Tottenham vs Liverpool: 3 Key Battles To Watch Out For

Tottenham vs Liverpool: 3 Key Battles

Jurgen Klopp’s first game in charge of Liverpool will be against Spurs at White Hart Lane. This season, Spurs are unbeaten in all but one game – the opening fixture v Manchester United. This weekend’s game is going to be a test for Klopp not as a manager but as a motivator. He will need to get this lacklustre Liverpool squad to believe in themselves that they can get the better of Tottenham while current PL manager of the month, Pochetino has to keep pulling the same strings he has in the past few weeks that has got Spurs playing some eye-catching football while not being the team that succumbs easily in the big games. Of course, such a game will have certain key battles.

1. Eriksen v Skrtel:

 

Christian Eriksen is without any doubt the creative drive of this Spurs squad. He’s bailed out Spurs on numerous occasions since he joined from Ajax, whether it’s late on or early in the game. Not only is he a player with individual brilliance, he always puts the team first. Eriksen has that wonderful gift that every CAM needs to possess – he finds himself on numerous situations in that magic area gap between the CB and CDM. One can argue that both the CDM and the CB need to maintain tighter lines and need superb chemistry to stop this from happening, but Martin Skrtel with the experience he has can for sure make the space lesser and with his heading ability, win the long balls that are played to the Danish international.

2. Coutinho vs Eric Dier

Secondly, we will see one from a Liverpool perspective. This one is key to Liverpool scoring and dictating the play in the game. Yes, the player is none other than young Brazilian – Philippe Coutinho. The Brazilian was the only consolation for Liverpool under Brendon Rodgers this season and is in excellent form. Stopping the young Brazilian from doing his magic and trickery will be a hard task and who will Pochetino ideally choose to do this work? It will be none other Eric Dier. Dier has made the CDM position his own. Yet, being a player with his favoured position as CB, Dier often finds himself in deep positions inside the defensive half where he is more or less like a pivoting shield for the defence, where he prevents through balls to reach the striker or move out wide to the flanks. Those are 2 tasks that Coutinho is excellent at and Dier will need to see to it that the Brazil international is denied the opportunities to convert them to successful chances.

3. Delle Alli v Jordan Henderson will be the final battle.

 

Both players play the same role of keeping the game ticking while on possession and pressing to win the ball back when needed. Alli has been impressive in his season so far in the PL with Spurs. For a first timer who is yet to reach 20 years of age, he shows amazing maturity and composure when on and off the ball. Henderson who has recently taken up the captain’s armband is a similar player but has experience on his side. The player who does his role better between the 2 since both the teams have a manager who imposes similar styles, will not only enjoy a great game but will more or less ensure that their side is going to be the winners unless they have a really bad day in front of goal.

An interesting match up this Sunday, while Spurs have folded easily in the last 2 seasons to Liverpool, it looks the tide has changed for the good this time.