Liverpool vs. Tottenham: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream and TV Info

Tottenham's trip to Anfield on Tuesday evening looms as yet another litmus test of their progress. 

A derby victory over Arsenal and a thrashing of Chelsea suggest that Mauricio Pochettino's team is here to stay, but facing a resurgent Liverpool will provide another stiff test. 

Both sides have their eyes on the Premier League's top four and are separated by just four points coming into this clash. That gap could be down to one if the Reds can pick up a victory. 

Spurs and Liverpool were the better sides in their derby days on Saturday, but the Reds were unable to turn their dominance into victory while Tottenham claimed a famous win over their old enemy. 

This match sees the top two teams in the English Premier League's form table coming together in what should be an absolute cracker of a match. 

Date: Tuesday, February 10

Time: 8 p.m. GMT/3 p.m. ET

Venue: Anfield, Liverpool

TV Info: BT Sport 1 (U.K. only)/NBCSN (U.S. only)

Live Stream: BT Sport app and online player (U.K. only)/NBC Sports Live Extra (U.S. only)

Liverpool haven't beaten a team in the top six since their victory over Tottenham in August. They've done a credible job of beating the teams below them but, apart from their home draw against Chelsea in the League Cup semi-final, they've not had many strong results against the top sides.

Like it or not, Spurs are now one of the top sides so Liverpool will need to be at their best to maintain their impressive home record. 

Aston Villa, Real Madrid and Chelsea are the only teams to have come away from Anfield with a victory this season.

With the Villa defeat being something of an aberration, the Reds have produced impressive results in their home matches this season. Even when they were struggling for form, they managed to produce something in front of their home fans. 

Spurs won't be overawed by Liverpool's home comforts. 

They are fourth in the away table, behind only Chelsea, Manchester City and Southampton. Spurs' away form has been key to their drive up the table but their form away to top sides is quite poor. Chelsea thrashed them 3-0 while Man City also won comfortably, 4-1. Of their away matches against teams above them, only at the Emirates did Spurs avoid defeat. 

Their last two defeats have also come away from home. 

This won't be a defining fixture for either team's season, but it's only one step down from there. This is a big game with big implications.

Spurs have passed their biggest tests in 2015; only in a late defeat to Crystal Palace have they taken their eye off the ball. 

A two-legged defeat to Chelsea and a scoreless draw against Everton are far from embarrassing results, but Liverpool have otherwise not been put to the test in recent weeks.

Their excellent form goes on the line against Spurs.

Form Lines

Liverpool vs. Everton	0-0
Bolton vs. Liverpool	1-2
Liverpool vs. West Ham	2-0
Chelsea vs. Liverpool	1-0

Tottenham vs. Arsenal	2-1
West Brom vs. Tottenham	0-3
Sheffield United vs. Tottenham	2-2
Leicester City vs. Tottenham	2-1

Team News

Reds midfielder Lucas has suffered a recurrence of his adductor injury and, after being withdrawn in the first half of the derby against Everton, is in doubt for this match. 

Daniel Sturridge was on the bench again for the derby but, after three substitute appearances, will likely return to the starting lineup. 

Spurs were at full-strength for the derby win over Arsenal and suffered no apparent injuries. 

Pochettino will likely take the opportunity to rotate some players but, with no further fixtures for the next nine days, there is no reason to field a weakened team. 

Nacer Chadli made his return as a substitute against Arsenal and will likely move into the starting lineup while Andros Townsend, Federico Fazio or Roberto Soldado could also come in to the lineup. 

Expected Formations

BleacherReport.com

Player to Watch (Liverpool) 

An in-form Daniel Sturridge is key to Liverpool's aspirations this season. His likely return to the starting lineup makes him the key man for the home side in this clash. 

If he is firing when Spurs come to town, Sturridge could prove the difference.

Player to Watch (Tottenham)

Who else could it be but derby hero Harry Kane. The young striker has four goals in his last two Premier League matches and needs to add just one more to move level with Charlie Austin as the highest-scoring English player in the division. 

Key Battle

Tottenham have the two in-form attackers in the Premier League while Liverpool's new three-man defence has been rock solid in recent weeks. 

This match hinges on whether Liverpool can hold Spurs at bay. 

Brendan Rodgers' team are virtually certain to score. Spurs have just one Premier League clean sheet in 2015, and Liverpool have scored three, four and five goals in their most recent fixtures against the north London club. 

Odds

The oddsmakers at Oddschecker have Liverpool as strong favourites for this match with the Reds at 5/6 on and Spurs 3/1 outsiders. 

Sturridge is the 4/1 favourite to open the scoring while Christian Eriksen represents good value at 10/1. 

Prediction

In this fixture last season, Spurs were soundly beaten 4-0. Younes Kaboul turned the ball into his own net after just two minutes, and Tim Sherwood's side were forced to chase the game. 

Realistically, that result has little relevance to this one. Luis Suarez was the chief tormentor of Tottenham's cumbersome defensive partnership of Kaboul and Michael Dawson (who replaced the injured Jan Vertonghen before Suarez scored to make it 2-0). 

The key actors in the last go-around are no longer involved. 

This time, Spurs are full of confidence, but the return of Sturridge makes Liverpool a far more potent force than they have been. 

Either side could win this one, which means it will probably end up a 2-2 draw.