Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur: Carabao Cup semi-final preview

Tottenham Hotspur travel to Liverpool for the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final, holding a slim 1-0 advantage from the first leg in January.

The last few days have been fantastic for Spurs fans. First, a crucial win to seal qualification for the Europa League Round of 16, then a Premier League victory, and finally, the dramatic arrivals of Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel in the final hours of the transfer window.

But now, Spurs face the unavoidable. The Premier League leaders, Liverpool, wait at Anfield, desperate to overturn Spurs’ controversial first-leg win.

What time does Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur kick-off?

• Location: Liverpool, England
• Stadium: Anfield
• Date: Thursday 6th February 2025
• Kick-off Time: 8 pm BST
• Referee: Craig Pawson
• VAR: Michael Salisbury

How both teams go into Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs come into this fixture with back-to-back wins and clean sheets. First, a comfortable 3-0 victory over IF Elfsborg in the Europa League, followed by a 2-0 win over Brentford in the Premier League—their first league win of 2025.

Ange Postecoglou’s men have won three of their last five in all competitions, with those two losses coming against relegation candidates Leicester City and Everton. Still, recent performances suggest Spurs are regaining momentum, and the January arrivals have lifted spirits.

They carry a crucial one-goal lead into this fixture, thanks to Lucas Bergvall’s controversial winner in the first leg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in January.

Liverpool, meanwhile, sit six points clear at the top of the Premier League with a game in hand, making them clear favourites for the title.

However, league dominance doesn’t always translate to cup success. They beat Bournemouth 2-0 in their most recent league game but suffered a 3-2 defeat to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League.

It’s worth noting that the result had little significance, with Liverpool already topping the table. The Reds still managed to win four of their last five fixtures.

There’s also the ominous head-to-head record. Spurs’ last victory at Anfield came back in May 2011, when Rafael van der Vaart and Luka Modric scored to secure a 2-0 win under Harry Redknapp. Since then, Anfield has been a graveyard for Spurs. That said, if there’s one thing you can expect from Tottenham, it’s unpredictability.

Tottenham team news

Micky van de Ven is touch and go to start after playing the first half against IF Elfsborg but missing the Brentford match. Radu Dragusin has torn his ACL and will miss the rest of the season, but new signing Kevin Danso could make his Spurs debut. Mathys Tel may also make his first start.

The list of absentees still remains lengthy: Cristian Romero, Destiny Udogie, Brennan Johnson, Dominic Solanke, Guglielmo Vicario, Timo Werner, and Wilson Odobert are all expected to miss out.

Liverpool team news

The only confirmed absentee for Liverpool is Joe Gomez. Trent Alexander-Arnold will also miss out after picking up a knock against Brentford. Arne Slot is expected to name a strong side.

Predicted Tottenham line-up

Kinsky, Porro, Danso, Davies, Spence, Bergvall, Bentancur, Sarr, Son, Tel, Kulusevski

There’s a good chance Ben Davies will start over Van de Ven if the latter isn’t fully fit – hence why we have opted for the Welshman for now. Mathys Tel could also play as a winger instead of Son, although fans would prefer him centrally.

Our insights into Liverpool vs Tottenham

Although the stats offer little hope, Spurs have already proven they can beat Liverpool this season. We’ve analysed Liverpool’s recent games, and here’s what we were able to draw out.

Liverpool like to close the gap between their midfield and defence when their opponents have possession. This means there’s a good chance that crosses from the wingers won’t work because Liverpool players will always outnumber the intended target. Spurs should instead look to create passing options before Liverpool can narrow that gap down.

Kevin Danso will need to stop Cody Gakpo from making his usual overlapping runs on the left side. He has shown a greater preference for attacking from the left rather than the right, probably because he finds it easier to finish from that angle. Regardless, the point is that Gakpo shouldn’t be allowed to receive a through ball from Luis Díaz while making those runs. Liverpool have proven to be very lethal from these positions.

Another solution could be Pedro Porro playing less as an inverted wing-back and more like a traditional full-back—something he did against Brentford, which worked well in the end. The reason is that Díaz is very quick with the ball, and Porro won’t be able to match his pace if he is caught too high up the pitch in the opponent’s half.

Additionally, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister love making late runs alongside the forwards during counterattacks. An offside trap could be a risky way to stop this, but if executed well, it could frustrate them. Nevertheless, Spurs could also try intercepting passes before they reach dangerous areas.

Our prediction

Statistically, Liverpool are an excellent side. They have kept the most clean sheets in the league, created the most chances and have the highest goals-per-game ratio (2.4).

The main threat will come from the Egyptian King, Mohamed Salah—one of Europe’s best at the moment. He already has 42 goal involvements in just 33 games this season and heads into this fixture in top form, scoring four goals in his last three matches.

Another name Spurs will need to be wary of is Ryan Gravenberch. His impact often goes unnoticed, but he plays a crucial role in Liverpool’s build-up. Spurs should press him aggressively, as he struggles in tight spaces. He is a very accurate passer, boasting an 89.7% passing accuracy while completing 1,135 passes this season.

As for Spurs, they may have found a solution to what I’d like to call the “Salah problem”—Djed Spence. He was the man of the match against Brentford, and he has previously done well against Salah. Progressing with the ball and creating chances, he has looked very promising.

Another player to watch is Mathys Tel, the latest arrival from Bayern Munich. He was a dream signing for fans and looks like the ideal forward for Ange Postecoglou‘s system—fast, skilful, and a great passer.

Neither Ange Postecoglou nor Arne Slot will take risks here. Both managers want silverware, but Ange might be the more desperate one.

Spurs fans wouldn’t mind a draw and are probably hoping for one. Although the odds favour Liverpool, I’m predicting a tie.

Predicted score: Tottenham Hotspur 2-2 Liverpool

The post Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur: Carabao Cup semi-final preview appeared first on Spurs Web.