TWO CLUBS WITH top four ambitions met at Anfield in one of four Premier League games scheduled for tonight.
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Good evening to you all. We’re still a week away from the return of the Champions League knockout stages but you’re in luck as there is a full list of Premier League fixtures spread over this evening and tomorrow night.
Tonight, we’ve got:
- Arsenal v Leicester (7.45pm)
- Hull v Aston Villa (7.45pm)
- Sunderland v QPR (7.45pm)
- Liverpool v Tottenham (8pm)
We’ll be concentrating on the meeting of seventh (Liverpool) and fourth (Spurs) on Merseyside. The big news pre-kick-off is that Daniel Sturridge starts his first Premier League game since 31 August — when these two last met in a 3-0 win for the Reds.
Here are the starting XIs:
Liverpool: Mignolet; Can, Skrtel, Sakho, Moreno; Gerrard, Henderson, Markovic, Coutinho, Ibe; Sturridge.
Tottenham: Lloris; Walker, Rose, Vertonghen, Dier; Lamela, Dembele, Eriksen, Mason, Bentaleb; Kane.
Raheem Sterling is replaced by Sturridge while Jordan Ibe keeps his spot having impressed in the 0-0 draw with Everton on Saturday. Spurs, meanwhile, are unchanged from the team which sealed victory over North London rivals Arsenal.
The man of the moment is undoubtedly Spurs striker Harry Kane — who has four goals in his last two games including two against the Gunners.
Liverpool are 20/21 to win while you can get Spurs at 3/1. The draw is 5/2.
So, how do you see this one going?
Poll Results:
BT Sport have gone for a big man-little man combo of David James and Paul Scholes alongside Steve McManaman — who has left that fetching hat of his at home tonight.
5 minutes to kick-off.
We’re about to get underway. Here’s how the teams are likely to line out:
Jordan Ibe earns the first corner of the night with a positive run and attempted cross, which is put behind. Steven Gerrard delivers but it is dealt with by Tottenham.
Erik Lamela passes the ball straight to Lazar Markovic and the Serbian attacker feeds Sturridge. His pass is over-hit, however and runs out of play.
Kane goes down in the box after slight contact with the arm of Liverpool keeper Simon Mignolet but referee Phil Dowd waves claims away.
Sturridge takes on Eric Dier for pace and goes by him before shooting with his weaker left foot. Hugo Lloris is down sharply to save.
Danny Rose brings Ibe some 30 yards out from goal and Gerrard lookd likr he fancies a pop at goal. His free-kick gets up and over the wall but doesn’t dip enough to trouble Lloris.
Moreno’s cross from the left is directed off target by Markovic. Moments later, Ibe cuts the ball back to Markovic, he lays off to Sturridge, and the England international does well to keep the ball down and force a save.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Tottenham (Lazar Markovic 15′)
The home side are ahead. Markovic picks up a loose ball and drives forward before striking across goal.
Could Lloris have done better?
Since the goal, Sturridge has shot over while Kane just attempted an audacious strike from the halfway line.
Ryan Mason is the first man into Phil Dowd’s book for a late challenge on Markovic.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 Tottenham (Harry Kane 26′)
Spurs draw level and it’s that man Kane. Eriksen and Lamela work the ball to the striker well, and he evades a couple of defenders with a clever touch and shoots under the leg of Mignolet.
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Martin Skrtel picks himself up a yellow cared after catching Kane on the halfway line. That’s the third now with Mason and Eriksen.
Lamela then attempts to thread Kane in but the linesman judges his run to be offside.
Great work by Kane to track back and dispossess Sturridge there. We’re coming up to half-time.
Half-time: Liverpool 1-1 Tottenham
Ibe’s cut-back is only half-cleared and Sturridge tries a back-heel, which hits the post before the whistle goes.
And we’re back. No changes at half-time so it’s as are.
PENALTY TO LIVERPOOL!
Sturridge is tripped by Rose and referee Phil Dowd points to the spot.
GOAL! Liverpool 2-1 Tottenham (Steven Gerrard 53′)
The Reds captain picks his spot and beats Lloris to put them in front.
Superb save by Mignolet from Lamela’s snap-shot, which the Belgian tips over the bar.
GOAL! Liverpool 2-2 Tottenham (Moussa Dembele 61′)
It’s end-to-end here. Gerrard is booked for a foul on Kane and Eriksen’s free-kick stings the hands of Mignolet. The ball is put back into the danger area by Kane and Dembele bundles over the line.
Replays show that Kane was offside, but the goal stands.
Big penalty shout for Liverpool as Dier takes the ball and Sturridge’s legs. Not given.
Gerrard has just been replaced by Dejan Lovren, meanwhile, so Emre Can is pushed into midfield.
Here comes Mario Balotelli – on for Daniel Sturridge.
Adam Lallana and Nacer Chadli have been introduced for the final 10 minutes. Markovic and Eriksen make way.
GOAL! Liverpool 3-2 Tottenham (Mario Balotelli 82′)
Yep, you’re reading that right. The much-maligned Italian comes off the bench and scores his first Premier League goal for the club. Scenes!
Four minutes of added time. Liverpool holding on…
Full-time: Liverpool 3-2 Tottenham
A thoroughly-entertaining game ends with an unlikely hero grabbing the headlines as Super Mario’s late strike brings Liverpool to within a point of tonight’s opponents.
