Liverpool are back in Premier League action this weekend as they face a trip to an in-form Tottenham side in arguably the biggest game of the season so far.
Tottenham vs. Liverpool
Premier League (7) | Tottenham Stadium
September 30, 2023 | 5.30pm (BST)
Referee: Simon Hooper
Result last season: Won 2-1
Standings: Liverpool 2nd, Spurs 4th
UK TV: Sky Sports
The Reds are on a purposeful march of their own having picked up seven straight wins in all competitions, but this weekend presents their toughest test of the season to date.
Jurgen Klopp will be hoping his side can lay a marker down against the team sat just below the Reds in the table as he looks to maintain this impressive start to 2023/24.
Here is a list of everything you need to know ahead of Tottenham vs. Liverpool.
1. Team news – Trent’s back
Jurgen Klopp has said that Trent Alexander-Arnold will be in the squad, with the right-back having trained as normal on Thursday and Friday.
Whether he is able to start, though, remains unclear. Joe Gomez is fit if Trent isn’t to be risked.
There are no other major issues for Klopp, with Stefan Bajcetic, Thiago and Conor Bradley the only absentees.
2. Spurs standouts
There may be no Harry Kane any more, but Tottenham have still got plenty of players who can pose a threat this weekend.
Son Heung-min has taken on the armband at Spurs and has five goals in six league games this season.
He has also scored four goals in his last five outings against the Reds and will be hoping to continue that trend for a much-improved Spurs side.
Newcomer James Maddison has also made a fast start to life in London and himself has three goals in his last eight appearances against Liverpool.
Likely Spurs XI: Vicario, Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie, Sarr, Bissouma, Kulusevski, Maddison, Solomon, Son
3. Hosts off to a flyer
Ange Postecoglou has made an impressive start to life at Tottenham, with his side picking up four wins and two draws from a tricky opening set of fixtures.
Spurs sit two points behind Liverpool heading into this one and can leapfrog the Reds should they inflict the first defeat upon Klopp of the season.
Postecoglou himself is a likeable man – and not just because he was a Liverpool fan as a kid!
“Liverpool was my team but you grow up and things change,” he said on Friday. “I used to love ‘Happy Days’ [TV show] back then too!”
Spurs results this season:
4. Salah to overtake Hunt?
As is case against most teams he plays, Mohamed Salah has a great record when it comes to featuring against Tottenham.
The Egyptian King has nine goals in 13 appearances against Spurs and is currently tied with Roger Hunt as the Liverpool player with the second-most strikes for the Reds against Tottenham in the club’s history.
Ian Rush is out in front in that category, but you wouldn’t bet against him reaching the Welshman’s tally before his race is run.
5. Unbeaten run
The 2022/23 campaign was a difficult one, but you would have to go back to April 1 to find the last time the Reds tasted defeat in any competition.
Liverpool are currently on the longest unbeaten run of any Premier League side and the manager will be hoping for that to remain the case as he bids to maintain momentum.
Man City were the last side to beat the Reds in last season’s 4-1 thrashing at the Etihad, with Liverpool picking up twelve wins and five draws in the league since that afternoon.
6. Happy hunting ground
Since Tottenham moved into their new stadium back in 2019, the Reds have won three of their four trips and drawn the other.
Remarkably, Spurs have recorded just one victory in this fixture since 2012, coming in the 4-1 thrashing during the one season they spent at Wembley.
Let’s hope that run continues on Saturday!
7. First meeting with Postecoglou
Saturday will be the first time the new Tottenham boss has come up against Liverpool or any Klopp side in his managerial career.
Postecoglou is a self-proclaimed Red and is among the current bookies’ favourites to take over at Anfield when the dreaded day comes for Klopp to walk away.
The Greece-born manager will be putting his childhood allegiances to one side this weekend and he bids to continue his impressive start to life in the Premier League.
8. More changes on the way
The fixture schedule has got a touch busier in recent weeks as Klopp has used the depth in his squad to share minutes around.
The manager made 10 changes to his side for the League Cup clash with Leicester but is expected to revert back to a team sheet that more closely resembles his selection against West Ham last weekend.
Likely Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Jones, Salah, Nunez, Diaz
9. Hooper in charge
Simon Hooper will referee Saturday’s clash, a man who was in charge the last time the Reds got beat, worryingly!
Liverpool were charged for surrounding the official and requesting for Rodri to be sent off at the Etihad back in April, a request which was denied by Hooper.
He will be assisted from the sidelines by Adrian Holmes and Simon Long, while Tony Harrington will take on the role of fourth official.
Darren England will be joined by Dan Cook in the VAR room at Stockley Park.
10. Follow the action with TIA
You can join us for full text coverage of the big game on Saturday evening as we take you through a biased look at proceedings against Tottenham.
The game gets underway at 5.30pm (BST) and our very own matchday live blog will be available on our website from around 4.45pm.
Up the Reds!
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