Reds look to add to Spurs’ pain

Injury-hit Tottenham face an uphill battle against runaway leaders Liverpool

LIVERPOOL can take another step towards their first top-flight league title since 1990 this weekend if they can win at Tottenham Hotspur.

Unbeaten in the Premier League for more than a year, Liverpool have dropped just two points from 20 matches this season, putting them 13 points clear at the top with a game in hand.

Jurgen Klopp’s side travel to London with a reduced squad due to injuries but with some of the missing players close to a return.

Defender Joel Matip and midfielder Fabinho have been training with the squad this week and could come back into the side while new signing Takumi Minamino may start for the first time in the Premier League.

Ten of their likely starting 11 were rested in the FA Cup win over Everton, including full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has been one of the stand-out players of the season.

“Keeping up the momentum we’ve got and trying to replicate 2019 as much as possible because, if we do that, I think more trophies will come,” Alexander-Arnold told the club’s official matchday programme.

“With the position we are in in the Premier League, if we can replicate what we did in the first half of the season then we will be in a solid position come May.”

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho will be without his star striker Harry Kane and midfielder Moussa Sissoko and Spurs go into the match having not won in three matches.

But defender Jan Vertonghen said Spurs, who are sixth in the table after a slow start to the season, have plenty to look forward to this season.

“I don’t want to have the conversation that we’re down, I still feel we have everything to play for,” he told Tottenham’s website.

“The top four is in sight, we’re in the next round of the Champions League and everything is still to play for in the FA Cup, so at the end of the day, nothing major, and we push on.”

Second-placed Leicester host Southampton while champions Manchester City, one point further back in third, go to Aston Villa, fourth-placed Chelsea meet Burnley and Manchester United, in fifth, take on bottom side Norwich.

At the other end of the table, Watford will hope to move out of the bottom three for the first time this season.

Three wins out of four matches since Nigel Pearson took charge has lifted spirits at the club and victory at third-bottom Bournemouth on Sunday could take them out of the relegation zone.

Their 3-3 draw with Tranmere in the FA Cup last time was, Pearson said, a blip as he tries to stabilise the club and maintain their place in the Premier League.

“For me the priority has got to be the Premier League,” he told reporters.

“I can’t sit in front of you and try to give you a feeling that everything is equal in terms of how we look at competitions. Unfortunately for us the FA Cup is not the priority.

“We have quite a lengthy injury list and I can’t afford as a football club to put ourselves into a situation where we go into the league programme with even fewer players available. It’s relatively simple like that as far as I’m concerned.”

Arsenal travel across London to face Crystal Palace, Everton meet Brighton and Wolves play Newcastle in the weekend’s other matches.

FIXTURES

Today: Sheffield United v West Ham United (10pm SA time kick-off)

Tomorrow: Crystal Palace v Arsenal (2.30pm); Chelsea v Burnley, Everton v Brighton & Hove Albion, Leicester City v Southampton, Manchester United v Norwich City, Wolverhampton Wanderers v Newcastle United (all 5pm); Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool (7.30pm)

Sunday: AFC Bournemouth v Watford (4pm); Aston Villa v Manchester City (6.30pm)