Liverpool Football Club News

• Nickname:Reds
• Founded:1892
• Manager:Kenny Dalglish

• Ground:Anfield
• Capacity:45,362

Preview: Liverpool v Tottenham

07 Jan 2010 - 14:56:13

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Harry Redknapp will be looking to guide his Tottenham side to a famous double against Liverpool on Sunday following his team's 2-1 victory against the Reds on the opening weekend of the season.

In truth, Rafa Benitez's side have never really recovered from that White Hart Lane setback with their season lurching from one crisis to another.

Already out of the Carling Cup and Champions League and held to a draw by Championship strugglers Reading in the FA Cup last weekend, Liverpool know that an Anfield success this weekend is vital to their hopes of clinching a place in the top four this term.

If Spurs return to the capital with all three points, they will have opened up a seven-point gap over Benitez's side with 17 matches of the season remaining.

That may be too big a gap to make up for a team that is certainly not firing on all cylinders.

Liverpool have already lost seven league games this term, while Spurs have scored 42 goals and, since being beaten by Wolves at White Hart Lane last month, have not conceded a goal in five matches in alll competitions.

However, they suffered a double injury blow earlier this week when it was confirmed that Aaron Lennon and Benoit Assou-Ekotto have groin problems that will force them to miss the trip to Anfield.

They join long-term injury victims Davd Bentley (calf), Jonathan Woodgate (groin) and Carlo Cudicini (broken wrist) on the treatment table.

Meanwhile, Benitez will be without Glen Johnson after the England international tore a medial migament in his right knee during the 1-0 win at Aston Villa.

Javier Mascherano is suspended while Albert Riera and Nabil El Zhar remain on the injury list.

On the final day of last season at Anfield, Liverpool beat Spurs 3-1 with Fernando Torres, Yossi Benayoun and an Alan Hutton own goal registering for the Reds while Robbie Keane netted for the visitors against his former club.