Spurs and Liverpool have plenty in common, but this season could divide them

Tottenham and Liverpool have both improved significantly over the past several seasons, but they might now be moving in different directions.

There’s no great rivalry between Tottenham and Liverpool, no real animosity between the two sets of fans or storied tussles between the two clubs to look back upon, but in recent years something has tethered the two teams together. That’s evident in the narrative around this weekend’s clash at Wembley.

Both teams have made great progress in recent years. They’re considered among the most dynamic, modern, attractive sides in the Premier League, led by two of the most revered managers in the European game. Indeed, the Mauricio Pochettino and Jurgen Klopp eras at Spurs and Liverpool respectively have coincided with each other.

And for both managers, this season represents something of a juncture in their respective tenures. For all that Spurs and Liverpool have captivated and compelled fans over the past few seasons, they have yet to underline that with any tangible success. Neither Pochettino nor Klopp have any silverware to show for their progress.

Until now, that hasn’t mattered so much. Spurs spent so long locked outside the Premier League’s top four that becoming a fixture in the Champions League for three seasons in a row was significant enough for Pochettino to point to as a mark of his achievement. The same could be said of Liverpool’s momentous run to the Champions League final last season. That in itself was an achievement for Klopp.

But with such achievement comes expectation of something even greater. Spurs and Liverpool fans now demand that their respective teams take the next step in their development. Both want to challenge for major honors, primarily in the Premier League. Liverpool, in particular, have their sights set on contesting Manchester City at the top of the table this season, spending big in the summer to boost their chances.

Only one team can win the title in any given season, though, and so it’s likely the narrative that has tethered Spurs and Liverpool until now will be torn. Of course, it’s possible both could mount genuine title challenges, but that would still result in one missing out on the trophy itself, which would shape a new narrative of failure.

Saturday’s game at Wembley could be the first time we see this split. Liverpool come into the fixture with a 100 percent record, four wins from their opening four Premier League games of the season, while Spurs are still reeling from their 2-1 defeat to Watford before the international break. This could already be a make-or-break moment for Pochettino and his players in their season.

This whole season could be make-or-break for Pochettino at Spurs. It seems unlikely the north London club will suffer a collapse under the Argentinean, but their lack of ambition in the transfer market could see Pochettino look elsewhere to make the final step in his career. And that’s where the real split in narrative between Spurs and Liverpool could occur.

Klopp clearly feels he can scale the heights of the domestic and continental game at Liverpool. He was within one game of winning the Champions League last season and victories over Manchester City over the past nine months have already shown Liverpool to be capable of toppling Pep Guardiola’s outfit. All they need now is consistency, and their results over the early part of the new season suggest they have might have found that, too.

A win at Wembley against Spurs, the team that has joined Liverpool on their upward trajectory over the past few seasons, would underline how Klopp’s side are now accelerating away from their north London counterparts. This season will be a big one for both these teams, but it could turn out to be for different reasons.