Tottenham take on Liverpool in the Premier League this afternoon.
Mark Lawrenson
Pundit Mark Lawrenson has told BBC Sport that he thinks Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool will draw 1-1 at White Hart Lane this afternoon.
Tottenham remain unbeaten from their first two games of the new Premier League season, having opened up with a 1-1 draw away at Everton before beating Crystal Palace 1-0 at White Hart Lane last weekend.
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino
Mauricio Pochettino’s men look just as solid as they did last season, but things haven’t quite clicked in the final third just yet, with Pochettino going for Harry Kane and Vincent Janssen in attack last week.
Dele Alli may well return for this game, and with players like Christian Eriksen and Erik Lamela, it’s only a matter of time before Spurs start firing in front of goal – and there may not be a better time to do it than against Liverpool.
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp
The Reds kicked off their season with a stunning 4-3 win away at Arsenal, but came crashing back down to earth last weekend as they were beaten 2-0 away at newly-promoted Burnley.
Jurgen Klopp’s side suffered similar Jekyll and Hyde performances last season, but they appear to have big-game players who turn up for the major fixtures – and today’s clash is one such game, given that both teams have top four aspirations.
Ahead of the game, pundit Mark Lawrenson has told BBC Sport that he thinks the game will finish 1-1, noting that Spurs haven’t found their top gear in attack just yet – but praised their summer signing Victor Wanyama for his ability to protect the back four.
Tottenham’s Victor Wanyama celebrates scoring
Lawrenson added that he thinks his former side Liverpool won’t lose any confidence after that shock defeat to Burnley, but did note that it will be difficult for the Reds in games where they concede the first goal.
“This is an interesting one,” said Lawrenson. “Going forward, Tottenham have not really started firing properly yet but they have still shown why they are very hard to beat. Mauricio Pochettino’s teams always protect their back four and summer signing Victor Wanyama does that job very well because he covers so much ground.”
“I don’t think Liverpool’s defeat by Burnley will knock their confidence, but the way that game went for them could happen a lot this season, especially against teams from the bottom half of the Premier League. The way the Reds are set up and with the players they have got, I think they are going to win quite a few games easily but, when teams score against them first, it is going to be difficult for them,” he added.
What’s your prediction for Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool?
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