January 8, 10 p.m. London. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
EFL Cup. Semi-final. First leg
Tottenham (Londres) – Liverpool
Suspensions : Pape Sarr, James Maddison (both – Tottenham)
Injured: Radu Dragushin, Richarlison, Mikey Moore (tous uncertain), Ben Davies, Cristian Romero, Wilson Odobert, Mickey van de Ven, Guglielmo Vicario, Fraser Forster, Destiny Udogie – Dominik Szoboszlai (incertain), Joe Gomez
Tottenham vs Liverpool: Bookmakers Odds
Three weeks after the offensive festival that Tottenham and Liverpool put on in the Premier League (the Merseysiders winning 6-3), the teams will meet again in London, this time for a place in the EFL Cup final. In England’s third most prestigious tournament, this will mark the eighth meeting between Spurs and the Reds. London have triumphed four times in previous meetings, yet Liverpool emerged victorious in their last League Cup encounter, winning 2-1 at Anfield in 2016.
Tottenham
Angelos Postecoglou has repeatedly pointed out that in his previous teams he won a trophy in his second full season. The EFL Cup represents a great opportunity for the Australian manager to continue his winning run with Tottenham, but it is the most realistic chance at the moment. On their way, Spurs have already eliminated two title contenders – Manchester City (2-1) and Manchester United (4-3). However, in October and even mid-December, in matches against the Manchester giants, Postecoglou’s team was in significantly better shape and condition. Nowadays, things are bleak for Tottenham; their winless run extends to four matches in the Premier League, having conceded at least two goals in three of those encounters.
The injury situation at Tottenham is dire: half the team is injured, and two key players will miss the first leg against Liverpool due to accumulated yellow cards. However, Rodrigo Bentancur is back from suspension and should return to the starting XI.
Winter signing Antonín Kinský is expected to make his debut for Tottenham in the match against Liverpool. The former Slavia goalkeeper will replace Brandon Austin, who made his Premier League debut last weekend. The 25-year-old Englishman kept goal for Spurs in their 1-2 home defeat to Newcastle, with starting goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario injured and Fraser Forster unwell.
Liverpool
The Merseysiders will play in the EFL Cup semi-final for the twentieth time. No other team has reached this stage of the tournament as often as the Reds. In fact, Liverpool are the most successful team in the history of the EFL Cup, having won it a record ten times, including twice in the last three years. This tournament was the last trophy won by Jurgen Klopp in charge of the team, and this could now become the first trophy won by Arne Slot, indicating a certain continuity of eras.
Unlike Tottenham, Liverpool enter the first semi-final match without any problems. Only Joe Gomez remains injured, giving Arne Slot the opportunity to continue an effective rotation. Despite a somewhat surprising home draw against a struggling Manchester United (2-2), there was no noticeable drop in form. Before the key clash with the Red Devils, Liverpool had won three consecutive Premier League matches with an aggregate score of 14-4. The only concern is the frequency with which Slot’s men concede goals. The Merseysiders have only kept a clean sheet in two of their last eight matches in all competitions.
Tottenham vs Liverpool: Predictable Lineups
Tottenham vs Liverpool: Author’s Prediction
Spurs have never lost a first leg at home in an EFL Cup semi-final, including when that stage of the tournament consisted of a single match. The London team has recorded five wins and two draws to their name. However, I expect Liverpool to break this impressive home run for Tottenham. It’s not just the remarkable statistics the Reds have in the EFL Cup (12 wins, 6 draws, and just 1 defeat in their last 19 matches). Despite squad problems, Postecoglou stubbornly clings to his style of play, which leaves his team particularly vulnerable against Liverpool.
Interestingly, Tottenham have lost their last two meetings against the current holders of the trophy, and the last time they won was when they finally won the EFL Cup (in 2008). My prediction is a victory for Liverpool.
