Liverpool and Tottenham face off in a heavyweight Premier League clash, but are Spurs fans hopeful of a first victory over the Reds in their new stadium?
Jurgen Klopp’s side defeated West Ham 3-1 at Anfield last Saturday, capping off an increasingly promising start to the season.
On Saturday evening, though, Liverpool will face their toughest test of the season when they go to Tottenham Hotspur, who are also soaring high under affable new boss Ange Postecoglou.
Their 2-2 draw at Arsenal last Sunday was a strong result, and they appear to be tougher than in the past.
As the match approaches, This Is Anfield’s Henry Jackson spoke with football.Alasdair Gold (@AlasdairGold) of the London Spurs joins us to talk about a fascinating competition this weekend and much more.
Tottenham sit fourth in the table – how optimistic are you?
They’ve made a strong start under Ange Postecoglou, and they’re playing the type of football that Spurs fans have craved in recent years.
While missing out on European football for the first time in 14 years is never a good thing, it does provide Postecoglou with complete weeks off throughout the season to work with his team.
That’s already evident in how fast both young and experienced players have adopted his front-foot, risk-taking style of play.
Fourth is about perfect for how Spurs are doing with this youthful club, and I’m hopeful they’ll finish in the top five this season, securing Champions League status.
Just how popular is Postecoglou – what’s he done to make such a difference?
He is extremely loved among the players, staff, and fans. The Australian speaks so clearly about what he wants and expects, and then he goes out and makes it happen.
Postecoglou is popular among the players since he absolves them of any mistakes.
He wants them to play fast, possession-based football out of the back, and he makes it plain that if they get caught in possession or have their passes intercepted, that’s great because he asked them to.
That is a far cry from recent managers, who stated unequivocally that they did not believe they were to blame.
Postecoglou’s removal of the fear factor makes them even more confidence in playing the passing football that he demands for, as shown at the Emirates Stadium so far.
It has gotten him the results he has had elsewhere in his career.
Who do you view as Spurs’ key players this season?
With Postecoglou’s arrival, James Maddison has already become the creative core of everything Spurs do, and Yves Bissouma has been brought back to life as a midfield force beside him.
Son Heung-min has been converted into a devastating central striker, and despite their youth, Destiny Udogie and Micky van de Ven have quickly upgraded the defense.
Along with the new goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who has impressed from the start, the team now has a tremendously strong core.
What’s one thing you’d change at Spurs currently?
That cup loss at Fulham.
Postecoglou replaced the majority of the team, and the second XI demonstrated that the strength isn’t quite there in some areas when you dive deeper into the squad.
Spurs were eliminated on penalties, adding another cup departure to their long list.
Away from the Spurs, which team will surprise us in 2023/24?
There’s less of a surprise element to them now, but Brighton appear to be handling the Premier League portion of their hectic calendar well, if not the cup aspects.
It shows that they can still be a power in the league if they prioritize it, though how realistic that is as the season progresses and injuries mount is another question.
Which Liverpool player would you most want at Spurs currently?
I don’t believe you can look past Mo Salah.
He is one of the top players in the world and would fit in well with Spurs’ system.
Looking ahead to Saturday, where will the key battles take place?
Salah versus. Udogie will be crucial, as will Dejan Kulusevski against. Andy Robertson on the other end.
I also believe that how Liverpool midfielders like Alexis MacAllister and Dominik Szoboszlai deal with the mobility of Maddison and Bissouma will determine how much joy Spurs have with their buildup play on the day.
Finally, what’s your prediction?
Both sides are coming off unblemished starts to the season and are in terrific form, with plenty of goals to their names.
I believe the positive vibes around Spurs, as well as the resulting loud stadium, may just tilt the balance on the field.
Spurs have a terrible record against Liverpool in recent years, but I believe they can come away with a 2-1 win if they remember what they learned from the stalemate against Arsenal.
