Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool: Match Preview, Latest Team News and How to Watch | OneFootball

Tottenham vs Liverpool preview before Christmas showdown

For the second season running, Tottenham and Liverpool find themselves paired just before Christmas, a fixture that rarely passes quietly. The timing matters. The table matters too. Liverpool arrive in north London sitting seventh, two points shy of Chelsea in fourth, while Tottenham are lodged in the bottom half, uneasy and uncertain as winter deepens.

This is not a meeting shaped by long term narratives or distant ambitions. It is one about immediate direction. Spurs need reassurance that their season has not slipped into drift. Liverpool need confirmation that recent progress is real rather than fleeting.

Goals have become an expectation when these two meet, not a hope. The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has staged chaos before and there is little reason to expect restraint this time.

Pressure builds in north London

Tottenham’s situation feels brittle. Thomas Frank’s first months have delivered flashes of promise alongside heavy setbacks, none more bruising than last weekend’s 3-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest. Another loss here would deepen the sense that Spurs are treading water rather than moving forward.

There have been positives. Home wins over Brentford and Slavia Prague have steadied things, even if they came after a long league drought at the stadium. Before those victories, Tottenham had not won a home league match since the opening weekend, a statistic that lingered uncomfortably.

Frank’s challenge is selection as much as strategy. Injuries have stripped his squad to the bone. James Maddison, Destiny Udogie, Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski are all sidelined. Yves Bissouma is suspended by the club and has departed for AFCON duty, with Pape Matar Sarr also unavailable after Senegal’s call up.

Joao Palhinha and Lucas Bergvall are pushing for midfield starts, while Xavi Simons presents a decision point after being overlooked in recent high profile fixtures.

Liverpool seeking rhythm under Slot

Liverpool’s concerns are different, more about rhythm than survival. Arne Slot will have been encouraged by the 2-0 win over Brighton, a result that stretched their unbeaten run to four games. It hinted at greater control, a calmer authority that has sometimes been missing this season.

Photo: IMAGO

Absentees remain a problem. Mohamed Salah is away at AFCON, while Cody Gakpo, Giovanni Leoni, Wataru Endo and Conor Bradley are unavailable through injury or suspension. Jeremie Frimpong may return, but Dominik Szoboszlai and Joe Gomez are doubts after picking up knocks last time out.

Still, Liverpool travel with purpose. Their recent performances suggest a side beginning to understand itself, less frantic, more precise in how chances are created and managed.

Prediction and match details

Tottenham vs Liverpool kicks off at 5.30pm GMT on Saturday, December 20, 2025, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The match will be shown live on Sky Sports in the UK, with streaming available via Sky Go.

If Liverpool limit the volume of chances they concede, opportunities will come. Tottenham’s injuries leave spaces, particularly in midfield, that can be exploited with patience and speed.

Spurs will threaten, they always do at home, but Liverpool’s growing composure should tell over ninety minutes.

Liverpool to win, 2-1.