Tottenham vs. Liverpool Preview: Not much left
Yesterday at 07:00 AM
Spurs are down and depleted by the hope for a trophy still remains.
Yet another disappointing Premier League outing leaves Tottenham Hotspur and Ange Postecoglou with little choice but to focus on alternative competitions to salvage something from this season. While the Europa League still offers promise, the League Cup remains an option as well, though the path ahead is anything but easy: the semifinals against Liverpool kick off this week, and either Arsenal or Newcastle awaits on the other side of the bracket.
The two sides last met just a couple of weeks ago in North London, where Wednesday's first leg will take place. It was clear which team was superior (on that day and on the season), with the visitors scoring six goals on 5.6 xG in a wild match that felt clearly one-sided. Spurs will need a much stronger performance if they are to stay alive for the second leg at Anfield in February.
Semifinals (1st Leg): Tottenham Hotspur vs. Liverpool
Date: Wednesday, January 8
Time: 3:00 pm ET, 8:00 pm UK
Location: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
TV: Paramount+ (USA), Sky Sports Main Event (UK)
Liverpool's draw against United over the weekend ended its streak of three-straight victories in the league. Meanwhile, the Reds' League Cup run has seen them dispatch solely Premier League opposition, with victories over West Ham, Brighton, and Southampton leading into this round. This is a tough situation for Spurs, as Liverpool has dominated recent encounters, winning four of the last five meetings across all competitions (and 11 of the last 14).
At risk of sounding too pessimistic, Tottenham's best hope on Wednesday may be facing a distracted or overconfident Liverpool. Arne Slot's squad, which was not expected to perform so strongly this season, now sits atop the Premier League and leads the League Phase of the Champions League; though this is already the semifinals, the League Cup is probably not the highest priority on the club's list right now.
Whether this leads to significant rotation is something to watch. Regardless, there is no question about which side needs this competition more. Despite their inconsistencies this season, Spurs have delivered their best performances in the bigger moments, and this week's fixture certainly qualifies as one of those.
Biding time
Despite being at home, Tottenham's best strategy may simply be to survive on Wednesday. The second leg is not for another month, giving Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Ben Davies, Richarlison, and potentially others time to recover. With both James Maddison and Pape Sarr suspended for this match in addition to all the injuries, swinging for the fences seems unwise.
By the time February rolls around, it is possible that Liverpool will be even more focused on the Premier League and Champions League, potentially forcing some compromises in the League Cup. While simply hoping for the clock to pass this week is not that fun, it seems reasonable to expect that the circumstances will be slightly more favorable next month.
Given these factors, Postecoglou must adopt a conservative approach, ensuring Liverpool does not run riot again. Tottenham's makeshift defense has been mostly serviceable, but it was torn apart by the Reds last month. Prioritizing defensive security at the expense of attacking is the right approach. It goes against the ambitious style he typically strives for, but with so many key players unavailable, it feels like the only viable option. Survive the first leg, and live to fight in February.
