The Premier League title race will be in the spotlight on Sunday with the top three teams all in action and under pressure to win and at minimum keep stride with the others.
Liverpool (2nd, 40pts) sits just a point off the top of the table ahead of a trip to Tottenham (7th, 25pts), with the match currently ruled a go despite both clubs dealing with separate COVID-19 issues.
The Reds announced before Thursday's game against Newcastle (a 3-1 win) that Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho, and Curtis Jones had all tested positive and would be out indefinitely. While that didn't seem to matter against the relegation-threatened Magpies, it could be important against Spurs.
MORE: Salah equals goals record in Newcastle win
Tottenham, meanwhile, has seen three straight fixtures postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak amongst the squad, including two league matches. Spurs haven't played since December 5, which represents a significant layoff for the players.
Spurs are on the outside looking in at the European places, but with West Ham and Wolves fading, they could possibly strike and secure a spot in the top third of the table. A result this weekend would be a monumental step towards that effort.
How to watch Tottenham vs. Liverpool
- Date: Sunday, Dec. 19
- Time: 11:30 a.m. ET
- TV Channel: — None —
- Streaming: Peacock
The match will be available exclusively on NBC streaming platform Peacock in the USA. It will not be televised.
DAZN will stream the match in Canada.
Tottenham vs. Liverpool lineups & squad news
Aside from the COVID-19 outbreak, Spurs are mostly healthy, given a long period off to rest and recover. Only center back Cristian Romero is confirmed to be out, having suffered a hamstring injury on international duty in November. Sergio Reguilon should be good to go, while Giovani Lo Celso is questionable with a knee injury also suffered with Argentina's national team.
The COVID-19 issues will certainly have an impact, but the team is now down to two cases, according to manager Antonio Conte. It's not known which players are affected though the EPL Injury Table run by the well-connected Ben Dinnery identified some names. Depending on the personnel impacted, the situation could potentially leave the Spurs attack in disarray and it makes predicting the lineup a challenge.
Tottenham projected starting lineup (3-4-3): Lloris (GK) — Sanchez, Dier, Davies — Reguilon, Hojbjerg, Lo Celso, Tanganga — Bergwijn, Kane, Clarke
Friday session. ✅ pic.twitter.com/6s0hHmTJWo
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) December 17, 2021
Liverpool revealed the three players who tested positive for COVID-19 and will almost certianly miss Sunday's game. That will leave either Ibrahima Konate or Joe Gomez to continue to fill in for Van Dijk at center back, with the former playing extremely well against Newcastle.
Divock Origi, having returned to fitness from a slight training injury, could be an option up front for manager Jurgen Klopp if he decides that Diogo Jota or Sadio Mane could use a rest. Otherwise, the Reds are looking quite healthy, like their counterparts. It's possible that Naby Keita comes in for Thiago, who was poor in midweek, while James Milner is also an option.
Liverpool projected starting lineup (4-3-3, left to right): Alisson (GK) — Robertson, Konate, Matip, Alexander-Arnold — Oxlade-Chamberlain, Henderson, Keita — Mane, Jota, Salah
Tottenham vs. Liverpool betting odds & picks
Odds courtesy of DraftKings
Liverpool controlled its last match against Newcastle, and while there were a few mistakes (mostly by Thiago, if we're being honest), it was a comprehensive performance. The Reds are rolling, to the point where Van Dijk's absence was nullified by a spectacular Ibrahima Konate who deputized to perfection. Mohamed Salah is on a Premier League-record 15-game run of contributing a goal or assist, and there is little to stop the Reds.
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Tottenham has clobbered its last three opponents by a combined 7-1, but those three opponents were Norwich, Brentford, and Leeds. This is Liverpool. Since a 1-0 opening day victory over Man City, Spurs have been dreadful against top competition. They were clobbered by Manchester United 3-0, roasted by Arsenal 3-1, and hammered by Chelsea 3-0.
To make matters worse for the hosts, Liverpool has won a whopping seven consecutive matches between the two across all competitions. The Reds have kept only two clean sheets in that span, one of those being the Champions League final in June 2019, but it will be difficult to imagine Spurs breaching the Reds' back line here. Tottenham could struggle with rust, squad fitness, and form, especially if Son Heung-min is sidelined.
Pick: Liverpool to win to zero (+180)
Prediction: Tottenham 0, Liverpool 2
- Moneyline: Tottenham +475 / Draw +350 / Liverpool -175
- Spread: Tottenham +0.5 (+155) / Liverpool -0.5 (-175)
- O/U 2.5 total goals: Over -160 / Under +125
- Both teams to score: Yes -150 / No +115
