Injury-Ravaged Tottenham Can Lay Down Marker with Win over Liverpool

Tottenham and Liverpool's seasons won't be defined by their blockbuster Premier League clash this weekend, but it is a fixture of huge significance.

Just one point separates the two clubs despite having enjoyed wildly different starts to their seasons.

Spurs have impressed without accumulating the points that they've deserved, but the 4-1 thrashing of Manchester City in September grabbed headlines.

By contrast, Liverpool have sacked their manager and appointed new man Jurgen Klopp. The appointment has been widely applauded and is expected to lift the Anfield club for their trip to north London.

This match has the potential to be a watershed in both club's campaigns.

While the Reds have been lifted by Klopp's arrival, that optimism has been punctured by season-ending injuries to Joe Gomez and Danny Ings. The Guardian's Daniel Taylor reported the news.

Spurs, too, have been frustrated by injury problems. According to WhoScored.com, Heung-Min Son, Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason are all first-team players who will not appear against Liverpool.

Eric Dier's suspension for accumulation of yellow cards means manager Mauricio Pochettino must get creative with his team selection.

Spurs will be forced to select Mousa Dembele or Tom Carroll alongside Dele Alli against Klopp's strong midfield options. Neither screens the back line like Dier, so Spurs' solid defensive record will be put to the test.

So far this season, Tottenham's defence has shone while the attack has struggled to impose itself.

The continued absence of Son is hugely frustrating. After an excellent start to his career in England, he is now sorely missed.

Erik Lamela strung together his best run of form in a Tottenham shirt before the international break, and he must continue in that vein. He and Christian Eriksen must provide the inspiration if Spurs are to extend the longest unbeaten record in England's top flight this season.

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

Tottenham and Liverpool are the two sides nearest to breaking back into the Premier League's top four, and that makes their meetings especially important.

Liverpool remain a fundamentally flawed side.

Their back line is weak and further destabilised by Gomez's injury. Their midfield is physically strong but uninspired, relying on the mercurial Philippe Coutinho for creativity.

Despite the injuries plaguing their midfield, Spurs are not overmatched man-to-man.

Klopp is far more than the glorified cheerleader who has been presented in British media, but his motivational skills are a great asset. The appointment of a new manager almost always coincides with an improved attitude among his players, and that's likely to be doubly true for Klopp.

That he could convince his Dortmund team to play such a self-sacrificing style of football for so many years speaks to his motivational skills.

Tottenham remain justifiably favoured by Odds Shark, but there is special impetus behind Liverpool.

Liverpool would leapfrog Spurs if Klopp can get off to the perfect start with a win and likely prove tough to overhaul.

It is not in Tottenham's nature to be cautious, but avoiding defeat must be the first priority in this fixture. Spurs will be far stronger when these two sides meet again, but a reverse in this top-six six-pointer would create a significant obstacle.

Pochettino should consider disrupting his back four and moving Toby Alderweireld up to replace Dier. Kevin Wimmer is unlikely to disgrace himself as a deputy in central defence, while Alderweireld would help to nullify Liverpool's greatest strength.

Alderweireld has played the role in the Premier League with Southampton and excelled there with Ajax. His simple, aggressive style would mirror Dier's.

While avoiding a first Premier League loss since the opening day must be Pochettino's priority, he can legitimately aim for victory.

If they can win this match, Tottenham would move to second (temporarily) and make a significant statement about the potential of this young team.

Winning against a direct rival while dealing with injuries to key players would reinforce the burgeoning notion that Pochettino is cultivating a tough, winning culture and building a team that can compete with the top sides.

Resilience is invaluable in a marathon 38-game season.

With winnable fixtures against Bournemouth and Aston Villa on the horizon, Tottenham can set themselves up for huge momentum with victory here.

Seeing off the challenge of the wounded Liverpool is the minimum requirement for a team chasing a repeat of last year's top-five finish.

Defeat would necessitate a rethink of the season's objectives while victory would engender vital positivity.

Tottenham have handed out thrashings to Arsenal, Chelsea and Man City in 2015, but they are yet to win a game they "needed" to win.

It's time to cross that Rubicon.