Preview: Liverpool vs. Tottenham
The Reds look to turn around a one-goal deficit from the first leg of the League Cup semi-final.
Liverpool vs Tottenham
| Thursday, February 6th |
Carabao Cup | Anfield
8PM BST / 3PM ET
After a hard-fought away win over a surging Bournemouth side at the weekend, Liverpool try to make their first final of the year, as they attempt to overturn the deficit from the 1-0 loss against Tottenham nearly a month ago.
It’s been a rough old season for Ange Postecoglu this year, with Spurs currently 14th in the Premier League table, ten points out of relegation and 14 points out of Europe, and a cup final could potentially be the thing that keeps the Australian in a job when all is said and done in the summer.
They did well in the first leg however — despite conceding six against the same team at home a few weeks earlier — holding the Reds to a minimum of opportunities and converting at the other end through a Lucas Bergvall who should not have been on the pitch, and they have won three of their last four, albeit just one in the league, as they dropped all three points to relegation fodder Leicester back at the end of January.
Spurs’ injury troubles have been well documented and will continue to impact them, but deadline day signing Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel are both likely to feature and could provide a boost for an ailing side.
Projected Liverpool Lineup (4-3-3)
Alisson; Bradley, Konaté, van Dijk, Tsimikas; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Gakpo, Diaz, Salah
With an FA Cup date against Plymouth coming up at the weekend, expect a strong lineup from the Reds, including Alisson in goal, as the Brazilian started in the reverse fixture in place off designated domestic cup keeper Caoimhin Kelleher.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is ruled out for days not weeks and as such expect Conor Bradley to start in his place, while Ibrahima Konaté and Virgil van Dijk should continue their partnership in the centre of defence, with Andy Robertson returning at left-back.
The first-choice midfield for Arne Slot this season has consisted of Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, and there is no reason to expect that to change here, with Curtis Jones, Wataru Endo and Harvey Elliott likely to feature in the weekend’s Plymouth match instead.
Up top, Diogo Jota was back in the squad this weekend and will likely make an appearance from the bench, as Luis Diaz continues his run at the central striker spot, in between Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah, who have managed 62 goals and assists between them this season.
What the Managers Said
Arne Slot: “I think as long as Liverpool exists, if you play in this shirt, you need to win the game. That’s for tomorrow, that’s for Sunday, that’s for Wednesday afterwards and the game after that. Even if we go 1-0 down in the league or whatever tournament we are in, we try and want to win the game.”
Ange Postecoglu: “It is a big occasion for us, the club and the fans. It’s a semi-final. Irrespective, I don’t think Liverpool will be any less anxious than us for the fixture of a semi-final, a second leg, it is tight and a big game for both clubs. You recognise that, embrace that but ultimately you want to be successful then these are the games you want to be involved in. There is no point in having trepidation about it because the alternative is you will be watching two other teams on the TV and you would be sitting on the couch wishing you were there. We are going to be there and we’ve got a chance and we will go for it.”
The Officials
Referee: Craig Pawson
Assistant referees: Simon Bennett, Daniel Robathan
Fourth official: Darren Bond
VAR: Michael Salisbury, James Mainwaring
Kickoff is set for 8PM GMT/3PM ET tomorrow, and television listings for the match can be found on LiveSoccerTV.
In the meantime, and as always, we’ll be keeping you updated with all the buildup to the game, including team news as it’s released, our live matchday thread, and post-match recaps from The Liverpool Offside staff. If you want to join the discussion, sign up for an SB Nation account to have your say on the action as it happens.
Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com
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