Premier League: North London Clash Should Provide Long-Term Clues

Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool

This Premier League game will probably tell us much about where these two clubs are this season.

Are Liverpool genuine title contenders as it appears?

Are Spurs merely riding the crest of a wave of a new manager and a new approach or is there something more tangible now the shackles have been removed somewhat from the stance taken by previous managers Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte?

Incidentally, even at this fledgling stage of the season, it will be difficult to surpass the award for most contradictory statement in rewriting history which was made when Spurs chairman Daniel Levy – the man chiefly responsible for the club’s failures in recent seasons – last week claimed he was wrong to appoint big name managers.

But that is another story.

The focus now is on Premier League highlights on Saturday teatime and a clash which should provide some clues to the above questions.

Talking Points

Last Sunday, both sides were impressive.

Ange Postecoglou was reluctant to talk about timelines but it is undeniable that few outsiders expected Tottenham to emerge from the North London derby unscathed.

That they did so was a testament to their bravery,

Yes, Tottenham looked raw at times, skittish at others, and lived on their nerves for spells, but never strayed from Postecoglou’s fluid, proactive philosophy.

Mohamed Salah has been named MOTM in the Premier League match between Liverpool and West Ham United — Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their first goal against West Ham United

Here is a manager willing to roll the dice, building on his two years in Glasgow with Celtic where he impressed.

As Spurs look to continue their unbeaten record, so do their opponents who have recorded four successive 3-1 wins.

Against West Ham last weekend, Mohamed Salah, who Liverpool worked hard to keep away from the clutches of the Saudi Pro League, gave them the lead from the penalty spot – he has now scored in 12 of his team’s last 13 home games – before second-half goals from Darwin Núñez and substitute Diogo Jota made Jarrod Bowen’s equaliser a distant consolation.

In midweek, the scoreline was repeated against Leicester City in the League Cup when the depth of the squad at Jurgen Klopp’s disposal was again highlighted.

Since then, it has been announced that club owners, FSG, has agreed to sell a minority stake to a global equity firm as it was uncomfortable carrying its level of debt, a result of losses during the pandemic, stadium expansion, investment in facilities and a summer transfer spend of about £150 million.

It’s approaching a year since two investment banks were appointed, prompting reports that FSG was looking to sell Liverpool.

Now it’s been confirmed that it isn’t happening, can the team give their owners something to shout about?

History

Two of the established big names of English football but the roll of honour tally between the clubs – in terms of actual trophies – is reflected in the head-to-head meeting stats.

Liverpool have beaten Spurs 89 times compared to the north Londoners who have tasted victory on 48 occasions. Forty-four meetings have ended in a draw.

LIGUE 1

Reims

Lyon

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Their very first meeting came in the old Division One in 1909 when a player by the name of Herbert Middlemiss scored the only goal in a Spurs victory.

Liverpool have really had the upper hand in recent years with Spurs only winning one of their past 23 contests – a 4-1 triumph in 2017.

That, of course, included the 2019 Champions League Final and both league matches last season.

Liverpool won the corresponding fixture 2-1 last season after first half goals from Salah.

The return fixture, five months later, saw an incredible game with Jota netting a stoppage time winner to seal a 4-3 win, seconds after the North Londoners fought back from being 3-0 down inside 20 minutes.

Curtis Jones, Luis Diaz and a Salah penalty had put the home team in the ascendancy before Harry Kane, Son Heung-Min and Richarlison, in the 93^rd minute, capped what looked like being a remarkable comeback – until Spurs went to sleep within seconds.