Liverpool vs. Tottenham Hotspur: Preview, Live Stream, Start Time and More

Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur will meet on Monday with each club in a rather peculiar position in the English Premier League.

The Reds are finally starting to play some quality football after Kenny Dalglish's summer spending spree, though they still have some work to do to sneak into the top four. Spurs, on the other hand, are a mere five points back of the league lead and have shown little sign of slowing down any time soon.

Tottenham stomped Liverpool, 4-0, at White Hart Lane back in September behind goals from Luka Modric, Jermain Defoe and Emmanuel Adebayor (two).

Where: Anfield, Liverpool, England

When: Monday, February 6th at 3:00 p.m. ET

Watch: ESPN2, ESPN Latin America South, ESPN Latin America Andina, SuperSport HD 3, Sport.TV Liga Inglesa, SuperSport Maximo 

Live Stream: ESPN3.com

Liverpool Player to Watch: Luis Suarez

At long last, Luis Suarez will be back in action for Liverpool on Monday. The Uruguayan talisman has been out of action since late December on account of an eight-game ban handed down by the FA for a racist spat against Patrice Evra of Manchester United.

The Reds have just started to figure out how to move the ball without Luisito after struggling so mightily to score all season. Suarez's return should serve to accelerate that improvement further as Liverpool continue their charge into the top four.

Tottenham Player to Watch: Gareth Bale

Fabio Capello once described Gareth Bale as the world's greatest left-sided player, and with the way the Welshman has been performing over the last three months, he's more than living up to that characterization. The 22-year-old from Cardiff is leading Spurs in goals and assists this campaign, with three goals combined in his last two outings.

Bale has yet to score on the Reds in his career, but is playing more than well enough to warrant a clean shot or two at the net this time around.

Key Matchup: Tottenham's Attacking Midfield vs. Liverpool's Central Defence

Spurs' run toward the top of the EPL has been fueled by the spectacular play of its fast-paced attack out of the midfield. Between Bale, Modric, Rafael van der Vaart, Scott Parker and Aaron Lennon, Harry Redknapp has at his disposal a veritable brigade of footballers who seem to create brilliant chances as a birthright.

Doing so against Liverpool's stodgy defence, though, will be no easy task. The Reds have allowed just 21 goals thus far, tied for the second fewest of any club in the Premiership.

Granted, Tottenham accounted for four of those, though 'Arry figures to find the replication of those results a bit more difficult to come by on Merseyside, against a much-improved Liverpool side.

What They're Saying

There was much ado about nothing for Liverpool at the close of the January transfer window. Rumors of a potential Andy Carroll-for-Carlos Tevez swap ran rampant through the tabloids.

After all the hustle and bustle, Carroll remains on Merseyside, though not without a spot of praise from Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini:

"

"Carroll is a good player, he is young and strong but it would be difficult and I don't think it is going to happen...There was no phone call to me. I don't know if [director of football] Brian Marwood was involved. I just read it in the newspaper. I didn't speak to Marwood about this."

"

Tottenham were active on the transfer market, though the bigger news around White Hart Lane, especially as far as finances are concerned, came from Redknapp's tax evasion trial. The Spurs boss went off in court upon accusations from the prosecution that he lied during the trial:

"

"Everything I have told you is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God."

Redknapp said he was willing to swear again on the bible as he completed his evidence by saying: "I am not a liar."

He said: "I'm the most ungreedy person you have ever met in your whole life, ever."

"

Redknapp and co-defendant Milan Mandaric are facing charges of cheating the public revenue by funneling funds through bank accounts in Monaco.

"

 

"

Prediction: Tottenham 2, Liverpool 1

Liverpool have finally shown some goal-scoring moxie of late, though they'll be hard pressed to keep up their fearless run of form against a Tottenham side whose defence also ranks among the best in the EPL, though the attack clearly gets more attention.

Follow @J0shMart1n