Liverpool vs Tottenham: History-chasing Reds push Postecoglou to the brink | OneFootball

Anfield sets the stage for Thursday’s return leg of a mouth-watering League Cup semi-final tie between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.

Lucas Bergvall’s late winner decided an evenly contested first leg in London last month, putting Spurs on the cusp of their first appearance in the final since 2021.

However, the job is only half-done as they head to Merseyside, where they slumped to back-to-back high-scoring defeats on their last two visits.

Anfield has been a fortress for Liverpool, giving Arne Slot confidence he could defend the crown he inherited from Jurgen Klopp, who led the Reds to a record-extending 10th title last term.

History waiting around the corner

Overturning a slender deficit would see Liverpool book a League Cup final date for a record-breaking 15th time.

Everything looks to be on their side ahead of the kick-off.

In addition to boasting a commanding six-point lead at the Premier League’s table summit, they’re one of only three sides still competing in both England’s cup competitions.

On top of that, they secured safe passage into the Champions League round of 16 as the table-topping team in the newly formatted league phase.

Home stronghold

Liverpool’s air of invincibility at Anfield is well-documented.

But Slot has taken it to another level this season, making visits to this iconic stadium a nightmare for any opposition.

Since a frustrating 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest in mid-September, his charges have racked up an eye-catching 15-game unbeaten run on this ground.

They claimed 13 wins and shared the spoils only twice in that sequence.

As if that’s not intimidating enough, Liverpool bagged two or more goals in all 15 matches, hitting a three-goal milestone six times.

Postecoglou’s future on the line

Despite pulling off a scrappy win against Brentford at the weekend, Ange Postecoglou remains one of the favourites to be the next Premier League manager sacked.

With Spurs nailed to the bottom half of the league standings, the ex-Celtic boss must tread carefully, as any misstep could be his final act as the Lilywhites manager.

Although he guided Tottenham to automatic last-16 qualification in the Europa League, he’s not out of the woods yet, and this tie could determine his future.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy reiterated his confidence in the under-fire manager multiple times in recent weeks but could still succumb to growing pressure from the fans.

Saving grace

There’s no better way for Postecoglou to silence his detractors than to lead Tottenham to a first piece of silverware since 2008.

Not even Mauricio Pochettino could halt Spurs’ long-standing title drought.

Postecoglou can achieve what his predecessors couldn’t by delivering a long-awaited trophy.

In search of good omens, their last title came in this competition 17 years ago, when they beat Chelsea in the grand final under Juande Ramos.

Avoiding defeat at Anfield would bring him closer to this potentially career-defining accomplishment.

However, that could be easier said than done.

Unfavourable track record for Spurs

Except for a 1-1 league draw in May 2022, Tottenham have conceded at least two goals in eight of their nine away matches against Liverpool since their last League Cup meeting at this stadium in October 2016.

Needless to say, Spurs failed to return home victorious on each occasion, suffering seven defeats, including a 4-2 humbling last season, while eking out two draws.

Liverpool’s memorable 6-3 victory in December is another stark reminder of the size of the task awaiting the London outfit this midweek.

For more perspective, Postecoglou’s men have conceded four goals or more in three of their last five competitive encounters against the League Cup specialists.

Prediction

Liverpool’s home form is too staggering to be overlooked, while Tottenham’s defensive frailties don’t make for good reading from the travelling fans’ point of view.

With Mohamed Salah in red-hot form and other Reds forwards firing on all cylinders, Slot’s side could have a field day against Postecoglou’s porous backline.

Hauling back a narrow deficit should be a piece of cake for the home team.