Liverpool will rue the innumerable missed chances they had against Manchester United at Anfield last weekend, that would have helped them move up the table from their present position of 8th into the Top Four. The Reds commanded two-thirds of the ball-possession but poor finishing undid them. Prolific goalscorers like Mohamed Saleh, Coutinho and Firmino made heavy weather at Anfield in finding the target. It was a chance coach Jurgen Klopp’s men could not capitalize on – a United defense that has been virtually untested this season. Same could not not be the case when they run into a Tottenham Hotspur back-line ofKieran Trippier, Davinson Sanchez, Toby Alderweireld, Vertonghen and arguably the best goalkeeper in the Premier League, Hugo Lloris at Wembley on October 22nd.
The suspect Reds defense on the other hand were lucky not to have been tested by an unusually ineffectual Romelu Lukaku and a forward line of Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Mkhitaryan that had a genuinely off day.
While Jurgen Klopp’s men will be expected to stick to their attacking style and attempt at ball possession domination, it would unusual for the likes of Harry Kane, Del Alli and Eriksen not to go hammer and tongs at the Liverpool goal by way of swift counter-attacks.
Liverpool will sorely miss the services of Sadio Mane, out with a hamstring injury for at least a month. The 25-year old Senaglese’s winger speed on the wings and lethal crosses is what made goal-scoring so easy for Liverpool forwards. The absence of Mane upfront has been envinced from Liverpool’s performance from previous four games – just one win and three draws and only 5 goals to show (The Reds got as many as 8 from their first three Premier league outings alone).
Both Tottenham and Liverpool have mid-week European outings in the form of Group clashes in the ongoing 2017-18 UEFA Champions League.While Spurs travel to Spain to for a testing bout with champions Real Madrid, the Reds have a comparatively easier but faraway sojourn to Slovenia where they meet Maribor.
As for the weekend Premier league clash between these two, there will be a lot of catching up for the visitors to do. Liverpool are a clear 4 points behind 3rd placed Tottenham and only a win could help mend things for the them. The Spurs, while being superlative on the road this season, have been shaky in their temporary home venue, the Wembley, where they registered there first Premier League win of the season in a match against Bournemouth just last Saturday, having gone winless in their three previous ones. Jurgen Klopp may have not failed to notice Spurs uncomfortable 1-0 win over the unfancied Cherries in which the visitors came close to equalizing on more than one occasion.
Just on the basis of current form, bookmakers are wagering on a Spurs win. But Liverpool’s astonishing record against the Spurs should make this anybody’s game. The Reds haven’t lost a single of their last 10 games since 2013 against their weekend rivals and in fact, won 7 of those.
Odds
Tottenham Hotspur win: 21/20
Draw: 5/2
Liverpool: 12/5
Recommended tip: Spurs to Win, Best Odds 21/20
Odds Correct at 17th Oct 2017 and subject to change. Please Gamble Responsible 18+