, Danso, Dragusin, Spence; Sarr, Gray; Richarlison, Simons, Kolo Muani; Solanke
The French international attacker is our key player to watch out for. He will look to make a defining impact in the final third and help his team pick up all three points. He will look to score goals and create opportunities for his teammates. Apart from his goalscoring ability, his link play has been very impressive this season, and he could trouble that Tottenham defence.
The visitors will have to field a makeshift team due to several injury problems at the back, and the Liverpool striker could cause all sorts of problems for them. So, it is hardly surprising that Ekitike is a captaincy candidate in FPL for Gameweek 30.
Both teams will be desperate for a win here, and this is likely to be a close contest. Even though Tottenham will have a severely changed team here, they are likely to put up a strong fight. The visitors are desperate for survival, and they cannot afford to slip up. Liverpool will be hoping to close in on the top four positions as well.
The two sides will look to play for the three points, and this will be an open game with plenty of opportunities. Both teams will get on the score sheet here, but Liverpool have more quality and depth in the attacking unit, and they should be able to grind out all three points. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for Arne Slot and his charges.
