What: English Premier League
Who: Liverpool (5th; 58 points) vs Tottenham Hotspur (6th; 56 points)
When: Sunday 15th May, 2011, at 16:00 UK time
Where: Anfield, Liverpool, England
Europa League In Sight
The UEFA Champions League spots might be out of Liverpool’s reach, with both Manchester clubs, Arsenal and Chelsea firmly occupying the first four league standings, but that does not mean that the Reds cannot finish their season in the best way possible by claiming fifth position and a place in the Europa League. To do so however, they must first overcome sixth-placed Tottenham Hotspur.
Liverpool’s marvellous recent run has coincided with the return of legend Kenny Dalglish to the dugout, now confirmed as full-time manager on a three-year contract. The Scotsman knows his task of attracting the players the Reds need to mount a bid to get back in the top four would be helped by being able to offer European football at Anfield next season.
The Merseysiders have produced some sublime performances of late, thrashing the likes of Birmingham City and Fulham, a feat midfield youngster Jay Spearing, who has particularly impressed, hopes will aid his team’s bid to finish fifth. The 22-year-old is wary of the challenge Spurs pose however. “The amount of players they’ve got and the standard of players they’ve got means it’s going to be a difficult game at Anfield. But we’re the home team and if we play like we did against Fulham we’ll put them under pressure.”
And with the feel-good factor surrounding the club now increased by Dalglish’s permanent appointment, the momentum is well and truly with Liverpool in this make-or-break encounter.
Not that Far
While Liverpool appear to be in the driving seat as the race for fifth place reaches its conclusion, Tottenham Hotspur are not that far off from their opponents. As two points separate the sides, a win at Anfield would see Harry Redknapp’s team pass Liverpool with the league season nearly over.
This may prove to be hard for Spurs to master, as recent losses to Chelsea and Manchester City have set back the team, harvesting a single point out of a possible nine in their last three games. An uneasy predicament it might be, but Redknapp’s side certainly have the class and talent to master a shock away from home, something that Luka Modric does not rule out. “Liverpool are playing well, they are in excellent form and it will be another interesting game", said the Croatian. "I’m looking forward to it. They are a great team and it will show what we are made of. We are out of the Champions League but we now need to fight for fifth place. We need to show our character.”
Spurs will surely take comfort from the fact that they were unlucky to lose to Chelsea, while it was only a Peter Crouch own-goal which served up defeat at Manchester City. By no means in poor form themselves, the White Hart Lane outfit cannot be easily written off.
Recent form
Liverpool:
Liverpool 5-0 Birmingham City
(23/04; Premier League)
Liverpool 3-0 Newcastle United
(01/05; Premier League)
Fulham 2-5 Liverpool
(09/05; Premier League)
Tottenham Hotspur:
Chelsea 2-1 Tottenham
(30/04; Premier League)
Tottenham 1-1 Blackpool
(07/05; Premier League)
Manchester City 1-0 Tottenham (10/05; Premier League)
Key absences
Liverpool: Milan Jovanovic; Fabio Aurelio; Daniel Agger; Steven Gerrard; Martin Kelly (doubt)
Tottenham Hotspur: Jermaine Jenas; Gareth Bale; Tom Huddlestone; Benoit Assou-Ekotto; Alan Hutton; Ledley King; Jonathan Woodgate
Players to watch
Liverpool – Luis Suarez: The former Ajax forward has certainly been Liverpool’s finest player since arriving at the club in January, turning into an instant fan favorite and producing the goods up whenever his team needed him. Having settled in well, the Uruguayan is expected to form a fearsome striking partnership with Andy Carroll in the future. For now, Suarez needs to make sure that Liverpool secure fifth spot with a win over Spurs.
Tottenham Hotspur – Rafael van der Vaart: Similar to Suarez, Van der Vaart has effortlessly adapted to his new surroundings since his summer transfer from Real Madrid. Labelled as “surplus to requirements” by the Spanish club, the Dutch playmaker has flourished at White Hart Lane, establishing himself as one of his team’s best players this season. With the likes of Gareth Bale missing out, much will rest on his shoulders.
Match Prediction
On their day, Tottenham Hotspur can match practically anybody in the Premier League, but their growing injury list and recent setbacks have hit them hard in terms of morale. Liverpool have what looks to be unstoppable momentum on their side and it is this which will see the Reds win this hard-fought battle. Liverpool 3-1 Tottenham.
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