Spotlight on... Liverpool

We return to Premier League action on Sunday as we make the trip to Merseyside to take on Liverpool (4.30pm).

We last faced the Reds in last season’s UEFA Champions League Final where our fantastic journey in the competition ultimately ended in disappointment with a 2-0 defeat in Madrid.

Ahead of our trip to Anfield this weekend, we put Jurgen Klopp’s side under the spotlight…

Team news

After missing their midweek Champions League victory over Genk due to illness, full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold is expected to return for Sunday's clash.

Fellow defender Andy Robertson is also expected to be available for the game after playing just 60 minutes in their game against the Belgian outfit on Wednesday. Centre-back Joel Matip is a doubt with a knee issue while Xherdan Shaqiri remains out.

Liverpool’s form

Before last Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United, Liverpool had a 100 per cent record in the Premier League with eight wins from as many games. Their early season run has put them top of the league with a six-point lead over second-placed Manchester City. Despite their draw at Old Trafford, the Reds' unbeaten run continues with a run of 26 games since their last defeat (3 January, 2019 - Manchester City 2-1). Meanwhile, their unbeaten run at home stretches back over two seasons with Crystal Palace’s 2-1 win at Anfield in April, 2017, the last time they were defeated on their own turf.

New faces

The main addition to Liverpool’s squad over the summer was their new goalkeeper Adrian. Arriving on a free, the Spaniard was brought in to provide cover for their established number one Alisson - a role he was thrown straight into on the opening day of the season. Following an injury to Alisson midway through the Reds'  4-1 victory over Norwich, Adrian came off the bench for his debut and went on to play 11 of his side’s next 12 games before the return of the Brazilian international last weekend at Old Trafford.

Leader of the opposition

Jurgen Klopp is now into the fifth season of his tenure at Anfield and has, so far, delivered UEFA Champions League glory as well as the UEFA Super Cup. As a player he was versatile, having played both up front and in defence, and it is that adaptability he channels into his teams.

Upon hanging up his boots at Mainz 05 in 2001, he moved almost immediately into the dugout at the Bruchwegstadion where he remained for the next seven years and lifted the club into the Bundesliga. Then came Borussia Dortmund and two German league titles as well as a Champions League Final. He moved onto Liverpool in 2015 and has since guided the Reds to three European finals (one Europa League and two Champions League) as well as their highest-ever points tally in the Premier League.

Last five meetings

1 June, 2019 – Spurs 0-2 Liverpool – UEFA Champions League Final, Madrid
31 March, 2019 – Liverpool 2-1 Spurs – Premier League
15 September, 2018 – Spurs 1-2 Liverpool – Premier League
4 February, 2018 – Liverpool 2-2 Spurs – Premier League
22 October, 2017 – Spurs 4-1 Liverpool – Premier League

The numbers game

48 - Liverpool have lost just one of their last 48 games in the Premier League (W39 D8 L1), losing 2-1 to Manchester City in January, 2019.

44 - At Anfield, the Reds are unbeaten in 44 Premier League contests (W34 D10), last losing against Sam Allardyce’s Crystal Palace in April, 2017 (2-1).

7 – Harry Kane has been directly involved in seven goals in nine Premier League appearances against Liverpool (five goals, two assists).

2 - Jan Vertonghen has netted two goals against Liverpool in the Premier League – against no other side has he netted more in the competition.

53 – Of ‘big chances’ created, we are currently the most clinical in the Premier league with a conversion rate of 53.8 per cent.

Played for both

Nick Barmby came up through our youth system, played over a century of games for us, turned out for England on a number of occasions and later went on to play for Liverpool.

An attack-minded midfielder, Nick made his debut in 1992 and established himself as a regular in the first team before becoming part of our ‘Famous Five' alongside Teddy Sheringham, Jurgen Klinsmann, Ilie Dumitrescu and Darren Anderton under the watch of Ossie Ardiles. He made his England debut in March, 1995, and went on to earn 23 caps for his country, appearing at European Championships in both 1996 and 2000.

In June, 1995, he headed north to join Middlesbrough and then Everton before arriving at Liverpool in 2000 where he helped the Reds to the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup in 2000/01. Spells at Leeds United and his hometown club Hull City followed for the midfielder before he moved into coaching with the Tigers and most recently, he was part of the management set up at Scunthorpe United.

Quick quiz on Liverpool

1. Which of the following players did not get on the scoresheet in any of our three meetings with Liverpool in the 2018/19 season?

• Lucas Moura
• Erik Lamela
• Heung-Min Son

2. Jurgen Klopp took his first game in charge of Liverpool against us at White Hart Lane in October, 2015. What was the final scoreline in that game?

• 0-0
• 1-1
• 2-2

3. Harry Kane has scored the most goals against Liverpool in our current squad, but how many does he have to his name?

• 3
• 5
• 7

4. How many players in our current squad have scored a goal for us against the Reds on at least one occasion?

• 4
• 8
• 12

5. We last secured a Premier League victory at Anfield in May, 2011, but what was the final scoreline?

• 1-0
• 2-0
• 3-0

(Answers are displayed at the bottom of the page)

Pictures from the past

Match data

Venue – Anfield.

Opposition colours – red shirts, red shorts, red socks.

Referee – Anthony Taylor.

Weather forecast – Partly cloudy, 10 degrees.

Quiz answers: 1 – Heung-Min Son; 2 – 0-0; 3 – 5; 4 – 8; 5 – 2-0.