MatchThe opposition lowdown: Tottenham Hotspur

Key men

Harry Kane has found the back of the net on 26 occasions for Spurs this season across all competitions.

The striker is Tottenham’s leading goalscorer this term, ahead of fellow forward Heung-min Son, who has struck on 13 occasions.

Midfielders Rodrigo Bentancur and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg have also netted six and five times each respectively.

Kane has provided five assists for his team to date too, though Ivan Perisic leads the way having totalled 11 final key passes. Hojbjerg and Dejan Kulusevski have laid on seven apiece, ahead of Son who has four to his name.

Recent form

In acting head coach Ryan Mason’s first game in charge, Tottenham fought back from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw with Manchester United on Thursday night.

Two defeats prior to that fixture, against AFC Bournemouth and Newcastle United, had followed a 2-1 home victory over Brighton & Hove Albion.

Before the contest at Anfield, Spurs sit one point ahead of Liverpool in the Premier League table in fifth.

Previous meeting

The Reds secured a 2-1 victory at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the reverse fixture last November.

Mohamed Salah struck twice in the first half in the capital, before Kane pulled a goal back with 20 minutes remaining, and Jürgen Klopp’s men saw out the result to claim all three points.

Stats

• Liverpool and Tottenham have met 61 times in the Premier League, with the Reds claiming 30 wins, Spurs earning 14 and there being 17 draws. Of the 30 Anfield clashes, the home side have won 19 and drawn nine, with two losses.
• The Reds are unbeaten in their last 10 Premier League meetings with Spurs (seven wins and three draws) and if they avoid defeat they will set a new club record of 11 matches in a row without losing against the Londoners in the competition.
• Since a 0-0 draw at Tottenham in October 2015, Liverpool have scored in 14 successive league clashes against Spurs.

What they said

Ryan Mason

“We focus on ourselves and feel confident that we can hurt other teams when we have the ball. We have quality players, but we also have to be a team and be humble together. And obviously, we have to respect the opposition. I’ve played there [Anfield], I know what it’s like. Playing football and coaching is special wherever I go. The biggest pride I have is representing this football club, it’s not about going up against anyone else.”