Tottenham Hotspur will play for the first time in two weeks on Sunday when they host title-chasing Liverpool in the first match of a COVID-affected Premier League weekend in North London.
The hosts have had their previous three games in all competitions postponed due to outbreaks, whereas Liverpool have yet to miss a game despite having three suspected positive tests this week.
Tottenham will have found having two weeks off during what is usually the busiest time of the Premier League schedule peculiar, and only time will tell if it proves to be a benefit or a handicap in Sunday’s encounter.
Spurs’ games against Rennes and Brighton & Hove Albion were canceled due to a coronavirus outbreak in the team, and their midweek fixture at the King Power Stadium was also postponed due to positive cases in the Leicester City camp.
All of this means Antonio Conte’s side hasn’t played since a 3-0 win against Norwich City on December 5, when Lucas Moura, Davinson Sanchez, and Son Heung-min all scored.
Spurs have already won three games in a row in the Premier League, and a win over Liverpool this weekend will give them four in a row for the first time since July 2020.
Spurs have slipped to seventh position in the Premier League table, despite having at least two games in hand over every other team in the league save Burnley, including three games in hand over fourth-placed Arsenal, who they lead by four points.
Spurs still have a chance to qualify for the Champions League this season, but Conte knows that there is still room for growth.
Spurs have only scored 16 goals all season, with only four teams scoring fewer, and prior to their current three-game winning streak, they had lost five and won just two of their previous eight games.
Liverpool are undoubtedly a step up in quality from the clubs they have beaten recently, and the hosts’ previous history with the Reds does not bode well, as they have lost each of their last six encounters with the Reds.
Spurs have only won one of their last 17 Premier League meetings against Liverpool, losing 12 of them, while the Merseysiders are now on a three-game winning streak away from Tottenham.
Despite the fixture overload around Christmas, Liverpool boasts a fantastic record in December, going undefeated in their last 34 league games dating back to 2016 – the longest unbeaten streak any team has ever had in a single month of the tournament.
Conte will warn his players that the previous results will have no influence on Sunday’s game, but Spurs have reason to be concerned about Liverpool’s recent form.
Jurgen Klopp’s side overcame an early scare to overcome Newcastle United 3-1 at Anfield on Thursday night, claiming their 2,000th Premier League victory, their eighth win in a row overall, and their sixth in the Premier League.
Diogo Jota, Mohamed Salah, and Trent Alexander-Arnold all scored to keep Liverpool in touch with Manchester City, who they lead by just one point at the top of the Premier League standings.
Despite the fact that Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho, and Curtis Jones were all ruled out before the game owing to suspected positive coronavirus tests, Klopp has questioned the logic of a planned ‘circuit-break,’ and it’s understandable why he would want to keep Liverpool’s momentum going.
The Reds have now scored in 32 straight games, and have also scored in 26 consecutive away games in all competitions, setting a new club record. They have 48 goals from just 17 games this season, eight more than the next best scorers.
Liverpool has also just lost once this season, which is a league-low total, albeit it did occur on their most recent trip to London when West Ham United defeated them 3-2.
Klopp’s side has not lost back-to-back games in London since April 2015, and they’ll be favorites to keep it going this weekend, though Tottenham’s rested legs may offer them an advantage they didn’t expect.
If the fixture schedule stays the same, both clubs will have a busy end to the year, with four games remaining between now and New Year’s Eve, and a win on Sunday would be the perfect springboard for either to go into that run of games with confidence.
Tottenham Hotspur’s Premier League standings are as follows:
LLDWWW
Tottenham Hotspur’s current form (in all competitions) is as follows:
WDWLWW
Premier League form for Liverpool is as follows:
WWWWWW
Liverpool’s current form (in all competitions) is as follows:
WWWWWW
Tottenham’s coronavirus problems are far from ended, and they may be missing as many as six players on Sunday as a result of the virus.
Son is one of those thought to be affected and so unavailable for the visit of Liverpool, while Lucas, Emerson Royal, Oliver Skipp, Bryan Gil, and Dane Scarlett will all be checked after testing positive.
Cristian Romero is out until next year due to injury, but Sergio Reguilon is fit to play again, while Giovani Lo Celso should be back in contention following a knee injury.
Harry Kane will lead the line in quest of his first Premier League goal in over two months, and only his second of the season, after scoring only once in his last six encounters with Liverpool.
Salah has had no trouble finding the back of the net this season, with his goal against Newcastle being his 15th of the season, and the Egyptian winger might make history this weekend.
Salah would become the first player in Premier League history to be directly involved in at least one goal in 16 consecutive games if he scores or assists at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Liverpool are still waiting for formal confirmation on Van Dijk, Fabinho, and Jones’ “suspected” positive tests, but all three are anticipated to miss out again this weekend.
Although no further positive tests have been returned by the Reds, Divock Origi, Nat Phillips, Harvey Elliott, and Adrian are all injured for the visitors.
Klopp may see Wednesday’s EFL Cup fixture against Leicester as a preferable opportunity to rotate players, therefore alterations for Sunday’s match should be kept to a minimum.
Roberto Firmino will be pressing for a comeback up front, especially after scoring five goals in his last six meetings against Spurs, including three winners, but Jota’s own goalscoring run may keep the Brazilian on the bench for the time being.
Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:
Lloris; Sanchez, Dier, Davies; Tanganga, Ndombele, Hojbjerg, Reguilon; Lo Celso; Kane, Bergwijn
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Konate, Robertson; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Henderson, Thiago; Salah, Jota, Mane.
