Spurs could throw a spanner in the title hopes of Liverpool

Liverpool host Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday with both teams desperate of the three points. Liverpool will need them in order to keep up with Manchester City as both teams are battling for the Premier League trophy.

Tottenham after dropping off a little recently, they will need the three points to stay in the top four and get into the Champions League yet again but, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal are only four points within each other and any have a chance of confirming their place in the Champions League.

The Reds in their last league outing they faced Fulham at Craven Cottage with Liverpool sat a point behind league leaders at the time Manchester City. A lively started from the Reds saw on-form winger Sadio Mane open the scoring in the 25th minute.

Following some terrible defending from the Liverpool backline, ex-Liverpool player Ryan Babel equalised the scoring in the 73rd minute, but Liverpool had the last say as midfielder James Milner perfectly took a penalty to seal the three points for the Reds which saw them move into first with City having a game in hand. Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp spoke on the importance of attitude and character going into the last games of the season.

“I would say their skills are similarly important, their attitude is very important, character is very important. But believing in something makes it more likely to happen, 100 per cent.

“But the problem is I’m pretty sure Manchester City believes as well, so one will be disappointed at the end of the season. That’s how it is.

“But let’s go for it. Nobody knows what will be [on May 12], but we try everything to make it a big day for us.”

Tottenham last played a Premier League game three weeks ago as they took on Southampton away from home. A goal in the 26th minute from Spurs’ top goalscorer Harry Kane saw the team take a 1-0 lead. Southampton ruined the day for the London side, two late goals from Yan Valery and James Ward-Prowse meant that Tottenham would leave St Mary’s Stadium empty handed. Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino, voice his oinion on Spurs not beating Liverpool at Anfield since 2011 and how it will motivate his team to get the three points against the title challengers.

“Must be for me, the motivation is to change our dynamic of the results, we need to start to feel again the victory. It is a challenge to go there.

“They are unbeaten in Premier League at Anfield, it is going to be a massive challenge.

“We respect them, they are doing good job, very good team, it will be tough.

“Last season, the game was very tough performance was good, and it is a good point to start to build in our mind the determination to go there and be competitive and win the game.

“But of course it is going to be difficult.”

Last time out the teams faced off in the league was in September at Wembley Stadium. Two goals from Liverpool before the hour mark sealed the three points for the Reds even though Spurs scored in the 93rd minute through Eric Lamela but ultimately the Reds carried on their unbeaten streak in the league.

Team News

Liverpool will monitor full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who withdrew from England duty with a back problem.

Tottenham are without Eric Dier, who suffered a muscle injury in England’s win against the Czech Republic.

Harry Winks remains sidelined but Kieran Trippier is back in contention.

Serge Aurier was forced off after half an hour of Ivory Coast’s victory against Rwanda last weekend because of a hamstring problem and is not available.