Liverpool vs Tottenham: Ange Postecoglou should fastidiously goal Reds’ few weaknesses if Spurs are to achieve Carabao Cup ultimate

Liverpool prolonged their unbeaten run within the Premier League to 19 video games by defeating Bournemouth on Saturday.

They’ve barely put a foot fallacious all season, underlined by a predictably quiet Deadline Day, the place zero enterprise was achieved and Arne Slot’s gamers got time to get pleasure from two uncommon days off.

Slot had been clear on his stance all through January. He trusts his squad and is pleased with the choices he is obtained in reserve too. Federico Chiesa stays the one outfield addition to reach at Anfield up to now three home windows and but Liverpool are within the strongest place they have been for years, with cash safely stashed for summer time spending.

Their subsequent task is a Carabao Cup semi-final second leg assembly with Tottenham on Thursday, stay on Sky Sports activities, and primarily based on the power of their latest conviction many will count on Slot to make a beneficial final result look simple.

Thursday sixth February 7:00pm


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However there have been indicators, nevertheless few and fleeting, that Liverpool might be obtained at.

Ange Postecoglou will try and poke holes in Slot’s plan a lot in the identical approach his facet did within the reverse leg – a 1-0 victory at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – which fashioned a part of a much less convincing run of kind for the league leaders.

The loss got here after a 2-2 draw with Manchester United earlier than needing to rescue some extent at Nottingham Forest. Liverpool haven’t got many weaknesses and the emphasis, subsequently, on an hermetic recreation plan which mixes good decision-making with composure and readability is what Spurs want most on Thursday.

Forest and Man Utd are two of three groups – alongside Fulham – to journey to Anfield this season and keep away from defeat, and the bravery of these three performances ought to present the premise for Postecoglou’s technique on Thursday.

Absolutely Tottenham’s greatest hope is to make the tie fraught and unsettling, fastidiously selecting the moments to be pragmatic however equally progressive. That is to not say Liverpool cannot struggle hearth with hearth but when Postecoglou’s setup is well mannered sufficient to permit the hosts to press at full tempo they danger being taken aside piece by piece.

Regardless of profitable 2-0 at Bournemouth on Saturday, Liverpool set season-lows for sequences and go success in their very own half – linking to the Cherries’ excessive press – and wanted a penalty to interrupt the impasse.

Ryan Gravenberch was compelled to man-manage Justin Kluivert and it lowered his effectivity in shifting Liverpool forwards. The sacrificial midfielder made a weekend-high seven tackles.

Bournemouth nonetheless hit the woodwork twice – each entries got here from Kluivert passes – and created three ‘huge possibilities’, as many as Liverpool did.

An incapacity to deal with the strategic positioning of a No 10 who can play between the strains has harm Liverpool this season and putting Gravenberch in a way more defensive-minded function on Saturday was proof of such. Maybe, then, some classes have been learnt however there’s takeaways for Tottenham to contemplate too.

Each Fulham in mid-December and United in early January compelled Liverpool far deeper than they’re snug enjoying at Anfield, utilizing width in advantageous areas to tug gamers out of place, whereas the foremost striker stayed excessive to create gaps.

Alex Iwobi and Bruno Fernandes have been the dominant playmakers on every event.

Jamie Carragher examined Man United’s success on Monday Night time Soccer, figuring out how Fernandes’ invasive positioning was important to pinning Liverpool again. Slot did not see it coming.

Trent Alexander-Arnold – who will miss Thursday’s recreation by way of damage – was always caught between Diogo Dalot and Fernandes whereas Amad had the beating of torpid Andy Robertson, attracted inside to assist, on the other facet.

Entrance-footed Dejan Kulusevski is greater than able to enjoying the identical function in a focused strategy, making the most of Liverpool’s weaker right-hand facet. Every of the 4 targets Liverpool conceded at Anfield in January got here down the opposition left (three crosses, one nook).

Two of the three they shipped in defeat at PSV final week additionally got here through that very same route.

Within the residence leg of this tie 29 days in the past it was Lucas Bergvall who almost profited from charging Alisson, forcing the error earlier than Pedro Porro sliced inexplicably broad. Postecoglou fell to his knees on the touchline however the reprieve arrived within the 86th minute when 18-year-old Bergvall stroked residence the winner after Dominic Solanke had bullied Ibrahima Konate off the ball.

By the way, it was Richarlison – in Solanke’s damage absence – who registered probably the most pressures (45) of any participant throughout gameweek 24 as Spurs beat Brentford 2-0 on the weekend.

And it is that very same bullishness that Postecoglou’s facet should embrace at Anfield. To permit Liverpool to settle can be to give up management and in all chance concede the consequence too.

Spurs could be depleted by accidents. They may suppose that lightning won’t ever strike twice. However the one-off nature of the upcoming 90 minutes certainly fits their gung-ho fashion higher. They play like there aren’t any penalties most weeks, and on this event, there aren’t actually. So be thrilling, be aggressive.

In any case, Spurs have received extra cup video games (10) than Premier League video games (8) this season, whereas Postecoglou has joined a really choose pool of managers who’ve masterminded a win over Slot since his arrival in England.

Liverpool could be the perfect crew within the league, with probably the most full squad, and a formidable command of their future in all 4 competitions however they don’t seem to be unbeatable – if solely Spurs had an relevant blueprint for the way…

Watch Liverpool vs Tottenham within the Carabao Cup semi-final, stay on Sky Sports activities Soccer and Sky Sports activities Principal Occasion from 7pm on Thursday.