Salah eyes Premier League historical past as Liverpool look to be prime at Christmas

Liverpool can safe prime spot within the Premier League at Christmas in the event that they beat Tottenham this afternoon. 

The Reds haven’t sat on the prime of the desk on December 25 since 2020/21, a season by which they didn’t find yourself occurring to win the title. 

They did win the league in 2019/20 after main the best way over the festive interval, so Arne Slot will probably be hoping for a repeat of that. 

Slot’s facet are on an enormous unbeaten streak in the intervening time and haven’t misplaced a recreation in any competitors since September. 

And so they’ll be aiming to proceed that in opposition to Spurs who lastly acquired again to profitable methods by cruising to a 5-0 win in opposition to Southampton final week. 

That victory relieved some strain on Ange Postecoglou, who was additional boosted by their Carabao Cup win over Manchester United on Thursday.

Tottenham vs Liverpool: Magical Mo 

Mohamed Salah has gone as much as one other stage this season.

He’s been concerned in 22 of Liverpool’s 31 Premier League targets, which is by far the very best share of any participant for his or her crew (71 per cent). 

The Egyptian King has 13 targets and 9 assists within the top-flight in simply 15 video games. 

That unbelievable tally now has him on the point of some English soccer historical past. 

If he supplies an help in opposition to Tottenham this weekend, Salah will change into the primary participant ever to succeed in double figures for targets and assists earlier than Christmas. 

What an unbelievable achievement that will be for the Reds legend, who could be enjoying in his last marketing campaign on the membership.

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• Tottenham gained this precise fixture 2-1 final season, final profitable consecutive dwelling league video games in opposition to Liverpool between 2008 and 2012 (a run of 5).
• Liverpool have misplaced simply two of their final 23 Premier League video games in opposition to Tottenham (W15 D6) and have scored at the least as soon as in every of their final 17 in opposition to Spurs.
• Tottenham gained this precise fixture 2-1 final season because of a Ninetieth-minute Joel Matip personal objective. Certainly, this fixture has seen extra Ninetieth-minute profitable targets than another in Premier League historical past (6).

Tottenham vs Liverpool: Predicted line-ups

Tottenham’s lengthy damage record stays and it means Postecoglou must proceed to play a makeshift defence. 

Guglielmo Vicario, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven are sidelined whereas Future Udogie missed the cup recreation in opposition to Man United.

It means Fraser Forster will seemingly be in objective once more regardless of his struggles in midweek, with Radu Dragusin partnering Archie Grey at centre-back and Djed Spence at full-back.

Rodrigo Bentancur is serving the final of his seven-game ban so he’s nonetheless sidelined, that means Pape Matar Sarr will probably be in midfield. 

Yves Bissouma is again from his suspension and is prone to be subsequent to Sarr, with Lucas Bergvall unluckily lacking out after an incredible efficiency final week. 

James Maddison will sit in entrance of them whereas captain Heung-min Son and Dejan Kulusevski present width and Dominic Solanke leads the road. 

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As for Liverpool, Slot rotated massively within the Carabao Cup in midweek, so he has all of his star gamers match and able to begin. 

On prime of that, Andy Robertson served his suspension in opposition to Southampton and will probably be obtainable to return on this recreation. 

Alisson and Virgil van Dijk have been amongst these rested, however they are going to return in a defence that includes Joe Gomez and Robertson. 

Ibrahima Konate remains to be out and Gomez appears to be most well-liked to Jarell Quansah. 

In midfield, the in-form Ryan Gravenberch will probably be joined by Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai who could have Curts Jones competing for his place. 

Salah will after all be on the precise, and Luis Diaz is predicted to begin on the other wing after he performed no half in midweek. 

That will imply Cody Gakpo misses out whereas Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota are left to battle it out for the striker spot. 

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• Son Heung-min’s two assists in opposition to Southampton final day trip took his complete within the Premier League to 68 – the joint-most of any Tottenham participant within the competitors’s historical past (stage with Darren Anderton).
• Spurs have scored extra targets within the opening quarter-hour of video games than another facet within the Premier League this season (9), with 5 of these coming of their final two video games.

Tottenham vs Liverpool: What has been mentioned? 

Slot defined why he rotated a lot in midweek forward of this recreation, however insisted he didn’t accomplish that to assist win in opposition to Tottenham. 

The Liverpool boss mentioned on Wednesday: “It could be regular if I play with all of the common starters that we’ve got a greater crew than we’ve got tonight in any other case I make each week the mistaken resolution. 

“We additionally belief these gamers as a result of we all know how a lot high quality they’ve. So, that is the primary motive to play these gamers. We have now numerous confidence in them as effectively.

“Second of all, it is not in regards to the end result on Sunday, it is extra for the long-term health of the gamers that we made the choice that those who’ve performed so many minutes to provide them a little bit of relaxation throughout this week.

“As a result of the schedule goes to be intense once more within the upcoming weeks. For those who’ve performed lots, solely 45 or 60 minutes, and those who have not performed lots play 90. 

“That is what we did, and it was good for us that it was sufficient to win it.”

• Tottenham have saved only one clear sheet of their final 23 Premier League dwelling video games, a 4-0 win in opposition to Everton earlier this season. They’re winless of their final three on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (D1 L2), final having an extended run and not using a dwelling win in November/December 2013 (4).
• Having conceded simply three targets of their first eight Premier League video games this season, Liverpool have now conceded 10 of their final seven. Their final two video games have been drawn 3-3 with Newcastle and 2-2 with Fulham, with the Reds final drawing three straight league video games in the identical season again in October 2015.

Tottenham vs Liverpool: Date and learn how to comply with 

This Premier League conflict will happen on Sunday, December 22. 

Kick-off on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is scheduled for 4:30pm. 

The sport will probably be broadcast reside on Sky Sports activities Principal Occasion and Sky Sports activities Premier League. 

If not already an current Sky Sports activities buyer, followers can join right here or you may join a NOW TV membership right here to observe the motion.

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