Liverpool vs. Tottenham Hotspur | EFL Cup | Semi-Final | Pre Match

Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur reconvene for the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final at Anfield on Thursday night, with the visitors coming into the clash with a 1-0 lead on aggregate.

Both sides will be full of confidence after hugely important 2-0 wins on the road over the weekend, having implications at both ends of the Premier League table. Liverpool’s commanding victory over Bournemouth reinforced their status as title contenders, while Tottenham’s success against Brentford provided a much-needed boost in their pursuit of silverware.

Almost a month has passed since Lucas Bergvall fired home a late winner for Spurs in the first leg of this semi-final showdown, which was ultimately mired in controversy. Just minutes before netting that all-important goal, Bergvall was fortunate not to receive a second yellow card for a late lunge on Kostas Tsimikas, but Liverpool and their manager Arne Slot would also have admitted that they were well below par all evening in North London. A lack of urgency in their play and an uncharacteristic sloppiness in midfield allowed Spurs to capitalize and take the slender advantage into the second leg.

Very few will look past Liverpool turning this tie on its head in the return leg this week, extending their record number of final appearances in this competition to 15. The Anfield crowd, renowned for creating an intense atmosphere on big European nights, will be crucial in driving the team forward. Jurgen Klopp’s final honour at Liverpool was the EFL Cup last season, securing Liverpool’s 10th win in the competition, and the bookmakers still make them favourites to retain their crown, despite trailing from the first leg and Newcastle United having one foot in the final from the other semi.

A win by two goals is required here, and since losing to Nottingham Forest back in September, Liverpool are unbeaten in 15 home games, scoring at least twice on each occasion and winning 13. Their ability to carve open defences at Anfield has been a hallmark of their success, and with Mohamed Salah leading the line, they will be confident of overturning the deficit. It was on the road where the Reds sealed a crucial victory in their hunt for a second league title in 35 years, winning 2-0 at in-form Bournemouth. Slot’s side faced a stern test but emerged victorious thanks to Salah’s brace, keeping them six points clear at the top of the Premier League, just days after finishing on top of the inaugural league phase in the Champions League.

The next three fixtures for Liverpool will be vital in keeping their hopes alive of completing an unprecedented quadruple. After this semi-final, they face Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup over the weekend before traveling to Goodison Park for the rearranged Merseyside derby against Everton. Navigating these fixtures successfully will be key in maintaining their momentum across multiple competitions.

For Tottenham, they may not get a better chance to end their long wait for a trophy than this one for quite some time. Leading heading into the second leg, with the potential of facing Newcastle in the final instead of the formidable Manchester City they lost to in the 2021 final, means manager Ange Postecoglou could well stick to his promise of winning a trophy by his second season at the club. However, Spurs’ history in two-legged EFL Cup semi-finals does not bode well, as they suffered defeats to Chelsea on both occasions, including in 2019 when they led 1-0 heading into the second leg away from home.

Anfield has not been a happy hunting ground for Spurs in recent years, with no win at this venue since 2011 and just three draws in 14 visits since then. However, that would be enough to see them through to a fourth final since they won the competition in 2008. Given the psychological barrier of playing at Anfield and Liverpool’s attacking threat, Tottenham will need a disciplined and resolute defensive display to secure progression.

It has been a very good week for Postecoglou, with his team beating Brentford 2-0 in the league to move up from 16th to 14th, just days after sealing their place in the last 16 of the Europa League with a routine win over Elfsborg. Three youngsters getting on the scoresheet in that game highlighted the depth and future promise within the squad. Another shutout at the weekend now means Spurs have kept four clean sheets in eight games, despite criticism surrounding Postecoglou’s tactics and the ongoing injury crisis.

While some of those clean sheets came against lower-level opposition, keeping Brentford and Liverpool at bay in recent matches suggests defensive improvements. However, their vulnerabilities were exposed in games against Everton and Leicester City, which raises concerns about their ability to hold firm under intense pressure at Anfield. Postecoglou will be aware of these frailties and will likely adopt a pragmatic approach, balancing defensive solidity with the threat of counterattacking through the pace of Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski.

After being forced off with a thigh injury at Bournemouth on Saturday, Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold is more than likely going to miss this one. However, initial fears were alleviated following a scan that revealed the issue is not as severe as first thought. Recent returns for both Diogo Jota and Curtis Jones bolster Liverpool’s options, leaving Joe Gomez as the only other injury absentee for the hosts. This means Liverpool are close to full strength, a significant boost heading into such a crucial fixture.

The other selection dilemmas for Liverpool revolve around left-back, where Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas will compete for a start, and midfield, where Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai will battle to partner Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch. Klopp will have the luxury of depth and quality in key areas, which could prove decisive over the course of the game.

While Liverpool continue to recover players, Tottenham have been hit with another major injury blow. Radu Dragusin has been ruled out for the season with a knee injury sustained against Elfsborg, adding to Spurs’ defensive woes. Micky van de Ven returned in that Europa League outing but was held back at the weekend to prepare for this clash. However, Postecoglou has confirmed that the Dutch defender is still not ready to feature, meaning Ben Davies is likely to partner Archie Gray again in central defence.

Despite these setbacks, Postecoglou remains optimistic. He has revealed confidence that Destiny Udogie, Guglielmo Vicario, Brennan Johnson, Wilson Odobert, and Timo Werner will all return in the next week or so, though Cristian Romero and Dominic Solanke are expected to take longer to recover. The timing of these returns will be crucial as Tottenham navigate their domestic and European ambitions.

As the second leg approaches, the stakes could not be higher. Liverpool, armed with a fearsome home record and the Anfield faithful behind them, will be determined to turn the tie around. Tottenham, holding a slender advantage, must find a way to withstand relentless pressure while seizing any opportunity on the counterattack. Whether Liverpool complete the comeback or Spurs secure a long-awaited final berth, this promises to be a thrilling encounter, filled with tension, drama, and moments of brilliance.