Premier League: Great Teams Become Winners

Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur

After a weekend of international football the Premier League title race is back on, and there’s a huge game at Anfield as title chasing Liverpool hosts Spurs on Sunday.

It’s not make or break for Jurgen Klopp’s team. But with Manchester City clicking through the gears anything other than a win could be a devastating blow. And at such a big moment in the title race Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs would not exactly be Klopp’s first choice as an opponent.

The visitors aren’t in the best form but they have a team dripping with talent and are always capable of beating the best.

I wouldn’t pay too much attention to Saturday’s Premier League 2019 results if I was a Liverpool fan as, with Manchester City visiting almost doomed Fulham, there is unlikely to be good news from Craven Cottage. We’ve been pretty consistent with our Premier League SBOBET tips this season, pointing to a two horse race between Liverpool and the Sky Blues from very early in the campaign.

Liverpool should only worry about what it can influence. The Reds have the hallmarks of a great team, but they need to win the league to earn that title.

Talking Points

No player has scored more Premier League goals in 2019 than Liverpool's Sadio Mane — Liverpool’s Sadio Mane celebrates after scoring his side’s opening goal

Super Sane

Klopp’s boys will start the game as hot favourites and that’s in part down to the form of one of their famed front three, Sadio Mane. The Senegalese striker has been in superb form, having scored six goals in the last four games in all competitions, and he has taken up the baton during a dry spell for Mo Salah.

Last season’s Premier League top scorer is tied on 17 goals with Sane, along with Spurs’ Harry Kane and Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, as they participate in a five man race with Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero who is one ahead on 18. But the momentum is with Sane, as he has improved his ability to score with both feet and head to add to his scintillating pace.

Liverpool’s tally of 76 points from 31 games would usually see them comfortably ahead at the top of the table, but with a race to the finish line about to start the Reds must push on.

Pochettino’s problem

Spurs have fallen off the pace at the top of the league and must now concentrate on securing a top four place. A run of one point from four games, starting with a defeat at Burnley, has cost Pochettino’s side dearly.

There were plenty of worried Spurs fans at the turn of the year when skipper Harry Kane and Dele Alli suffered injuries. But Heung-Min Son stepped up when his captain was injured and quickly reached 11 goals for the season, but the balance of the team has shifted again and the results have tailed off.

Pochettino can’t leave his captain out; so he needs to find a way of winning again with him in the side. If Spurs fall to another loss at Anfield then he’ll come under more pressure, as fifth placed Manchester United is just three points behind.

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La Liga

The Whites have made it to the final eight of the Champions League though, and so they are a dangerous side at any time. Klopp is an admirer of his opponents, saying: “I expect the strongest Tottenham. The club is in a very positive moment with opening the stadium finally. They are really positive and they know they have to get results to secure a Champions League place.”

He’s right of course; the Whites want to be in Europe’s premier competition when they move into their brand new stadium.

History

Liverpool has changed beyond recognition since Klopp’s first game in charge back in 2015, a 0-0 draw with Spurs at White Hart Lane. His team is now a genuine title contender, while Spurs hasn’t progressed quite as far.

Of course we can’t just look to the past in making our Liverpool vs Spurs predictions but if we did then the Reds have nothing to worry about!

The last time Spurs won at Anfield was in 2011 when Luka Modric was on the score sheet. And between 1994 and 2010 Spurs failed to win at Anfield in 16 attempts.

Add to that the fact that Liverpool has lost just once in the league this season and not at home in 15 matches and you see the size of Spurs’ task.

Betting Tip

	Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur	Draw 1X2 @ 3.85
	March 31, 23:30(GMT+8)

Liverpool at 1.59 to win and Spurs out at 5.60 does make this look like a potentially one sided match, and the history is heavily weighted in favour of a home win. Sadio Mane is in great form and if he starts to hit a dry patch Liverpool has Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino in the wings.

But for Harry Kane to have scored the same number of goals as Salah and Sane, having been out injured for weeks, tells you which the most potent striker is.

Spurs will be hurting a little at the moment, while Liverpool has shown a few signs of the jitters in recent weeks.

I think this could be one of the games of the season and a high scoring draw wouldn’t surprise me at all. Bring it on!