MY ACCOUNT
– Tottenham are 10 points ahead of Liverpool, having played one game more
– Liverpool have yet to win away from home in the league this season
– Recommended bet: Back the draw
Both Tottenham and Liverpool finished their Champions League group campaigns with wins in midweek and now they come face to face on Sunday in the Premier League.
A top-four finish would have been the bare minimum requirement for both clubs before a ball was kicked this season and, while Spurs remain very much on course as they sit third, Liverpool have plenty of work to do with their league campaign having been one to largely forget so far.
Jurgen Klopp’s side are eight points adrift of the Champions League places and have suffered successive defeats to teams in the bottom three, losing at Nottingham Forest and then at home to Leeds last weekend.
Liverpool’s poor league form has been in stark contrast to their comfortable progress in Europe, and the Reds will be desperate to avoid defeat against one of their perceived top-four rivals or a Champions League place could move out of reach before the club season pauses for the World Cup.
Team news
Tottenham’s South Korea forward Heung-Min Son fractured his eye socket in the 2-1 win against Marseille and underwent surgery on Friday in the hope he will recover in time for the World Cup.
Cristian Romero, due to a muscle injury, and Richarlison with a calf problem also remain unavailable for the hosts.
Dejan Kulusevski (muscle) and Lucas Moura (tendon) will be assessed, with boss Antonio Conte hopeful both could be fit enough to at least make the bench.
James Milner has been ruled out for the visitors as the veteran is following concussion protocol after being forced off in Tuesday’s 2-0 win over Napoli.
Skipper Jordan Henderson has recovered from a minor issue and is available, but Naby Keita, Joel Matip, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Arthur Melo all remain sidelined.
The stats
Liverpool have yet to win away from home in the Premier League this season, losing at Manchester United, Arsenal and Nottingham Forest and drawing at Fulham and Everton.
Tottenham won their first five home games of the campaign before going down to a 2-1 defeat in their sixth against Newcastle last month.
Tottenham have only beaten Liverpool once in the past 21 meetings between the two sides in all competitions — a 4-1 win at Wembley in October 2017.
There have been 10 own goals in games between the two sides in the Premier League — more than any other top-flight fixture.
Prediction
Despite sitting third, and only five points behind leaders Arsenal going into the weekend fixtures, Spurs have not been without their problems in recent weeks.
Conte’s side suffered consecutive league defeats to Manchester United and Newcastle last month and needed a late 2-1 win at Marseille on matchday six in midweek to confirm their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Last weekend they were 2-0 down at Bournemouth before staging a superb fightback to win 3-2 and they will now be keen to maintain momentum by beating inconsistent Liverpool.
The Reds’ woeful league form of late has left them way off the pace but they have had few problems in Europe and became the first team to beat Napoli this season when securing second place in their Champions League group on Tuesday.
They are undefeated in their last 10 games against Spurs but last season’s league fixtures both ended all square and it could be a repeat outcome on Sunday with the draw available to back at 13/5 at LiveScore Bet.
