Tottenham vs. Liverpool: 10 key things ahead of League Cup semi-final

January 7, 2025
Henry Jackson

Liverpool head to Tottenham for the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final clash on Wednesday, with changes expected for the Reds.

Tottenham vs. Liverpool

League Cup semi-final first leg | Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
January 8, 2025 | 8pm (GMT)

Arne Slot‘s side could only draw 2-2 at home to Man United on Sunday in a bitterly disappointing result.

Premier League duty is traded for domestic cup commitments this week, starting with a midweek trip to Tottenham in the League Cup.

Here’s all you need to know ahead of the game.

1. A repeat of last month’s mauling?

This is the second time Liverpool have travelled the Tottenham in under a month, following the league clash on December 22nd.

The Reds romped to a 6-3 win in that game, with Luis Diaz scoring twice as well as Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Mohamed Salah also finding the net.

In truth, the scoreline was kind to Spurs that day, too.

A similar result on Wednesday would assure that Liverpool have more than one foot in the final at Wembley on March 16.

2. Postecoglou feeling the heat

Ange Postecoglou isn’t quite the likeable figure he was when he first arrived at Spurs, with the pressure of the job turning him more prickly.

The aforementioned 6-3 defeat to Liverpool was one of many poor recent results, and his side lost 2-1 at home to Newcastle on Saturday.

Postecoglou still has the support of some Spurs fans, perhaps because the football is at least entertaining, but he is now pushing his luck.

Positive results need to return soon or the north Londoners could be searching for a new manager.

3. Possible Liverpool XI

With Liverpool tackling a busy January schedule, Slot is likely to make changes in midweek, but not necessarily wholesale ones.

Saturday’s FA Cup third round clash with Accrington Stanley at Anfield could see a far weaker starting lineup fielded.

Jarell Quansah could start at Spurs in place of Ibrahima Konate, while Conor Bradley and Kostas Tsimikas could come in at full-back.

The likes of Wataru Endo, Harvey Elliott, Federico Chiesa, Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez are all pushing to start, too.

Szoboszlai is still struggling to overcome illness and is a doubt, while Joe Gomez is Liverpool’s only injury absentee.

Predicted Liverpool XI: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Gravenberch, Jones, Mac Allister; Salah, Gakpo, Jota

4. How will Tottenham line up?

Spurs are still tackling an injury crisis, not least at centre-back, with Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven still missing.

Guglielmo Vicario, Destiny Udogie and Ben Davies are all absentees in the back-line, so Radu Dragusin and Archie Gray could again start at centre-back.

Fraser Forster and Wilson Odobert are two others who are missing.

Richarlison, Mikey Moore and Antonin Kinsky all took part in training on Monday, with the latter a new signing in goal who has now been granted a work permit.

Rodrigo Bentancur is back after suspension but Pape Matar Sarr and James Maddison are banned.

Possible Tottenham XI: Austin; Porro, Dragusin, Gray, Reguilon; Bissouma, Bergvall; Johnson, Kulusevski, Son; Solanke

5. Spurs’ painful wait for trophy glory

Spurs may be seen as one of the biggest clubs in the country, but their lack of trophies in recent decades is extraordinary.

The north Londoners haven’t won a piece of silverware since their League Cup triumph in 2008, beating Chelsea 2-1 in the final thanks to a Jonathan Woodgate winner in extra-time.

In the 17 years prior to that, Spurs won just one FA Cup and League Cup apiece, in 1991 and 1999, respectively.

Supporting them must be an absolute nightmare!

6. Alexander-Arnold knows where “he has to improve”

After a dreadful performance against United, Slot spoke honestly about Trent Alexander-Arnold, showing him support but saying improvements are needed:

“It is normal that you talk to players, in this situation it wasn’t his best game so there were things I had to show which he has to improve.

“That’s what you do after every game. Sometimes you show them how well they did, mostly when it comes to work rate – so you don’t have to say their brilliant 80-yard pass because they know.

“And sometimes you have to show them what they can improve, but I don’t only do this with Trent.

“We were just talking about Macca, if you look at the second goal we concede, if he sprints a bit hard he can cut off the shot from Diallo as well. There’s always things you can improve.”

7. Liverpool unrivalled in League Cup

No team in the history of the League Cup has won the competition more times than Liverpool, with the Reds tasting glory on 10 occasions.

The first of those came in 1981, before winning the next three in succession – two under Bob Paisley and one with Joe Fagan in charge.

Liverpool had to wait until 1995 for their next triumph, before sealing victory in 2001 en route to Gerard Houllier’s Reds winning a cup treble.

Further League Cup wins came in 2003, 2012 and 2022, before last season’s memorable final win over Chelsea at Wembley, thanks to Virgil van Dijk‘s winner.

8. Did You Know?

Last season, Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo and Diaz scored 54 goals between them in all competitions, finding the net 25, 16 and 13 times, respectively.

This time around, the trio already have 45 combined, 21 of which have come from Salah, who could be enjoying his greatest-ever season for Liverpool.

Meanwhile, Gakpo and Diaz have netted 12 times apiece, highlighting how prolific they have been in half a campaign compared to a whole season in 2023/24.

Assuming they all stay fit, they should dismantle last term’s combined tally in the coming months.

9. Attwell in charge

• READ HERE: Explained – How League Cup VAR trial will work at Tottenham vs. Liverpool

Stuart Attwell will referee Wednesday’s game, in what is his second Liverpool outing of the season.

The first was the 2-0 win at home to Brentford in the Premier League in August, where he handed yellow cards to Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch.

James Mainwaring and Constantine Hatzidakis are Attwell’s assistants, it is the latter’s first Liverpool game since elbowing Robertson in the jaw in 2023.

Tim Robinson is fourth official and Paul Tierney is on VAR.

A VAR trial will also be on show on Wednesday, with in-stadium announcements by referees made following checks. It means for the first time ever in the English game, crowds and viewers at home will be able to hear officials announce their final decisions.