After seeing their winning run come to a halt in the draw with Manchester United last weekend, Liverpool will be keen to seal all three points in this week’s round of fixtures. But, they could face yet another stern test against last season’s Champions League finalists, Tottenham Hotspur.
Fortunately for Jurgen Klopp, Spurs have struggled a lot this season. In this article, we will discuss three things Klopp should do to ensure a victory over Tottenham this weekend.
Put pressure on the defenders
Liverpool need to target Tottenham’s build-up from the back as their primary source of turnovers in the final third. The Lilywhites have often looked susceptible when playing out from the back, just like their neighbours’ Arsenal this season. Even though they boast the services of players like Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen, they are bound to struggle against quick pressure from the opponent attackers.
The Reds, in that regard, boast the deadly offensive trifecta of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, all of whom are equipped with pace and can sustain pressure on the opposing defenders. Klopp should utilise that trait to expose the Tottenham Hotspur defenders while they play the ball out from the back.
Mark Harry Winks
Harry Winks’ failure to stamp his authority in midfield has often resulted in poor transition play and ball distribution from Tottenham Hotspur. This is exactly why Klopp should look to deploy someone like Fabinho and assign him to mark the young Englishman in the centre of the pitch.
Although Winks will receive support from Tanguy Ndombele, he can easily be neutralised if Liverpool cut off his supply as he is not the one who likes to drop in and collect the ball. Moussa Sissoko has that tendency, but the Frenchman is not exactly good with the ball at his feet. That means Tottenham’s midfield can entirely be nullified if the Reds manage to mark the right players.
Isolate Harry Kane
Although a bit obvious, Liverpool need to isolate Harry Kane, at all costs. The English international, unlike most of his teammates, is someone capable of turning the game on its head with his individual quality. Therefore, it would be a good idea from Klopp to assign both Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip to keep tabs on the Spurs forward.
Although the likes of Son Heung-Min and Erik Lamela are likely to provide the additional threat, their influence will largely be restricted if Kane stays isolated in attack. Liverpool can do that by offering the striker as little time and space on the ball as possible – forcing him to drop back and collect the ball.
