Premier League: Triple-Header Starts Here

Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool

These sides are going to have get used to each other over the next six weeks or so.

For this Sunday teatime encounter is the first of three occasions in which Spurs and Liverpool will lock horns between now and early February.

A two-legged League Cup semi-final awaits in the New Year but first it’s off to North London for a contest which can deliver Premier League 2024 highlights.

After all, there has been so many already between the sides in recent years.

 

Talking Points

Never have two results spoken volumes for Spurs’ inconsistency than by losing at home to newly promoted Ipswich only to follow it up by hitting four without reply at the home of the reigning champions last month.

Given that pattern, and with the Premier League title Liverpool’s to lose, the Merseysiders will be confident of seeing off their injury-hit hosts.

Yet matches like this can so often have a sting in the tail and this SBOTOP observer knows Spurs can turn it on when they want to.

Manager Ange Postecoglou was certainly pleased with his injury-ravaged side on Thursday night, even if they were made to sweat by Manchester United in a hectic 4-3 victory in the quarter-finals of the League Cup.

No fewer than 10 senior players were missing from the tie with Timo Werner the latest to go down with illness on the day of the game, but Postecoglou was brimming with praise.

The question now is whether they can produce a more consistent display across the piece after 90 plus chaotic minutes in midweek which witnessed the best and worst of the Lilywhites in unison.

Given their absences, it will likely be a similar starting XI against the league leaders.

The Merseysiders were frustrated at home by spirited Fulham last Saturday but were able to rest many of their first choice team in their own League Cup encounter, a 2-1 win at Southampton, on Wednesday.

That means they should be fresher and hungrier.

Or can Spurs buck the trend and become consistency personified just in time for Christmas and get an early psychological advantage ahead of their cup combat in early 2025.

 

History

Two of the established big names of English football but the roll of honour tally between the clubs – in terms of actual trophies – is reflected in the head-to-head meeting stats.

Liverpool have beaten Spurs 90 times compared to the north Londoners who have tasted victory on 49 occasions. Forty-four meetings have ended in a draw.

Their very first meeting came in the old Division One in 1909 when a player by the name of Herbert Middlemiss scored the only goal in a Spurs victory.

Liverpool have really had the upper hand in recent years with Spurs only winning two of their past 25 contests – a 4-1 triumph in 2017 and this corresponding meeting last year which provided one of the most topical and controversial encounters of the season.

Then Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp even went to the lengths to say the match should be replayed after a first half Luis Diaz goal was disallowed, wrongly it transpired, for offside.

The fact they went on to have two men sent off darkened his mood as Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota saw red. Cody Gakpo cancelled out Son Heung-Min’s opener but, ultimately, the nine men could not hold out as a 96^th minute own goal won the day for Spurs.

Liverpool gained revenge in the return fixture in May, racing into a 4-0 lead at home through Andy Robertson, Mohamed Salah, Gakpo and Harvey Elliott before Richarlison and Son restored some respectability for Spurs as the contest finished 4-2 to the hosts.

 

Betting Tip 

The Premier League 2024 betting odds are quite clear who they expect to take the points.

They make the league leaders overwhelming favourites as Liverpool are priced 1X2 @ 1.85 and Asian Handicap -0.50, also @ 1.85.

So why not back Spurs and potentially earn a tidy payday indeed, either 1X2 @ 3.34 or Asian Handicap +0.50 @ 2.05?

A repeat of their memorable 2-1 success last season is available @ 13.00 with Correct Score.

For goals, and let’s be honest there is rarely a goalless encounter between these two – the last one came in 2015 – odds include total goal 0-1 @ 6.00, 2-3 @ 2.40 and 4-6 @ 2.20, all of which are better value than over 3.25 @ 1.72.

I do think this will be close, I do think this will be exciting and I do think this will be honours even which is why my ** prediction is 1X2 Draw @ 3.83.

   

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