Dan Childs’ selections for Sunday’s Premier League clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium include a win for the visitors in a high-scoring game.
Tottenham and Liverpool have been drawn against each other in the EFL Cup semi-finals but Premier League progress will be on their minds as they prepare to lock horns at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.
Liverpool have set the pace since early November but need a victory to make sure of staving off Chelsea’s challenge to be the Christmas number one.
The Reds have drawn their last two league matches but they are unbeaten in 20 games across all competitions and haven’t experienced an away defeat since a 2-0 loss to Everton in April.
Mid-table Spurs have been much more inconsistent and are attempting to achieve back-to-back league wins for the first time since September.
Best bets
Liverpool and over 2.5 goals @ 21/20
Mohamed Salah to score the first goal @ 15/4
Dejan Kulusevski to be carded @ 5/2
Reds can return to winning ways
Liverpool have seen their lead over Chelsea reduced from nine points to two over the last three weeks but they can send out a message to title rivals by passing a tricky test against free-scoring Tottenham in north London.
Arne Slot’s side are going strong across all competitions as they continue their quest for multiple trophies.
The Reds are the only one of the 36 Champions League teams with a maximum six wins on the board and they eased through to the EFL Cup’s final four on Wednesday with a 2-1 victory at Southampton.
Eight changes were made for the Southampton trip and that rotation paid dividends as fringe players were awarded valuable game time and several first-teamers were rested.
While Slot felt able to rotate his resources, Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou understandably decided to go strong for Thursday’s quarter-final against Manchester United.
The Lilywhites were without ten senior players but they did just about enough in a bizarre match featuring a couple of dreadful errors from their goalkeeper, Fraser Forster.
In the end, what looked like being a comfortable night turned into a draining experience and the consequences could be felt against Liverpool, when the vast majority of Tottenham’s starters will be asked to go again.
Spurs seemed to be running out of legs in the final 30 minutes against United and any drop off in energy levels could lead to a high-scoring loss to the Premier League leaders.
Slick Salah could strike the first blow
Tottenham will almost certainly continue to play front-foot football but their injury-hit defence is set to be exposed by some of the top attacking talents in the division.
Mohamed Salah has been Liverpool’s most consistent performer and looks a solid 15/4 wager to open the scoring.
Kulusevski could be carded
Dejan Kulusevski is having an outstanding season but even he may have a tough time against the Premier League leaders.
The Swede has been Tottenham’s most creative player but he also gets through a mountain of off-ball work and has committed 24 Premier League fouls – the highest of any Spurs player.
Kulusevski has been carded in just three of 16 league appearances but a fourth caution could be on the way against the trickiest of opponents.
Visit Betway’s football betting page.