Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool
English Premier League, KO: 16:30 Dec 22, 2024, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Tottenham Hotspur host Liverpool on Sunday in what promises to be a thrilling, high-scoring encounter. Both sides were in action midweek in the EFL Cup, with Liverpool cruising past Southampton, while Spurs narrowly edged Manchester United in a dramatic 4-3 victory.
Tottenham’s goalkeeper Fraser Forster will once again feature between the posts on Sunday despite a shaky performance against Manchester United, where two glaring errors allowed the Red Devils back into the game after Spurs had led 3-0. Forster was ultimately bailed out by a remarkable goal from Son Heung-Min, who scored directly from a corner, sealing a nervy victory for Spurs.
Liverpool, on the other hand, are in sensational form this season, boasting a record of W20-D3-L1 across all competitions. Their last three away matches have been goal-fests, producing a total of 15 goals, with both teams scoring at least twice in each game.
Tottenham’s season has been marked by inconsistency, with erratic results such as a 2-1 home defeat to Ipswich followed by a stunning 4-0 victory over Manchester City. Most recently, Spurs thrashed Southampton 5-0 but also suffered a chaotic 4-3 loss to Chelsea. At home, they have managed just one clean sheet in eight matches, though they have found the net in seven of those games.
With both teams prone to defensive lapses and capable of scoring freely, this match is set up to deliver plenty of excitement—and goals.
How the bookies view it: Goals, goals and more goals
The bookmakers are predicting goals and a Liverpool victory in this clash. The Reds are clear favourites, while Spurs are priced as high as 4.2 with BoyleSports to win. Both teams to score is heavily backed at 1.36, and the popular market for both teams to score and over 2.5 goals is priced as low as 1.53.
For context, Liverpool were priced as low as 1.69 to beat Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in October, and their odds to defeat Spurs are only slightly longer here. This also marks the highest odds Spurs have had to win a home game this season. In fact, Spurs have only been priced higher to win at home once in their last 27 home fixtures—that was against Manchester City in May 2024.
Head to head: Liverpool dominate
Over the last 20 Premier League meetings between these two sides, Liverpool have dominated, winning 12 times and losing just twice—one of those defeats coming back in October 2017. On average, Liverpool have scored 1.95 goals per game against Spurs during this period.
Tottenham’s home record against Liverpool has been inconsistent, with five wins and six losses across their last 20 meetings at home. While Spurs did manage a home victory over Liverpool last September, it was their first win against the Reds in their last seven home encounters.
Players to watch: Can Spurs stop Salah?
Mohamed Salah is in sensational form this season, scoring 13 goals in 15 starts while also providing nine assists. Spurs will need to find a way to contain him if they hope to take anything from this game. Salah’s remarkable run of scoring in seven consecutive Premier League matches was snapped in Liverpool’s last outing against Fulham, but he remains a constant threat.
BoyleSports offer Salah at 5.0 to score the first goal of the match and lead the market for him to score anytime, pricing it at 1.95. With his current form, Salah is likely to play a pivotal role in this clash.
Dejan Kulusevski will be a key player for Spurs, likely going head-to-head with the experienced but aging Andy Robertson. Kulusevski has been fouled 22 times in his 16 appearances this season, including five fouls drawn in his last two Premier League starts. Robertson, fresh from serving a one-match suspension after his red card against Fulham, could struggle to handle Kulusevski’s pace and creativity in this matchup.
Predicted line-ups
Spurs are facing an injury crisis, with several key players unavailable. Ben Davies, Cristian Romero, and Micky van de Ven are all sidelined, along with first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, meaning Fraser Forster will continue between the posts. As a result, Archie Gray is expected to continue at centre-back alongside Radu Dragusin, with Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro filling the full-back roles.
In contrast, Liverpool have a nearly clean bill of health, with Ibrahima Konate the only absentee for the visitors. This leaves the Reds in a much stronger position heading into the match.
Tottenham Hotspur: Forster, Porro, Gray, Dragusin, Udogie, Sarr, Bissouma, Kulusevski, Maddison, Son, Solanke
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz, Nunez
Anything else catch the eye?
With Spurs' defensive injuries and their struggles to keep clean sheets, it’s highly likely that Liverpool will find the net. Spurs have conceded in all but one home game this season, with their only clean sheet coming in a 4-0 victory over Everton.
On the other hand, Liverpool have been prolific on the road, scoring two or more goals in six of their seven away matches. The Reds remain unbeaten away from home with a record of W5-D2-L0, and an average of 2.29 goals per game. Spurs currently sit 11th in the Premier League for xPTS and have the sixth-highest xGA in the division.
While Spurs may manage to get on the scoresheet, Liverpool’s attacking quality should ultimately prove too much for the hosts.
Spurs have struggled defensively from set pieces this season, conceding five goals and ranking fourth highest in the Premier League for xGA from such situations. They have also allowed 59 shots from set pieces, highlighting a clear vulnerability. With their current defensive injury crisis, Spurs could face significant difficulties defending corners and free kicks delivered into the box.
Virgil van Dijk, a constant aerial threat for Liverpool, has registered 10 shots in 15 games this season, eight of which have come from headers. BoyleSports have priced Van Dijk at 1.75 to register a headed shot on target during Sunday’s match, making this a potentially strong angle given Spurs’ set-piece frailties.
This English Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool will be played on Dec 22, 2024 and kick off at 16:30. Check below for our tipsters best Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
