Liverpool vs Tottenham Preview — Predicted Lineups & Key Battles

The Premier League returns to Anfield on Sunday as Liverpool welcome a wounded Tottenham Hotspur. For Liverpool, who sit outside the Champions League places having already lost nine league games this season, the fixture is a must-win; Spurs arrive two places and one point above the relegation zone after a run that has left the club deeply exposed. This preview examines form, predicted lineups, and the specific battles that could decide the result.

Liverpool vs Tottenham Preview

Arne Slot enters the game insisting "the best is still to come" for Liverpool after a turbulent defence of their title. Slot pointed to long-term progress — including the impact of last summer’s big recruitment drive — and Fenway Sports Group’s reported £446m spending on new recruits. Still, the numbers are stark: Liverpool have lost nine times in the Premier League this season and suffered a damaging defeat at bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers in their last league outing.

Tottenham’s position is equally alarming. The club have suffered six straight losses in all competitions and gone 11 Premier League matches without a win, the worst stretch in their long history. Interim manager Igor Tudor has overseen four losses in his first four matches in charge, and Spurs were beaten 5-2 by Atlético Madrid in midweek. With nine league games left, Tottenham sit precariously close to the drop — a situation made worse by a cascade of injuries and suspensions.

Form and context

• Liverpool: Nine league defeats this season; level on points with fifth‑placed Chelsea and three points behind both Aston Villa and Manchester United in the remaining Champions League spots. Cup runs include a League Cup final appearance and a narrow European exit in a recent last‑16 tie.
• Tottenham: Six consecutive defeats in all competitions; 11 PL matches without a win; two places and one point above the relegation zone with nine games remaining. Key Champions League reverse: 5-2 defeat to Atlético Madrid.

Predicted lineups

Below are the predicted starting XIs based on recent selection trends, manager statements and the injury picture. These are modelled lineups for a Matchweek 30 showdown.

Liverpool (predicted, 4-3-3)

• GK: Alisson
• RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold
• CB: Virgil van Dijk
• CB: Ibrahima Konaté
• LB: Andrew Robertson
• CM: Dominik Szoboszlai
• CM: Alexis Mac Allister
• CM: Wataru Endō (or similar role)
• RW: Mohamed Salah
• ST: Darwin Núñez
• LW: Luis Díaz

Dominik Szoboszlai has been highlighted by the club this month — he won Liverpool’s Goal of the Month for February — and will be central to Slot’s attacking build-up.

Tottenham (predicted, 4-2-3-1)

• GK: Guglielmo Vicario (likely to return after being dropped)
• RB: Emerson Royal
• CB: Eric Dier
• CB: Ben Davies (or a rotated option with Van de Ven suspended)
• LB: Destiny Udogie (doubtful with injury; alternative: Sergio Reguilón)
• DM: Yves Bissouma
• DM: James Maddison (absent) — expected replacement Rodrigo Bentancur (injured) means pivot could be Pape Matar Sarr or Oliver Skipp
• RW: Dejan Kulusevski (injured) — rotation options include Manor Solomon
• CAM: Heung-min Son
• LW: Brennan Johnson
• ST: Harry Kane

Tottenham’s squad list is chaotic: James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Mohammed Kudus, Rodrigo Bentancur and Destiny Udogie are all on the injury list. Captain Cristian Romero and Joao Palhinha are also reported to be questionable after head clashes in midweek. Micky van de Ven is suspended — a disruption to Spurs’ usually robust back line — and Tottenham had to recall Antonín Kinský briefly in the Champions League after dropping Vicario, only to withdraw him after 17 error-strewn minutes.

Key battles

Three matchups look decisive at Anfield, each influenced by the injury and suspension context described above.

• Mohamed Salah vs Tottenham centre-backs
  Salah’s pace and finishing will test a Spurs defence missing Micky van de Ven and possibly Cristian Romero. If Romero is available, his aerial aggression will be matched against Salah’s movement; if he isn’t, Liverpool’s front three can operate with greater freedom.
• Dominik Szoboszlai vs Spurs midfield
  Szoboszlai’s creativity and long-range threat are crucial given Tottenham’s midfield uncertainty. With Bentancur and Maddison injured and Palhinha a doubt, Spurs may lack the screening and creativity to both contain Szoboszlai and supply Harry Kane.
• Alisson vs Guglielmo Vicario
  The goalkeeping duel is as much psychological as tactical. Vicario’s form was described as poor and he was briefly replaced by Kinský in midweek; he is likely to start but confidence is a question. Alisson’s stability gives Liverpool an advantage on set pieces and crosses if Spurs remain unsettled in goal.

What to watch

• Can Liverpool convert Anfield advantage into three points after the shock loss at Wolves?
• Will Spurs’ injury crisis — including the absences of Maddison, Kulusevski and Kudus — force a pragmatic, defensive approach or leave them unable to press effectively?
• How will Igor Tudor’s side cope mentally after six straight defeats and an 11-game winless run in the Premier League?

For context on how weekend fixtures are shaping the table and what Liverpool’s position means for the title race, see our snapshot of the fixtures: Weekend snapshot: Fixtures shaping the Premier League title race. For a domestic comparison of pressure games this weekend, read our build-up to Arsenal’s home match: Arsenal vs Everton Preview: Can Arteta’s Side Respond?

Preview and analysis will continue into Friday and Saturday as managers deliver final team news, but the facts are clear: Liverpool must use home advantage and recent attacking form from players such as Dominik Szoboszlai, while Tottenham need immediate returns from senior figures and a stabilised goalkeeper performance to avoid slipping into the drop zone.

ScorePoint AI can help you dig deeper into match probabilities and tactical scenarios — check our AI predictions for model-driven outcomes and use our AI assistant to run custom lineup and injury simulations ahead of kickoff.

Conclusion & Outlook

Sunday’s game is a crossroads: Liverpool are chasing consistency after a season of uncharacteristic defeats and a costly loss at Wolves, while Tottenham are fighting for survival amid an 11-game winless Premier League run and mounting absences. Expect Liverpool to control possession and look to exploit Spurs’ defensive vulnerabilities; Tottenham’s best hope is to regroup, shore up their back line in the absence of Micky van de Ven, and rely on moments from Harry Kane.

This preview will be updated once both managers confirm starting XIs, but the current data points to a Liverpool advantage — if Slot’s squad can translate the individual progress he cites into 90 minutes of collective performance, Anfield should provide the stage for a comeback result.