This will be the 165th official game between Liverpool and Tottenham and for the 81st time the rivals will meet at Anfield. Their last Premier League game on October 17, 2015 ended with a goalless draw and that was the first game for Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool.
Before that, Brendan Rodgers’ Reds had no problems with defeating Spurs. A stunning goal from Mario Balotelli on the 83 minute left no chance for Pochettino’s men in Gameweek 24 on February,10, 2014 (3:2) while Steven Gerrard with his penalty had leveled with LFC legend Robbie Fowler with 183 goals for his club.
In the third game of 2014/15 season Liverpool smashed the Lilywhites 3:0 with Alberto Moreno’s debut goal for the Reds. Things were even worse for Tottenham on March 30, 2014, when LFC moved to the top of the table by defeating Spurs 4:0, and on December 15, 2013, when Andre Villas-Boas was sacked by Daniel Levy after humiliating 0:5 defeat by Suarez & C at White Hart Lane.
Now it’s all miles better for the Spurs. They are currently 2nd in the Premier League, just five points below Leicester City, while Liverpool can find themselves on the 9th place with two games in hand. Pochettino’s team lost only four games this season and their goal difference is the best in the league (56-24). They are second best away team in the Premier League with just one defeat in the last ten away games.
Harry Kane is absolutely fantastic with five goals in the last five league games (21 goals in total). No doubt, he is the first choice for Roy Hodgson to start for England at the Euros. The same applies to his teammate Dele Alli who has four assists in the last five league games. These two are the main threat to the Spurs’ opponents.
Liverpool show average results since the arriving of Klopp who is now building the team on his own views. They won just two of the last five home games, but with all that they still have chances to get the Europa League/Champions League spot. The Redmen suffer from injuries all season long, having Benteke, Firmino, Origi, Lucas and Moreno out with Ings ang Gomes missing since the start of the season. However, Daniel Sturridge and Coutinho are back and Lallana and Milner both show a good shape.
Liverpool scored 15 goals in the last five games and each of those games ended with over 2.5 goals in total. And there were just two home games this season when the Scousers were unable to score. Tottenham Hotspur have had just two games in their last ten, when they scored under two goals. That’s why we see value in backing both teams to score and total match goals over 2.5.
Kane once scored against Liverpool and he can do it again, being in perfect shape. And LFC’s attacking trio Sturridge-Coutinho-Lallana is able to create chances in front of their fans at Anfield. Both teams are in a hard fight for the different targets, so they need points and will not agree with a draw.