Liverpool FC vs. Tottenham: 10 Bold Predictions for Premier League Clash

Liverpool gets set to face Tottenham Hotspurs on Monday, in what is a key encounter for both teams as they jockey for position among the top four in the Premier League standings.  Spurs are in a much better position than Liverpool, sitting in third place, five points off League leaders Manchester City.  

Liverpool's situation is a bit more desperate, sitting in sixth place, 16 points off the lead, but only four points out of fourth place.  Liverpool will also be anxious to avenge the humiliation the club suffered at the hands of Spurs at White Hart Lane in September.  

Added to this is the return of Luis Suárez after his eight-match ban, and it all points to a high-spirited affair at Anfield.  Here then are 10 bold predictions for the upcoming fixture.

10.Andy Carroll Will Not Score

Okay, not much of a “bold prediction”  there, but while he has played much better of late, linking particularly well with Craig Bellamy, the Spurs defense is too athletic and too talented to allow him the freedom he needs.  Plus he hasn’t demonstrated the ability to consistently win the aerial battle. 

Against the likes of Younes Kaboul, Michael Dawson and Ledley King, all physical players, and strong in the air, don’t expect much from Carroll in the box.

9. Louis Saha Will Have an Immediate Impact

Reports out of White Hart Lane are that transfer day signee Louis Saha has looked very sharp in practice.  Of course anyone can look World XI quality against passing cones and the likes of Danny Rose and other bench players, it’s another matter altogether competing at a hostile Anfield against Agger, Skrtel et al.

With a history of injury woes and only two goals this season for his former club, Everton, Saha seems hardly the candidate to set the Spurs attack on fire.  However, Emmanuel Adebayor has gone invisible for Spurs of late, and with Roman Pavlyuchencko jettisoned back to Moscow, and Stephen Pienaar off to Everton, there will be opportunities for the Frenchman to make his mark. 

He has a lot to prove at 33, particularly in light of criticism of the signing by Spurs fans.  Motivation will not be an issue for Saha and a substitute appearance against Liverpool might just prove the brightest stage to make a statement.

8. Dirk Kuyt Will Be a Factor

Having gone scoreless in the Premier League all season, Kuyt finally broke the duck against a hapless Wolves team last week.  This came on the heels of his FA Cup winner against Manchester United at Old Trafford a couple days before. 

This suggests that the striker may be rounding into form, but it is still too early to tell. Still, I expect that he will be buoyant on the day and using that confidence to inspire his game.  He may not put the ball in the back of the net but I fully expect him to factor in the scoring in some manner.

7. Stewart Downing Will Score

The enigmatic winger has yet to score in the Premier League since his £16m transfer from Aston Villa last summer.  Look for that drought to end.  Downing has a lot to prove, and with the announcement that he will not face charges following his arrest last month, Downing has had a huge weight lifted off his shoulders. 

Whether he lines up against Benoît Assou-Ekotto on the right, or against an ailing Kyle Walker on the left, look for an inspired performance from the England international.

6. Luis Suárez Will Factor in the Scoring

The enigmatic striker is well-rested and will be raring to go after his eight-game suspension.  Look for him to start, and to terrorize the Spurs third and to be a factor on free kicks in the attacking third. 

I won’t be surprised if he segues right back into his role as a pest and draws a penalty against the Spurs defense.  He may even try to talk his captain into letting him take a penalty it himself.

5. Gareth Bale Will Not Score

There is arguably no better in form player currently in all of England than Spurs’ Gareth Bale.  The Welsh international is coming off a fantastic run of games which saw him named the Premier League’s Player of the Month for January, on the strength of dominant performances against Everton, Manchester City and Wigan, scoring in the latter two contests.

Bale finished January with only three goals, but his impact was felt in less tangible ways than afforded by the scoresheet.  He has been particularly effective in creating opportunities for others, even though his teammates failed to capitalize on those opportunities against Everton and City. 

Look for the tandem of Jordan Henderson and Glen Johnson to put a particular focus on stifling Bale.  Don’t expect Liverpool to stop Gareth Bale, but don’t be surprised if they contain him, or more specifically, limit his impact on the game.

4. Liverpool’s Immovable Object Will Withstand Spurs’ Irresistible Force

Spurs are a formidable attacking side, currently ranking third in scoring with 44 goals.  Twenty of those goals have been scored on the road, but Liverpool has conceded just 21 goals all season, including an impressive eight at home. 

Something has to give and I expect that Liverpool’s solid back four of Glen Johnson-Martin Skrtel-Daniel Agger-Jose Enrique will frustrate a Spurs attack that is likely to be less than full strength.

3. At Least One of the Teams Will Finish the Game with 10 Men

Liverpool, of course, saw both Martin Skrtel and Charlie Adam sent off in the 4-0 defeat to Spurs at White Hart Lane in September, so there is recent precedent. 

With both Adam and Craig Bellamy ranking nearer the top of the league standing in cards shown, with six and five yellow cards, respectively, Liverpool needs to be on guard.  The club has a troubling 35 yellow cards in 23 matches, just over 1.5 cards per game, with only a slightly better record of 1.3 at home. 

To add fuel to the fire, Mike Oliver has been assigned to referee the match, and while his 2.58 yellow cards per game is relatively modest in comparison to other referees, he averages one red card every three games.  Chances are that he has used up his three-match quota with his red card to Karl Henry in the Aston Villa victory over Wolves two weeks ago, but one can never be too certain, particularly if emotions run as high as expected.

2. The Spurs Attack Will Falter

Earlier I noted that the irresistible force of the Spurs attack will yield to the immovable object that is the Liverpool back line, the defense will get a huge assist from the Reds midfield. 

Look for Dalglish to crowd the middle in effort to stifle the Spurs creative middle of Luka Modric and Rafael van der Vaart. 

Look for either a tactical or numerical focus on the middle, with the Reds crowding the Spurs pair when in possession, or with a fifth midfielder being deployed in a 4-5-1, at the expense of a second striker by Dalglish.

1. Liverpool Will Win

The Reds are playing well, are Carling Cup finalists, defeated Manchester United in the FA Cup, largely neutralized Manchester City this season and have legitimate prospects of returning to Champions League football.

They stand in sixth place, just four points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.  More importantly, they should be motivated by revenge after Spurs 4-0 demolition of the Reds at White Hart lane in September.  Reports are that Jermaine Defoe, Aaron Lennon and possibly Rafael van der Vaart  might all be unavailable, and possibly Gareth Bale and Kyle Walker as well. 

With Spurs already dealing with the distraction of Harry Redknapp’s tax evasion trial, should the injuries be as extensive as feared, then a Reds victory would be all the more a likely outcome.