Liverpool head to Tottenham for the primary leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final conflict on Wednesday, with adjustments anticipated for the Reds.
Tottenham vs. Liverpool
League Cup semi-final first leg | Tottenham Hotspur StadiumJanuary 8, 2025 | 8pm (GMT)
Arne Slot‘s facet might solely draw 2-2 at dwelling to Man United on Sunday in a bitterly disappointing end result.
Premier League obligation is traded for home cup commitments this week, beginning with a midweek journey to Tottenham within the League Cup.
Right here’s all it is advisable know forward of the sport.
1. A repeat of final month’s mauling?
That is the second time Liverpool have travelled the Tottenham in underneath a month, following the league conflict on December twenty second.
The Reds romped to a 6-3 win in that sport, with Luis Diaz scoring twice in addition to Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Mohamed Salah additionally discovering the web.
In reality, the scoreline was form to Spurs that day, too.
The same end result on Wednesday would guarantee that Liverpool have multiple foot within the ultimate at Wembley on March 16.
2. Postecoglou feeling the warmth
Ange Postecoglou isn’t fairly the likeable determine he was when he first arrived at Spurs, with the stress of the job turning him extra prickly.
The aforementioned 6-3 defeat to Liverpool was one among many poor latest outcomes, and his facet misplaced 2-1 at dwelling to Newcastle on Saturday.
Postecoglou nonetheless has the help of some Spurs fasn, maybe as a result of the soccer is a minimum of entertaining, however he’s now pushing his luck.
Optimistic outcomes have to return quickly or the north Londoners might be trying to find a brand new supervisor.
3. Potential Liverpool XI
With Liverpool tackling a busy January schedule, Slot is more likely to make adjustments in midweek, however not essentially wholesale ones.
Saturday’s FA Cup third spherical conflict with Accrington Stanley at Anfield might see a far weaker beginning lineup fielded.
Jarell Quansah might begin at Spurs instead of Ibrahima Konate, whereas Conor Bradley and Kostas Tsimikas might are available in at full-back.
The likes of Wataru Endo, Harvey Elliott, Federico Chiesa, Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez are all pushing to begin, too.
Szoboszlai continues to be struggling to beat sickness and is a doubt, whereas Joe Gomez is Liverpool’s solely damage absentee.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Gravenberch, Jones, Mac Allister; Salah, Gakpo, Jota
4. How will Tottenham line up?
Spurs are nonetheless tackling an damage disaster, not least at centre-back, with Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven nonetheless lacking.
Guglielmo Vicario, Future Udogie and Ben Davies are all absentees within the back-line, so Radu Dragusin and Archie Grey might once more begin at centre-back.
Fraser Forster and Wilson Odobert are two others who’re lacking.
Richarlison, Mikey Moore and Antonin Kinsky all took half in coaching on Monday, with the latter a brand new signing in aim who has now been granted a piece allow.
Rodrigo Bentancur is again after suspension however Pape Matar Sarr and James Maddison are banned.
Potential Tottenham XI: Austin; Porro, Dragusin, Grey, Reguilon; Bissouma, Bergvall; Johnson, Kulusevski, Son; Solanke
5. Spurs’ painful watch for trophy glory
Spurs could also be seen as one of many greatest golf equipment within the nation, however their lack of trophies in latest a long time is extraordinary.
The north Londoners haven’t received a chunk of silverware since their League Cup triumph in 2008, beating Chelsea 2-1 within the ultimate because of a Jonathan Woodgate winner in extra-time.
Within the 17 years previous to that, Spurs received only one FA Cup and League Cup apiece, in 1991 and 1999, respectively.
Supporting them have to be an absolute nightmare!
6. Alexander-Arnold is aware of the place “he has to enhance”
After a dreadful efficiency towards United, Slot spoke truthfully about Trent Alexander-Arnold, displaying him help however saying enhancements are wanted:
“It’s regular that you simply discuss to gamers, on this state of affairs it wasn’t his finest sport so there have been issues I needed to present which he has to enhance.
“That’s what you do after each sport. Generally you present them how effectively they did, principally in the case of work price – so that you don’t need to say their good 80-yard cross as a result of they know.
“And generally you must present them what they’ll enhance, however I don’t solely do that with Trent.
“We had been simply speaking about Macca, if you happen to take a look at the second aim we concede, if he sprints a bit onerous he can lower off the shot from Diallo as effectively. There’s all the time issues you possibly can enhance.”
7. Liverpool unrivalled in League Cup
No group within the historical past of the League Cup has received the competitors extra instances than Liverpool, with the Reds tasting glory on 10 events.
The primary of these got here in 1981, earlier than profitable the following three in succession – two underneath Bob Paisley and one with Joe Fagan in cost.
Liverpool needed to wait till 1995 for his or her subsequent triumph, earlier than sealing victory in 2001 en path to Gerard Houllier’s Reds profitable a cup treble.
Additional League Cup wins got here in 2003, 2012 and 2022, earlier than final season’s memorable ultimate win over Chelsea at Wembley, because of Virgil van Dijk‘s winner.
8. Did You Know?
Final season, Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo and Diaz scored 54 objectives between them in all competitions, discovering the web 25, 16 and 13 instances, respectively.
This time round, the trio have already got 45 mixed, 21 of which have come from Salah, who might be having fun with his greatest-ever season for Liverpool.
In the meantime, Gakpo and Diaz have netted 12 instances apiece, highlighting how prolific they’ve been in half a marketing campaign in comparison with an entire season in 2023/24.
Assuming all of them keep match, they need to dismantle final time period’s mixed tally within the coming months.
9. Attwell in cost
• READ HERE: Defined – How League Cup VAR trial will work at Tottenham vs. Liverpool
Stuart Attwell will referee Wednesday’s sport, in what’s his second Liverpool outing of the season.
The primary was the 2-0 win at dwelling to Brentford within the Premier League in August, the place he handed yellow playing cards to Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch.
James Mainwaring and Constantine Hatzidakis are Attwell’s assistants, it’s the latter’s first Liverpool sport since elbowing Robertson within the jaw in 2023.
Tim Robinson is fourth official and Paul Tierney is on VAR.
A VAR trial may even be on present on Wednesday, with in-stadium bulletins by referees made following checks. It means for the primary time ever within the English sport, crowds and viewers at dwelling will be capable of hear officers announce their ultimate selections.
10. Comply with the match with TIA
Tottenham vs. Liverpool is reside on Sky Sports activities Soccer from 7pm (GMT), with kickoff at 8pm.
This Is Anfield‘s matchday will probably be off and operating from 7.15pm, with Henry Jackson in control of preserving you entertained.
Come on you Reds!
