Sunday, September 18, 2011

Match Preview: Tottenham vs Liverpool

Tottenham play host to Liverpool on Sunday with both sides looking to enhance their top four aspirations.

Both sides will be aiming for a UEFA Champions League finish come the end of the season and they will be hoping to gain an early psychological edge with victory at White Hart Lane.

The hosts go into the game buoyed by their first win of the season over Wolves last weekend, while Liverpool will be seeking to bounce back from their defeat at Stoke last time.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp is set to recall his big guns for the visit of Liverpool after resting a number of key players for Thursday's Europa League clash at PAOK Salonika.

Brad Friedel will return in goal against his former club despite Carlo Cudicini's positive showing against PAOK.

Scott Parker and Emmanuel Adebayor will also return to the starting line-up after making impressive debuts against Wolves

Redknapp is waiting to find out if Ledley King will play after his surprise return to fitness in the win at Molineux.

Michael Dawson is missing after he joined Brazilian midfielder Sandro on the long-term absentee list.

However, Rafael van der Vaart (hamstring), Aaron Lennon (groin) and William Gallas (calf) could all come back into contention after making good progress on their fitness.

Steven Pienaar (groin) and Tom Huddlestone (ankle) face late fitness tests but Redknapp is likely to stick with the side that won at Wolves.

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish must decide if Steven Gerrard is ready to return after featuring in a behind-closed-doors friendly earlier this week.

Dalglish is refusing to rush back his skipper from his groin injury meaning the midfielder might have to content himself with a place on the bench.

Glen Johnson is ruled out with a recurrence of his hamstring problem he suffered in last weekend's defeat at the Britannia Stadium.

However, Martin Kelly could be back in the squad after recovering from a hamstring injury of his own and he could slot into right-back after Martin Skrtel was forced to play out of position at full-back in the last two games.

Dalglish has no other injury worries to contend with, but he must decide whether or not to keep Andy Carroll and Craig Bellamy on the bench or bring them into the starting XI.

Possible starting XIs

Tottenham: Friedel, Walker, King, Kaboul, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Parker, Modric, Bale, Defoe, Adebayor.

Liverpool: Reina, Kelly, Carragher, Agger, Enrique, Lucas, Adam, Henderson, Downing, Suarez, Kuyt.

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