Tottenham-Liverpool Preview

Back to where it all began for Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool this Saturday lunchtime as the Merseyside club head to a part-demolished White Hart Lane…

Despite the spirited Klopp-centric media jamboree that led up to the German’s managerial debut in English football last October, the fixture itself was one of few talking points.

A well-contested goalless stalemate; perhaps the result you might expect from two high-pressing sides, attempting to squeeze the game like Popeye opening a can of spinach. Does spinach even come in cans?

Anyway, since then the intrigue levelled at the grimacing, bearded quote-bot has somewhat waned. Liverpool, while no doubt have improved, haven’t exactly re-invented the combustion engine under Klopp’s stewardship, to the extent many Reds’ fans might’ve hoped.

And, with the arrival even more seemingly exotic Super Coaches on the island this summer, the British media just aren’t as interested in Heavy Metal football anymore. Fickle bunch that they are.

Hype-machine set to moderate, then, this should turn out to be a fascinating encounter and an early barometer for where these two sides might land in the grand shake-up.

Neither have rocked the earth’s core in their opening games this season; Liverpool dispensed a spectacular twenty-minute blitzkrieg on Arsenal on Day One, but have failed to hit the same levels in the other 160 minutes of their campaign thus far.

Meanwhile, the North London club have shown glimpses of last season’s pre-final-three-game form, but a galaxy away from the high-octane, pulse-quickening performances that Spurs fans have been used to. It’s all been rather ponderous and leggy.

It’s likely the game will hinge upon the midfield battle, with both teams facing some interesting conundrums. Spurs are without the alarmingly crucial Mousa Dembélé, who’s still serving time for having his finger assaulted by Diego Costa’s retina.

Tottenham are simply a worse side without the Belgian. A perfect conduit between Eric Dier and Christian Eriksen; he’s the integral link that connects the base of midfield to the attack. The yolk that binds the cake batter. In his absence, Victor Wanyama will continue to start for the hosts, presumably alongside Eric Dier with Dele Alli replacing Vincent Janssen to plug the creative vacuum left by Dembélé.

Tasked with dominating a midfield which contains Eric Dier and the formidable Kenyan, then, is Jordan Henderson. Who, alas, hasn’t enjoyed the most fruitful of starts to the campaign. Two highlight reels to forget against Burnley and the mighty Burton Albion; an exhibition of careless, dozy first touches and wayward passes. With Spurs’ midfield at the height its powers, it’s difficult to imagine a more demanding contest for a player short of confidence.