Tottenham vs Liverpool: Three key battles to watch out for
The international break is over and we have a blockbuster game to restart the Premier League. Wembley will be buzzing to host this match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool. While Mauricio Pochettino’s men were pegged back at Watford just before the break, Jurgen Klopp’s men have made a perfect start to this season, winning all the four games.
So, the home team must get back to winning ways. On the other hand, the away side would be keen to avenge their last season’s 4-1 defeat at Wembley, which was without a doubt one of the lowest points of Klopp’s Liverpool career.
Here are the three key battles that can decide the game this weekend:
Spurs’ defence vs Reds’ front three
Liverpool’s front three of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino are just world-class without any debate. In the corresponding fixture last year, Mane was injured and the Reds missed him badly. This time though, the Senegalese is expected to start along with his other two wrecker-in-chiefs.
For Spurs, it is important that they keep their back doors shut in possession because we all know Liverpool are at their most dangerous when the opposition has the ball. Pochettino might deploy a back-three to virtually mark the three forwards. Let’s see how this contest goes, the winner of this would certainly have a big say in the outcome.
Midfield of both teams
The midfield battle is an intriguing narrative whenever two big teams clash. Both teams have amazing players who can control the game on their own. It will be very interesting to see whether Klopp fields Henderson in the defensive midfield or goes back to Wijnaldum.
For Tottenham, Pochettino needs to position his midfielders in the right way because of the way Liverpool press.
Harry Kane vs Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker
The World Cup Golden Boot winner hasn’t really hit the ground running in this season. However, he is a big game player, so we can expect him to be at his devilish best against a defence which got annihilated by him last year.
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But this time, Liverpool have Virgil van Dijk in the defence and Alisson Becker in goal. Both of them have shown signs of communication and solidity at the back. It will be very interesting to see how they handle their first massive test of the season. Kane will make it tough for sure.