Liverpool face tough test at Spurs
Alan Baldwin London
Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is keen to end Liverpool’s winning run when the Australian’s boyhood heroes visit in the Premier League on Saturday.
His attacking style has won many admirers since he joined Spurs in July. The clash between two of the league’s four unbeaten sides could be a lively affair.
Fourth-placed Tottenham are enjoying their best start to a league season in 57 years while Liverpool in second are chasing a sixth successive league win and eighth in all competitions.
Postecoglou’s football journey was inspired by the great Liverpool sides of the past so the clash will be a trip down memory lane and can say a lot about his side’s future.
“I was a massive Liverpool fan. I loved Bill Shankly, I loved the boot room, the whole story,” he told former Spurs and England striker Gary Lineker in a recent BBC interview.
“I’ve taken the posters down, mate last week,” he joked, when asked if he was still a fan.
Tottenham, who have won only once against Liverpool in their past 20 league encounters, hope their England playmaker James Maddison will be fit for the night game after jolting his knee in the 2-2 draw at Arsenal last weekend.
Liverpool scored three goals in each of their past five matches and rested key players in the 3-1 League Cup third round win against second-tier Leicester City at Anfield on Tuesday.
Champions Manchester City, with six wins from six league games, visit 16th-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday. Both sides lost in the League Cup third round this week, with City manager Pep
Guardiola resisting the temptation to play striker Erling Haaland in the 1-0 defeat at Newcastle United on Wednesday.
City will be without central midfielder Rodri, serving a three-match ban, as they seek to win their opening seven matches of a top flight season for the first time.
Arsenal, fifth and unbeaten in their past seven league games dating back to last season, have a day out on the south coast at 17th-placed Bournemouth the Premier League’s only non -promoted team yet to win this season.
England forward Bukayo Saka is doubtful for the Gunners after picking up a knock against Tottenham.
Third-placed Brighton & Hove Albion the league’s top scorers with 18 goals play in Saturday’s lunchtime kick off at Aston Villa, who are sixth and chasing their 10th successive home league win. Manchester United play Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on Saturday for the second time in five days after beating the Londoners 3-0 in their League Cup match on Tuesday.
Newcastle host Burnley, a side once managed by Magpies boss Eddie Howe, while West Ham United are at home against bottom side Sheffield United thrashed 8-0 by Newcastle last weekend with eight different players scoring.
Everton should see a moraleboosting third win in three games, after beating Villa 2-1 in the League Cup and Brentford 31 last weekend, when they welcome promoted Luton Town.
Luton, who have one point, are the league’s lowest scoring team, with only three goals so far. Nottingham Forest host Brentford on Sunday while Fulham host Chelsea in a midtable West London derby on Monday.
SPORT DAY
en-za
2023-09-29T07:00:00.0000000Z
2023-09-29T07:00:00.0000000Z
https://tisobg.pressreader.com/article/281973202282676
Arena Holdings PTY
