Liverpool visit Tottenham Hotspur this Sunday, so HITC Football looks at where the Reds XI that beat Spurs 3-2 in 2015 are now. Steven Gerrard was among their goalscorers that day.
Gerrard scored the Anfield natives’ second strike at home to Spurs to restore their margin eight minutes after the break. Harry Kane had drawn the north London outfit level midway through the first half. While Moussa Dembele struck a quick reply just after the hour mark.
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The Belgian’s goal seemed like it might be enough for Spurs to salvage a point in a battle to finish fourth in the table. But Mario Balotelli emerged as the Reds’ surprise hero with seven minutes to play as he came off the bench to turn in fellow substitute Adam Lallana’s cross.
A 3-2 win over Tottenham extended Liverpool’s dominant period against the north London side. It marked their fifth straight win, while the Reds have won seven of their next 14 top-flight meetings. Spurs have won once since 2012, while drawing six of their next 19 games.
Two of those draws came in their meetings last term with a 2-2 stalemate in north London and a 1-1 draw on Merseyside. Both teams will want to take a win this Sunday, with Jurgen Klopp’s Reds now ninth in the table and 10 points down on Antonio Conte’s Spurs in third.
Back-to-back defeats to Nottingham Forest and Leeds United have also left Liverpool eight points behind Newcastle United for fourth. So, ahead of the Reds’ trip to Tottenham at the weekend, HITC Football looks at where the Liverpool XI that beat Spurs in 2015 are now…
Simon Mignolet (GK): Tottenham frustrated Club Brugge ace in Liverpool’s 3-2 win
Tottenham frustrated Simon Mignolet as Liverpool beat Mauricio Pochettino’s side 3-2 in February 2015. The Belgian could do little to stop Kane’s equaliser, while Dembele turned the ball home after the now-Club Brugge shot-stopper saved Christian Eriksen’s free-kick.
Emre Can (CB): Liverpool fielded now-Dortmund ace in defence vs Tottenham
Klopp fielded Emre Can, now of Borussia Dortmund, as a centre-back when Liverpool beat Tottenham in 2015. The 28-year-old often showed his versatility at Anfield before joining Juventus in 2018. Two seasons in Turin preceded the German’s return to the Bundesliga.
Martin Skrtel (CB): Raztocno signed the Liverpool hero this summer
Martin Skrtel continued his career at 37 years old by joining Raztocno in August. He moved back to his native Slovakia with Spartak Trnava in August 2021 after spells at Fenerbahce, Atalanta and Istanbul Basaksehir since leaving Anfield in 2016 following 320 appearances.
Mamadou Sakho (CB): Former Liverpool star returned to France in 2021
Mamadou Sakho returned to his native France in July 2021 with Montpellier after leaving Crystal Palace. The centre-half spent four years in south London after leaving Liverpool for £26m. He had cost the Reds £15m to sign from Paris Saint-Germain in 2013 for 80 outings.
Jordon Ibe (RM): Former Reds prospect is now a free agent at 26
Jordon Ibe is now a free agent at 26 years old after leaving Adanaspor in July after only six months. He had been without a club for the previous six months, as well, after the forward left Derby County last summer. AFC Bournemouth paid Liverpool £15m to sign Ibe in 2016.
Jordan Henderson (CM): Liverpool captain has 336 Premier League games in red
Jordan Henderson has featured in 336 Premier League games since he joined Liverpool for £20m from Sunderland in 2011. The Reds captain has also penned 29 goals and 45 assists to date for the Merseyside outfit. But he is yet to score or create a single goal this season.
Steven Gerrard (CM): Aston Villa have sacked the Liverpool legend
Gerrard restored Liverpool’s lead over Tottenham to 2-1 in their 3-2 win in February 2015. It was the midfielder’s sixth of nine Premier League goals that season in what would be his last campaign before joining LA Galaxy. He left with 121 goals and 99 assists in 504 outings.
The 42-year-old continued his career in MLS until 2017 when he returned to Liverpool as a youth coach. He later took over Rangers between 2018 and 2021 and guided the Gers to a Premiership title. But he only lasted 11 months at Aston Villa, who sacked him last month.
Alberto Moreno (LM): A Champions League winner with Liverpool in 2018/19
Alberto Moreno is now a three-time European title holder after adding the Europa League crown to his trophy cabinet with Villarreal in 2020/21. He had already lifted the UEFA title with Sevilla in 2013/14, before adding a Champions League title with Liverpool in 2018/19.
Lazar Markovic (RAM): Gaziantep’s new signing scored as Liverpool beat Tottenham
Lazar Markovic broke the deadlock as Liverpool beat Tottenham 3-2 in 2015 but now plies his trade at Gaziantep FK. The Serbian joined the Super Lig squad during July from Partizan Belgrade. He returned to his former academy side in 2019 after a brief spell with Fulham.
The Cottagers had acquired Markovic from Liverpool for free in January 2019, ending his four-and-a-half-year spell on Merseyside. He had cost the Reds £20m to sign from Benfica but only made 34 appearances in all competitions. He also had three goals and one assist.
Philippe Coutinho (LAM): Former Liverpool star is struggling at Aston Villa
Liverpool charged Barcelona £105m, rising up to £142m, for Philippe Coutinho in January 2018. Yet the Brazilian’s career in Catalunya did not match his price tag and he left in May after 106 games. The Blaugrana sold the 30-year-old to Aston Villa for a discounted £17m.
Coutinho had joined Aston Villa on loan under Gerrard this January with a £33m option to buy. But he is struggling to show why his former Reds teammate sought a permanent deal. The playmaker has not scored or laid on an assist after 12 Premier League games this term.
Daniel Sturridge (ST): Balotelli replaced the forward as Liverpool beat Tottenham
Sturridge had not started a game before facing Tottenham since Liverpool won 3-0 away at White Hart Lane in August 2014. A lack of match sharpness saw the striker spurn a handful of shots before Klopp introduced Balotelli in his place on 74 minutes with the score at 2-2.
The Italian had struggled to establish himself at Anfield after a summer switch from Serie A side AC Milan. But the Reds’ £16m signing – now at FC Sion – came up clutch with the late winning goal. It was Balotelli’s only Premier League goal for Liverpool over 16 appearances.
Sturridge had left his mark on the match, too, as he assisted Markovic and won the penalty Gerrard scored. A further four years would follow for the 33-year-old at Anfield before he joined Trabzonspor in 2019. Yet he is now a free agent after leaving Perth Glory this June.
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