Liverpool vs Tottenham predicted line-ups: nine ruled out and one major doubt for vital Premier League clash

Both Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur head into their Premier League clash at Anfield this Sunday off the back of poor runs of form that have all but scuttled their respective ambitions this season. At one point, this was billed as a fixture that could have seismic consequences on the title race; now it feels little more than a glitzy footnote.

For Liverpool, five dropped points in their last two outings have left Jurgen Klopp and his side third in the table, five points adrift of leaders Arsenal, and with very little rational hope of ending the German’s tenure on Merseyside in fairytale fashion. Instead, his final three matches in England now feel like a dejected and largely futile victory lap for former glories.

Meanwhile, three successive defeats have seriously dented Spurs’ chances of making the top four this term. Even if they were to win their game in hand over Aston Villa, they would still trail Unai Emery’s side by four points with just three games, including a clash against Manchester City, left to play.

But how will both sides line up at Anfield this weekend? We’ve taken a closer look at their respective team news and predicted starting XIs below...

Liverpool Team News

Compared to much of the campaign, Liverpool’s current injury list is actually fairly modest. In defence, Joel Matip is likely to be out for sometime following an ACL rupture, and may not be back in action until September. Further forward, there is a growing belief that Thiago Alcantara might have played his final match for the club, with his fitness woes showing no sign of abating and his contract set to expire in the summer.

Elsewhere, Diogo Jota remains sidelined with a groin issue, and does not appear to be in contention to feature on Sunday, with Klopp stating recently: 'Progressing well, [but] not ready, and nobody told me, yet they will start training in the next few days. I think it will take time, a little bit.'

Conor Bradley may prove to be a slightly more probable comeback, but even then, he is likely to face a late assessment on any kind of inclusion.

Liverpool Predicted XI

Alisson Becker; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Andy Robertson; Wataru Endo, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai; Mo Salah, Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz.

Tottenham Team News

Likewise, Spurs also have a sprinkling of absentees to contend with. Unlike Liverpool, however, it would appear that the half dozen players they currently have ruled out will definitely miss the remainder of the campaign.

At the back, Destiny Udogie is sidelined following thigh surgery for an injury sustained in training, while Ben Davies is also out due to a calf problem. In midfield, wide men Ryan Sessegnon and Manor Solomon continue their lengthy rehabilitation processes, while Timo Werner is also set for a stint on the treatment table. Deputy goalkeeper Fraser Forster is Spurs’ only other absence.

Guglielmo Vicario; Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Emerson Royal; Yves Bissouma, Rodrigo Bentancur; Brennan Johnson, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski; Son Heung-min.