Spotlight on... Liverpool

We return to Premier League action on Saturday as we welcome leaders Liverpool to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (5.30pm kick-off).

This will be the Reds’ first visit to our new home and their first visit to N17 since August, 2016. The league meeting finished all square at White Hart Lane that day with a 1-1 draw.

Team news

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has confirmed his side will be without midfield duo James Milner and Naby Keita due to muscular injuries.

Dejan Lovren, Fabinho and Joel Matip will also be unavailable for the Reds as they continue their recoveries from their respective injuries, but winger Xherdan Shaqiri has returned to full training so could feature on Saturday.

Liverpool’s form

In a word, the Reds' form has been exemplary. And that’s not just as of late, that’s all the way across the last 12 months. Since suffering a 2-1 defeat away to Manchester City on 3 January, 2019, Liverpool have not lost a single game in the Premier League.

In that time, they have played a total of 37 matches, only failing to take maximum points from just five of those games and out of the last 87 points available to them, they have taken 85 (W28, D1). In that period, they have also clinched the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA World Club Cup titles.

New face

So far this month, Liverpool have moved to bring in Japanese forward Takumi Minamino from Red Bull Salzburg. He made his debut for the Reds in their 1-0 FA Cup third round win over Everton on Sunday.

One to watch

With 15 goals in just 28 outings so far this season, it's clear to see that Sadio Mane is a man in form for Liverpool. Over his last 16 outings in the Premier League, the Senegal international has been involved in 14 goals (seven goals, seven assists) and his side has been victorious in each game where he has been involved in a goal across all competitions (18). A 2016 signing from Southampton, Mane has now been involved in 107 goals in 151 appearances for the Merseyside outfit (74 goals, 33 assists).

Last five meetings

27 October, 2019 – Liverpool 2-1 Spurs – Premier League
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

The numbers game

6 – We have won six of our last 10 Premier League home games against sides starting the day top of the table (D1 L3).

8 – Liverpool are unbeaten in their last eight Premier League games in London (W5 D3), winning the last three in a row. The Reds haven’t won four consecutive league games in the capital since October, 1989.

29 – Liverpool have scored in 29 consecutive matches – the last team to have a longer run in the Premier League were Manchester United in November, 2008 (36).

11 – Liverpool’s Sadio Mané has been involved in 11 goals in his last nine Premier League appearances, scoring six and assisting five. He’s only failed to register a goal involvement in one of those nine matches, the Reds’ 2-1 win against Brighton.

92 – We have gone 92 Premier League games without being involved in a goalless draw, the second longest such run in the history of the competition after Manchester United’s run of 114 without a 0-0 registered in May, 2002.

Played for both

Between the sticks, Brad Friedel was ever reliable for both us and Liverpool during his playing career.

The American shot stopper joined us from Aston Villa in 2011, as we became the fourth and final Premier League club of his career. He had started life in England with the Reds in 1997 and moved on to Blackburn Rovers three years later before heading to the West Midlands in 2008.

While with us, the goalkeeper kept 18 clean sheets in 67 appearances and during that time, he also continued on with his record of the most consecutive Premier League appearances - a run of 310. The last appearance of that run came in our 3-2 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford in September, 2012.

Brad made 82 appearances for the USA Men’s National Team and featured for them at three World Cup Finals. He hung up his gloves on his departure from White Hart Lane in 2015 and has since moved into management, most recently in the role of Head Coach at New England Revolution.

Quick quiz on Liverpool

1. Who scored our last Premier League goal against Liverpool?

• Harry Kane
• Lucas Moura
• Erik Lamela

2. We earned a 1-1 draw with Liverpool in the Reds' last visit to N17, but who scored our goal that day?

• Jan Vertonghen
• Toby Alderweireld
• Danny Rose

3. Which defender scored against Liverpool on his Spurs debut in August, 2009?

• Younes Kaboul
• Sebastien Bassong
• Michael Dawson

4. Which of the following Spurs legends made his debut for the Club against Liverpool?

• Darren Anderton
• Gary Mabbutt
• Ledley King

5. During his playing career, German international Christian Ziege had spells with us, Liverpool and which other English club?

• Newcastle United
• Middlesbrough
• Sunderland

(Answers at the bottom)

Pictures from the past

Match data

Venue – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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

Referee – Martin Atkinson.

Weather forecast – Cloudy, 11 degrees.

Answers: 1 – Harry Kane; 2 – Danny Rose; 3 – Sebastien Bassong; 4 – Ledley King; 5 – Middlesbrough.