Massive highs and crushing lows have been the story of Liverpool’s season since they last faced Spurs back in August. The two clubs’ meeting this weekend is our Fixture in Focus here at Football FanCast, and we’re predicting another interesting battle between the Merseyside and London double act after their 1-1 at White Hart Lane.
Following that game, Liverpool went on a decent run that saw them talked about as title contenders, before a poor start to 2017, which, as things stand, is threatening to undo all of the good work put in by Jurgen Klopp’s side.
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Spurs’ campaign has been quite the opposite, with the Lilywhites struggling to get going through the Autumn before hitting a purple patch of form around Christmas that has catapulted them up to second place and made them Chelsea’s only realistic competition for the title at this time – however they are nine points behind the Blues.
In the run up to this tie, we take a look back at Liverpool’s season since they last played Tottenham in league action in the form of TEN incredible images. Enjoy
There’s no place like home
Due to the long-running summer work to expand Anfield’s Main Stand, the Reds didn’t take to their own home turf until the fourth game of the season, and boy did they enjoy it. Reigning champions Leicester came to town and were dispatched 4-1, with the only blot on Klopp’s side’s copybook being the wayward pass across his own area by Lucas Leiva that was gleefully turned in by Jamie Vardy. At the other end, Roberto Firmino (x2), Sadio Mane and Adam Lallana netted as the Merseyside club ran riot.
The above picture shows the redeveloped stand’s entrance with fans passing through for the first time.
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Chelsea left feeling Blue
It may seem like a long time ago, but Chelsea were wobbling a little but back in mid-September. The Blues had won their opening three games, but a draw at Swansea was followed by a loss at home to Liverpool, which in turn was succeeded by a 3-0 hammering at the hands of Arsenal.
We’ll focus on the Reds’ triumph in the west end of London, which was sealed by Jordan Henderson’s wonder-strike. Dejan Lovren had put the travellers ahead with a neat set-piece goal, but the skipper’s sumptuous curling effort from way outside the penalty area was stunning and left (as the picture above shows) Thibaut Courtois helpless as it flew into the net. The game ended 2-1 with Diego Costa pulling one back in the second-half.
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Performance of the season?
Still the joint-biggest win of the season so far, Liverpool’s 6-1 triumph over Watford may go down as their performance of 2016/17. Everything just clicked for Klopp’s Reds that Sunday in November, with Sadio Mane (celebrating above) opening the scoring just shy of the 30-minute mark. Philippe Coutinho, Emre Can, Roberto Firmino, Mane again and Georginio Wijnaldum all netted after the Senegalese star’s opener, while Daryl Janmaat pulled one back for a Hornets side that were riding high in the top half of the table before this result.
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Painful day on the South Coast
Liverpool had forgotten what losing felt like by the time they travelled to the Dorset coast to face Bournemouth on the first weekend of December having not tasted defeat since a shock result at Burnley during their second match of the season, but those feelings soon flooded back thanks to the Cherries.
The Reds dominated the opening exchanges of the match with Mane and Divock Origi scoring, but a Callum Wilson penalty in the second-half made things nervy. Can went straight up the other end to make it 3-1, somewhat calming those nerves in the process, however, Ryan Fraser netted before Steve Cook (celebrating above) equalised with a wonderful half-volley.
Then the drama really came as Cook again influenced play with a shot from distance that Loris Karius spilled at the feet of Nathan Ake, who gleefully poked home. 4-3, and the first sign that the German stopper was out of his depth in the Liverpool goal.
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Derby delight
Sometimes grubby wins are more satisfying than complete dominations, and Liverpool felt that when they edged past Everton at Goodison Park. As always, the Merseyside Derby was tightly contested and full of thudding challenges, but there was a distinct lack of quality from both sides as they battled under the floodlights on a cold December Monday night.
It looked as if the game was destined to be 0-0, but late substitute Daniel Sturridge’s dragged shot came back of Joel Robles’ post and into the path of Mane, who tucked it away FOUR MINUTES into the stoppage time. A nice early Christmas present for Kopites.
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Gini in a bottle
Liverpool fans didn’t know at the time that this would be their last win for over a month (still their most recent league win, too), and the feeling was that beating Manchester City would make it a two-horse race between themselves and Chelsea for the title. Wijnaldum scored the only goal of the game with a towering header as Klopp’s men once again showed their nous in the big games.
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Collector’s item
Before his header at Plymouth’s Home Park, Lucas had not netted for Liverpool since September 2010. Goals have never really been a part of the Brazilian’s game, but that’s a long stretch for any non-defender playing at the top level of football.
His effort in Devon won an FA Cup Third Round tie that had seen Klopp field a heavily rotated XI only to be held to a draw by the League Two men at Anfield. The return trip was again contested by a rotated team, but Lucas, one of the few senior players on show, stood up and did his job.
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The Saints go marching on
Perhaps the lowest point of Liverpool’s miserable 2017 up to this point, the Reds headed back to Anfield in their EFL Cup semi-final tie against Southampton having come away from Hampshire with a 1-0 loss. The stage was set for one for those famous nights under the floodlights on the banks of the River Mersey, yet a flat showing was produced with very few chances made and players all across the pitch lacking the verve and confidence that summed up their play earlier in the campaign.
Shane Long scored a breakaway goal late on to make it 2-0 to the Saints on aggregate, booking Claude Puel (above) a place in a major Wembley final in his first season in England.
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Hunted by the Wolves
Just days after the Southampton blow, Liverpool were knocked out of English football’s other domestic cup, suffering FA Cup elimination at the hands of Championship outfit Wolves. Defender Richard Stearman set the tone for a difficult afternoon by heading home from a set-piece with just seconds on the clock – he appeared to be offside, too – and Andreas Weimann made it 2-0 shortly before the half-time break. Divock Origi eventually pulled one back with just minutes to play, but Liverpool again failed to capitalise on their domination of play – a worrying trend from 2017 so far.
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To Hull and back
Following cup blows, a trip to Hull and a shocking loss saw Liverpool slide out of the top four, leaving their entire season on the verge of collapse. As has been the story of recent matches, the Reds hounded at the Tigers’ door but could find no answer before a set-piece error allowed Alfred N’Diaye top tap home. To rub salt in the wounds, Everton loanee Oumar Niasse wrapped up the points for Hull late on as he latched onto a long ball forward to put through Simon Mignolet’s legs.
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