While Liverpool's Premier League form has been nothing short of exceptional, they find themselves at a disadvantage going into Thursday's Carabao Cup semi-final match against Tottenham. On their first-leg trip to Tottenham Hotspur stadium, on January 8, the Reds were handed a defeat by way of an 86th-minute Lucas Bergvall goal. While Liverpool certainly won't be panicking, being on the back foot after a game in which they had the lion's share of possession and completed nearly 200 more passes will surely make them uncomfortable.
But playing at Anfield with trophy contention on the line is a whole different story. Ultimately, despite the goal disadvantage, this game will be Liverpool's to lose. In the first leg, they managed seven shots on target out of 14 taken, and if Mo Salah's display at the weekend against Bournemouth is anything to go off of, he's primed to make sure Thursday's chances hit the back of the net.
What had the potential to be a tricky fixture against an impressive Bournemouth side turned out to be a great testament to just how resilient Liverpool can be. While the Cherries managed parity in possession, passes completed, and nearly even shots — including a Kluivert miss with an ocean of goal to aim for — Liverpool came out on top. It's often the case that a side's narrow victories are more instructive about their potential to collect silverware than any display of domination. In this instance, Liverpool passed an initial test of mettle against Bournemouth, but they'll have to rise to the challenge against Tottenham on Thursday.
Will we see Mathys Tel make his Tottenham debut?
The headline for Tottenham this week is the blockbuster signing of Frenchman Mathys Tel, on loan from Bayern Munich. After having initially rebuffed Daniel Levy's bid to bring him to Spurs, Tel will join them for the remainder of the season. While he'll only just be getting settled come Thursday's match, Ange Postecoglou may feel that his goalscoring prowess is essential in finishing the job against Liverpool.
It will be interesting to see how Postecoglou chooses to deploy his forces, based on where things stand in the tie. A goal advantage with 90 minutes to play against a — sorry, Spurs — evidently superior side, would generally be considered a precarious scenario calling for a low defensive block. But as we've witnessed this season, regardless of the outcome, that's not really the way that Big Ange wants his side to play. If it is the case that Tottenham decide to open up and play expansively, they'll need goals — because Liverpool are sure to find at least one with the Kop at full voice.
The good news, from a Tottenham perspective, is that they will undoubtedly get opportunities of their own. Liverpool have been vulnerable, particularly down the left wing. And Spurs' leading man Son Heung-min often is at his best when there is an attacking partner in tandem to play off of. That very well may be Richarlison on Thursday — but then again, it could be Tel. One of Liverpool's greatest strengths is their squad depth. With recent reinforcements, Spurs are looking to pose a similar threat over 90 minutes.
Liverpool vs. Tottenham news, predicted lineup and score
Liverpool's Joe Gomez is nearing return from injury, but Thursday will likely be too soon for him to appear. Moreover, Liverpool manager Arne Slot, in his post-game press conference after the Bournemouth win, noted that Trent Alexander-Arnold will almost certainly not be available for the match after being forced off with a thigh injury.
Tottenham, meanwhile, continue to suffer from a range of absences. Attacking players James Maddison, Dominic Solanke, Brennan Johnson, and Timo Werner all remain out as well as midfield fixture Destiny Udogie. Spurs will be counting down the days until tenacious defender Cristian Romero's return — but Thursday will not be it. And to make defensive matters more dire, Radu Drăgușin will miss the rest of the season after tearing his ACL.
Liverpool predicted line up: Alisson, Bradley, Konaté, van Dijk, Robertson, Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Jones, Salah, Diaz, Gakpo
Tottenham predicted line up: Kinsky, Porro, Gray, Van de Ven, Spence, Bissouma, Sarr, Bentancur, Kulusevski, Richarlison, Son
Predicted Score: Liverpool 3-0 Tottenham
How to watch Liverpool vs. Tottenham
- Date: Thursday, Feb. 6
- Start Time: 3:00 p.m. EST
- Location: Anfield — Liverpool, England
- Watch: Paramount+
Kickoff for the match is 3:00 p.m. ET, on Thursday, Feb. 6. The game will be streaming exclusively on Paramount+.