Liverpool travel to North London on Saturday evening for the Premiership clash with a rejuvenated Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane.
While the Reds are flying high, three points clear at the top of the Premiership, Spurs are propping up the division, two points adrift.
However, last weekend's surprise arrival of Harry Redknapp from Portsmouth to replace Juande Ramos appears to have galvanised the North London club.
Redknapp's first game in charge saw Spurs win their first league game of the season against 19th placed Bolton Wanderers before a pulsating 4-4 draw with Arsenal at the Emirates on Wednesday, in which they recovered from 4-2 down to secure a point.
"They've had two games under Redknapp and when you change a manager you can see a difference," said Reds boss Rafael Benitez.
"The other day Portsmouth did better away from home than they were doing before. It's normal when you change a manager.
"When you play against Arsenal you know they will score, so if you are not strong in defence you know you will concede. After they fell behind they kept going forward and maybe one or two goals were lucky, but they still got level.
"We will try to win the game that will be idea. They will do the same so it could be an open game."
Liverpool's win over Portsmouth at Anfield in midweek kept the Reds three points clear of second-place Chelsea but Benitez has warned that he feels there is more to come from his side.
"I think we are in a good position, we are really pleased to be there but there is still a long way to go," he said.
"We are happy and we are doing well but we have to keep our concentration because it is a long race.
"It's better to be at the top of the table rather than playing catch up. We are doing well but there is plenty of room for improvement so I am still confident we can improve.
"Maybe we can improve our accuracy up front and do better defensively. It is not bad now but we can do both things better.
"I prefer to win playing well, but if you asked me what I would prefer, I would say just to win.
"But if you cannot play well you have to win in another way.
"I think we have done well in a number of games and sometimes it is necessary to win without playing well.
"When you talk about 38 games it is always important to do your job properly and these three points you get when you don't play well can make the difference.
"We have to keep the momentum, the team has confidence, and we are creating chances and not conceding too many. It is important to keep doing the things we are doing now."
Despite Liverpool's impressive start to the season, bookmakers still have the Reds as third favourites for the title behind Chelsea and Manchester United but Benitez is unconcerned by this.
He said: "I don't care about this. I just concentrate on our football and try to be there as much as we can.
"Chelsea won the league once with 95 points and another year with 92. But clearly you need at least 85 points.
"Chelsea are very strong and so are Man United and Arsenal. Aston Villa are also pushing. There are some strong teams putting pressure on at the top and it will be the same until the end of the season.
"I am just concentrating on making sure we are up there."
"We must keep the momentum," added Benitez. "We have confidence and we are creating chances and not conceding too many.
"It is important to keep the players doing things just as they are doing now.
"What pleases me is that we have been without three of our top players for maybe half the games we have played. Javier Mascherano, Fernando Torres and Martin Skrtel have all missed several games each but we are still unbeaten and now top.
"That shows the quality we have in the squad now, it has improved at Liverpool."
Benitez confirmed that Robbie Keane is available to face his former club after the Irishman had been struggling with a groin injury, and the Spaniard is hoping for a warm welcome from the Spurs fans for the forward.
"Keane is available," he said. "It is my decision in the end whether he plays, but he is another one who wants to play in every game and I'm sure he'd like to see their fans and say hello again.
"He was a key player for them for years. He is a fantastic professional and he always gave 100 per cent for them. He is now doing that for us but I'm sure their fans will appreciate him."
Benitez confirmed that he was weighing up the possibility of recalling Fernando Torres to the Liverpool squad for the clash at White Hart Lane.
The Spanish international has missed the Reds last four games with a hamstring injury he picked up on international duty and although Torres is nearing full fitness, Benitez is considering leaving the 24-year-old at Melwood to continue his recovery.
The Reds have won three and drew one of the four games without Torres and Benitez feels this is a sign of the strength in depth available at his disposal.
"In the past, perhaps we did not have the ability to cope because maybe we did not have the same quality," said Benitez.
"But now we have won some important games without some of our best players.
"We managed to beat Man United without Torres and Steven Gerrard was only fit enough to come on as a substitute late on in that game.
"Last week we won at Chelsea without Torres so that should give the players confidence that we can win games even when we have injuries.
"It could be better if Torres remains on Merseyside and does not travel with the squad for the Spurs game but we will see.
"The result against Portsmouth showed the depth and quality of our squad.
"We have competition for places and a great team spirit.
"On Wednesday we changed four players and still won the game which is a good sign.
"We were able to protect a couple of players but now it is a bit more difficult for me because the other players who came into their side did their job and we won the game.
"As a manager you always want competition for places and we have that."
Benitez is expected to recall Javier Mascherano, Daniel Agger, Albert Riera and Keane to the starting line-up after resting them against Portsmouth.
Ryan Babel, Sami Hyypia, Jermaine Pennant and Lucas Leiva are set to make way.
Spurs are hoping to have captain Ledley King available again after resting him against Arsenal. Jermaine Jenas is expected to recover from a toe injury but Michael Dawson is suspended.
Aaron Lennon and Giovanni Dos Santos are vying for starting berths while Darren Bent could replace Roman Pavlyuchenko in attack.
PROBABLE TEAMS:
Tottenham from: Gomes, Hutton, Corluka, Woodgate, Assou-Ekotto, Bentley, Jenas, Huddlestone, Bale, Modric, Pavlyuchenko, King, Bent, Gunter, Lennon, Cesar, Zokora, O'Hara, Campbell.
Liverpool from: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Hyypia, Aurelio, Dossena, Babel, Benayoun, Gerrard, Mascherano, Alonso, Pennant, Kuyt, Keane, Riera, Lucas, Cavalieri.
While the Reds are flying high, three points clear at the top of the Premiership, Spurs are propping up the division, two points adrift.
However, last weekend's surprise arrival of Harry Redknapp from Portsmouth to replace Juande Ramos appears to have galvanised the North London club.
Redknapp's first game in charge saw Spurs win their first league game of the season against 19th placed Bolton Wanderers before a pulsating 4-4 draw with Arsenal at the Emirates on Wednesday, in which they recovered from 4-2 down to secure a point.
"They've had two games under Redknapp and when you change a manager you can see a difference," said Reds boss Rafael Benitez.
"The other day Portsmouth did better away from home than they were doing before. It's normal when you change a manager.
"When you play against Arsenal you know they will score, so if you are not strong in defence you know you will concede. After they fell behind they kept going forward and maybe one or two goals were lucky, but they still got level.
"We will try to win the game that will be idea. They will do the same so it could be an open game."
Liverpool's win over Portsmouth at Anfield in midweek kept the Reds three points clear of second-place Chelsea but Benitez has warned that he feels there is more to come from his side.
"I think we are in a good position, we are really pleased to be there but there is still a long way to go," he said.
"We are happy and we are doing well but we have to keep our concentration because it is a long race.
"It's better to be at the top of the table rather than playing catch up. We are doing well but there is plenty of room for improvement so I am still confident we can improve.
"Maybe we can improve our accuracy up front and do better defensively. It is not bad now but we can do both things better.
"I prefer to win playing well, but if you asked me what I would prefer, I would say just to win.
"But if you cannot play well you have to win in another way.
"I think we have done well in a number of games and sometimes it is necessary to win without playing well.
"When you talk about 38 games it is always important to do your job properly and these three points you get when you don't play well can make the difference.
"We have to keep the momentum, the team has confidence, and we are creating chances and not conceding too many. It is important to keep doing the things we are doing now."
Despite Liverpool's impressive start to the season, bookmakers still have the Reds as third favourites for the title behind Chelsea and Manchester United but Benitez is unconcerned by this.
He said: "I don't care about this. I just concentrate on our football and try to be there as much as we can.
"Chelsea won the league once with 95 points and another year with 92. But clearly you need at least 85 points.
"Chelsea are very strong and so are Man United and Arsenal. Aston Villa are also pushing. There are some strong teams putting pressure on at the top and it will be the same until the end of the season.
"I am just concentrating on making sure we are up there."
"We must keep the momentum," added Benitez. "We have confidence and we are creating chances and not conceding too many.
"It is important to keep the players doing things just as they are doing now.
"What pleases me is that we have been without three of our top players for maybe half the games we have played. Javier Mascherano, Fernando Torres and Martin Skrtel have all missed several games each but we are still unbeaten and now top.
"That shows the quality we have in the squad now, it has improved at Liverpool."
Benitez confirmed that Robbie Keane is available to face his former club after the Irishman had been struggling with a groin injury, and the Spaniard is hoping for a warm welcome from the Spurs fans for the forward.
"Keane is available," he said. "It is my decision in the end whether he plays, but he is another one who wants to play in every game and I'm sure he'd like to see their fans and say hello again.
"He was a key player for them for years. He is a fantastic professional and he always gave 100 per cent for them. He is now doing that for us but I'm sure their fans will appreciate him."
Benitez confirmed that he was weighing up the possibility of recalling Fernando Torres to the Liverpool squad for the clash at White Hart Lane.
The Spanish international has missed the Reds last four games with a hamstring injury he picked up on international duty and although Torres is nearing full fitness, Benitez is considering leaving the 24-year-old at Melwood to continue his recovery.
The Reds have won three and drew one of the four games without Torres and Benitez feels this is a sign of the strength in depth available at his disposal.
"In the past, perhaps we did not have the ability to cope because maybe we did not have the same quality," said Benitez.
"But now we have won some important games without some of our best players.
"We managed to beat Man United without Torres and Steven Gerrard was only fit enough to come on as a substitute late on in that game.
"Last week we won at Chelsea without Torres so that should give the players confidence that we can win games even when we have injuries.
"It could be better if Torres remains on Merseyside and does not travel with the squad for the Spurs game but we will see.
"The result against Portsmouth showed the depth and quality of our squad.
"We have competition for places and a great team spirit.
"On Wednesday we changed four players and still won the game which is a good sign.
"We were able to protect a couple of players but now it is a bit more difficult for me because the other players who came into their side did their job and we won the game.
"As a manager you always want competition for places and we have that."
Benitez is expected to recall Javier Mascherano, Daniel Agger, Albert Riera and Keane to the starting line-up after resting them against Portsmouth.
Ryan Babel, Sami Hyypia, Jermaine Pennant and Lucas Leiva are set to make way.
Spurs are hoping to have captain Ledley King available again after resting him against Arsenal. Jermaine Jenas is expected to recover from a toe injury but Michael Dawson is suspended.
Aaron Lennon and Giovanni Dos Santos are vying for starting berths while Darren Bent could replace Roman Pavlyuchenko in attack.
PROBABLE TEAMS:
Tottenham from: Gomes, Hutton, Corluka, Woodgate, Assou-Ekotto, Bentley, Jenas, Huddlestone, Bale, Modric, Pavlyuchenko, King, Bent, Gunter, Lennon, Cesar, Zokora, O'Hara, Campbell.
Liverpool from: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Hyypia, Aurelio, Dossena, Babel, Benayoun, Gerrard, Mascherano, Alonso, Pennant, Kuyt, Keane, Riera, Lucas, Cavalieri.
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