Through the years, clashes between Liverpool and Tottenham have proven to be some of the most entertaining games of the season. With both sides regularly fighting for European football, competition has always been tough, but that hasn’t taken the excitement and attacking play out of their games.
Last season, Jurgen Klopp made his debut as Liverpool manager in the first 0-0 tie between the two sides since 2012, and only the third time both sides have drawn blanks up against each other since 1996. In the return fixture at Anfield, a 1-1 draw ensured that the two clashes produced the fewest goals in one season between the sides since 2005-06 and only the second time in history that both league fixtures resulted in draws.
However, the Merseyside club have now extended their unbeaten run against Tottenham to seven games in a row, bagging 19 goals, an average of 2.7 goals per game in the process. That run has featured some magnificent moments for the Reds, perhaps none more so than a rather memorable John Flanagan strike as Liverpool cruised to a 5-0 victory at White Hart Lane as Andre Villas Boas neared the end of his reign as Spurs boss.
With no Hugo Lloris in goal, and the likes of Sadio Mane lighting up the start of Liverpool’s season, The Reds will be hoping to keep that run of form going. Up against one of the Premier League’s best defences it certainly won’t be easy, even without their influential French goalkeeper.
With Philippe Coutinho a doubt, Liverpool still have plenty of options, with Daniel Sturridge the most likely candidate to step in and replace him. Jurgen Klopp will be keen to see more of the performance that saw the Reds put five past Burton in the EFL Cup than the performance against Burnley last weekend, and history suggests that could be the case.
However, Spurs have shown that they can hit form against Liverpool too. In fact, before the start of this seven match unbeaten run, the London side had won seven of the last 10 fixtures between the two clubs, averaging 1.9 goals per game in that run themselves.
With Harry Kane still warming up his engine and yet to really get going, he will be licking his lips at the prospect of coming up against a Liverpool defence which has conceded five goals in two games up against a depleted Arsenal attack and newly promoted Burnley, with Simon Mignolet conceding all of the last five shots on target against him in the Premier League.
Vincent Janssen has also been an exciting prospect and will look to form the kind of partnership that Spurs fans have seen along the years with the likes of Jermaine Defoe and Robbie Keane combining to devastating effect up against a much sturdier Liverpool defence under Rafa Benitez.
Mauricio Pochettino will be desperate to put an end to the hoodoo, and his men will be seeking to continue their unbeaten start to the season with an improved performance in what is their biggest challenge to date. If Pochettino’s men can secure their second consecutive home victory in a week, it’ll put an end to that run and ensure that his side are up at the top of the table from the start.
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