Tottenham v Liverpool || Sky Sports 1|| 13:30 GMT kick Off

Venue: White Hart Lane Date: Sunday, 18 September Kick-off: 1330
BST Coverage: Watch live on Sky Sports 1 and highlights on Match of the Day 2; listen on BBC Radio 5 live and local radio; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles

Liverpool's Glen Johnson has suffered a recurrence of his hamstring injury and misses out.

Steven Gerrard is unlikely to be risked for this game and is instead expected to play against Brighton in the Carling Cup in midweek.

Tottenham's Rafael van der Vaart has a chance of retruning from injury, but William Gallas and Aaron Lennon are doubts.

Ledley King faces a late fitness test, but Michael Dawson is definitely out.

All the ingredients are here for a really good game and I'm not expecting Totttenham's midweek match in the fevered atmosphere of PAOK Salonica's Toumba Stadium in Greece to have a bearing either. Harry Redknapp made so many changes in sending out a side with an average age of just 23 that the only one possibly feeling a bit tired might be Harry himself!

Liverpool in contrast, had a free week and it seems odd and unusual to kick off European competition in earnest without them being there. They'll be back on the continental stage sooner rather than later though I'm sure and have made a promising start to the season despite being stopped in their tracks by Stoke at the Britannia last week.

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish was so frustrated with the performance of referee Mark Clattenburg last Saturday that he met referees' chief Mike Riley on Monday to discuss a number of issues he had. He may not feel Liverpool have had any luck but his side have made a strong start to the season regardless.

Tottenham finally got their season up and running properly last week with a 2-0 win at Wolves. Having Ledley King back in the centre of defence made all the difference to Harry Redknapp's side and with a host of players emerging from the treatment room, and the Luka Modric transfer fiasco becoming a distant memory, a bit of optimism has returned after their maulings at the hands of both Manchester clubs.

They have enjoyed welcoming Liverpool to White Hart Lane in recent years and have won the last three matches against the Reds there by the same scoreline, 2-1.

Incidentally, one of the quirkier stats around this fixture is that Jamie Carragher has scored three own goals against Tottenham, as many league goals as he has scored for Liverpool in his entire career. Not something he'd care to dwell on I'm sure!


Liverpool have won 63 of 136 league games against Tottenham, who have recorded 39 victories.
Spurs have won the last three matches between the sides at White Hart by the same scoreline, 2-1.
In 19 Premier League meetings at White Hart Lane, Tottenham have won nine times and Liverpool five, with five draws. Six of those nine victories have been by a 2-1 scoreline.
Jamie Carragher has scored three league goals for Liverpool - the same number as own goals he has scored for Tottenham against Liverpool.
Tottenham

Tottenham's win over Wolves was only their fourth victory in their last 14 league matches.
Spurs have allowed their opponents more shots on target against them than any other side in the Premier League.
Ledley King played 90 minutes against Wolves and helped Tottenham to only their second clean sheet in 11 top-flight matches. He played in the previous match in which they kept a clean sheet - against Liverpool at Anfield in May.
After scoring against Wolves, Emmanuel Adebayor has now scored a goal on his Premier League debut for Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham.
Liverpool

Liverpool have lost their last 13 away league matches in which they were trailing at half-time since they won 3-2 at Manchester City in October 2008.
It is over two years since Liverpool came from behind to win a league match away from Anfield - a 3-2 win against Bolton in August 2009.
Liverpool player Joe Cole delivered as many assists, one, in 25 minutes on his debut at loan club Lille as he did in 796 minutes with Liverpool in the league last season.

2-1 Spurs.

Defoe, Adebayor.

Downing.

1-1.

Adebayor and Agger.

2-2

I have a bad feeling about this game. Not gonna say a score, but Spurs will win.

Liverpool will win by a couple of goals.

Spurs 3 - 1 Liverpool.

Defoe and Adebayor will haunt Carragher's dreams.

I'm hoping Carragher doesn't play tbh. If Kenny can drop the 35 million pound man, he can drop Carra.

Feeling confident about this.

Play like we did against Stoke, and we should get a good result.

Cam wrote:I'm hoping Carragher doesn't play tbh. If Kenny can drop the 35 million pound man, he can drop Carra.

He has dropped Suarez too.

If Carragher starts we'll lose.

Now this is one I will watch for sure. I think Liverpool will win.

Spurs 3-1

Bale------Adebayor------Lennon

Just kick, run then cross and hope Adebayor can head it in will be Spurs game.

Liverpool win.

I want Liverpool to win but it's not going to happen.

Jaetinh wrote:I want Liverpool to win but it's not going to happen.

Thanks to you stealing our players

Suarez will win this.

Cadbury wrote:

Jaetinh wrote:I want Liverpool to win but it's not going to happen.

Thanks to you stealing our players

Still in red though.

A draw. Hopefully.

Jaetinh wrote:

Cadbury wrote:

Thanks to you stealing our players

Still in red though.

Cunts.

I think that all footballing fans will be hoping for a Spurs win for the good of football.

I can appreciate a talented and skilled Spurs team with good technical players such as Modric, Bale etc, whereas Liverpool have horrendous footballers such as Carroll, Carragher, Skrtel, Lucas and Suarez who are a burden to the game.

If Liverpool win, it is a victory for burden footballers, however, if Spurs win it is a good day for the sport of football

LiamB_14 wrote:I think that all footballing fans will be hoping for a Spurs win for the good of football.

I can appreciate a talented and skilled Spurs team with good technical players such as Modric, Bale etc, whereas Liverpool have horrendous footballers such as Carroll, Carragher, Skrtel, Lucas and Suarez who are a burden to the game.

If Liverpool win, it is a victory for burden footballers, however, if Spurs win it is a good day for the sport of football

Legend

Liam What a laugh.

2-1 Liverpool.

Bale and Suarez x2 from Adam and Enrique assists.

Tottenham 0-5 Liverpool.

Suarez
Suarez
Downing
Bellamy
Carroll

This starts exactly two minutes before I was born

17 years ago obviously.

Redknapp on Suarez - “We just thought he played a bit like Van der Vaart, but he can play anywhere. He is fantastic. He is top class. Uruguayans are tough boys, aren’t they? He can do anything, so he is a good player.”