Liverpool vs Tottenham: Premier League Preview, Gameweek 34, 2023

It is interesting to ponder which of these teams will be happier - or perhaps less unhappy - with their season so far. Going into Sunday's game, Tottenham sit in 5th place, a point ahead of Liverpool having played a game more, with no trophy in sight for either. Two teams who aspire to challenge for honours will not be satisfied with that.

Liverpool were two games away from completing an historic quadruple last season, so to be seventh with just six games remaining is a huge disappointment. Their creaking midfield is in urgent need of fresh legs, and there are question marks over the form of stalwarts Virgil Van Dijk and Mo Salah. Everything at Anfield seems to have gone a bit stale.

Nonetheless, they go into this game with some optimism after three wins on the spin which have kept their faint Champions League hopes alive. It would take an almighty collapse by great rivals Manchester United for them to sneak into the top 4, but even if they don't, they can look ahead to an exciting summer. The team needs rebuilding and a bright future could yet await.

The future for Tottenham is murkier. A season of desparately disappointing performances reached a nadir last weekend with a historically embarrassing hammering by Newcastle, in which Spurs found themselves five goals down inside 21 minutes. Nobody quite knows where they are going, who the next manager will be, or whether talisman Harry Kane will be around much longer, and such existential questions are casting a long shadow over White Hart Lane.

Their second caretaker of the season, Ryan Mason, did manage to inspire a spirited second-half comeback on Thursday night as Spurs came from 2-0 down to claim a point against Man United, and he at least looks like he will get Spurs playing on the front foot again.

In previous years this fixture may have been decisive in the title race for at least one of these two, but their respective plights have reduced it to little more than a Europa League playoff. Both sides will be hoping for better days ahead.

Team News

Liverpool

Naby Keita could be available for Liverpool after returning to training this week. Ibrahima Konate is available again after sitting out the midweek victory at West Ham United.

Roberto Firmino remains out, but Diogo Jota is expected to be fit after being taken off in midweek with a back problem.

Tottenham

Tottenham have a near fully-fit squad to choose from, with no new injury concerns.

Captain Hugo Lloris remains sidelined with a hip problem, so Fraser Forster will continue in goal.

Predicted Lineups

Liverpool (4-3-3)

Allisson; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Matip, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Jones; Nunez, Salah, Jota.

Tottenham (3-4-3)

Forster; Romero, Dier, Lenglet; Perisic, Skipp, Hojbjerg, Porro; Son, Richarlison, Kane.

Key Players

Liverpool - Trent Alexander-Arnold

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Trent Alexander-Arnold might be the most in-form player in the Premier League right now. The full back has provided five assists in his last four league games, more than he claimed in the previous 40, and looks to have found a new lease of life with the new role he has been given by Jurgen Klopp.

The German has taken a leaf out of Pep Guardiola's book, asking Alexander-Arnold to tuck into midfield and create an extra man in possession. From this position, he claimed one of those assists at the London Stadium on Wednesday: finding himself under pressure in the centre circle, he found an incisive ball through the middle to Cody Gakpo to finish crisply.

Such creativity has always been his forte, and he will surely fancy his chances of adding to that assists tally against a porous Spurs defence. Equally important though will be the other side: should he find himself one-vs-one against a resurgent Son Heung-min, expect Alexander-Arnold's questionable defensive judgement to be tested to the max.

Tottenham - Richarlison

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To say it has been an up-and-down season for Richarlison would be something of an understatement. This year, the £55 million signing from Everton has made his Champions League debut, established himself as Brazil's first choice striker and scored a brilliant overhead kick at the World Cup, and also failed to score a single Premier League goal in a miserable campaign for his club side.

Richarlison has struggled badly for playing time this year, particularly under previous manager Antonio Conte, and the sense is that there is a lot more to come from him. He hit double figures for league goals in three of his four seasons at Goodison Park so if he were afforded more game time - and had a more functional team around him - he would certainly be capable of delivering similar for Tottenham.

Given his history with the Toffees, the Brazilian is guaranteed a fiery reception at Anfield and would surely love nothing more than to grab a long-overdue first league goal this weekend.