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Tottenham and Liverpool Set for Wembley Stalemate

The game of the week in the Premier League is the first one to take place this weekend when Liverpool head down to Wembley to take on Tottenham. These two are two of the best teams in the league, and two who are looking to challenge Manchester City for the league title this season. Both teams have started well and now the international break is over they will be looking to get back into legue action and continue their good run.

Liverpool currently sit at the top of the Premier League with a 100% record of four wins from their first four games. They are tied with two other teams, Chelsea and Watford, but their superior goal difference is keeping them at the top for now. That goal difference is mainly thanks to their excellent defensive record, an area that has troubled Liverpool for the past couple of seasons. They have conceded just one goal in their opening four games and if they can keep up that kind of record then they are going to be a big challenger for the Premier League title this season.

Tottenham started the season by winning their first three games but defeat to Watford just before the international break ended their winning run. They are down in 5th place because of that, but still in the right area and ready to challenge for top spot over the coming weeks. One of the biggest talking points this summer was the lack of signings at Tottenham, with no one coming into the club. What we have seen so far from them shows the advantage of that, no one is new and no players need time to settle in, everyone is ready to go.

Can Liverpool Challenge Manchester City?

There is no doubt that Manchester City were by far the best team in the Premier League last season, and assuming they put up the same level of performance again, they are going to be very tough to beat. The most realistic challengers to their crown right now appear to be Tottenham and Liverpool, but can they really challenge strongly enough to worry City?

The biggest danger from these two is Liverpool, especially with the way they have started so far this season. There has never been any doubt about Liverpool’s ability to score goals and create chances and yet again we are seeing that from them. Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane form one of the best attacking lines in the world nevermind in England and those three can cause problems for any defence. While ever they remain fit then Liverpool are going to score a lot of goals, and while ever they are scoring then they certainly have a chance of competing.

The biggest area of concern for Liverpool fans over the past couple of seasons, and something that has stopped them from challenging for the title in a serious way has been their defensive issues. There is no doubt that this has been a weak area, but Jurgen Klopp has recognised that and has spent big money to rectify the problems. Alisson has come in over the summer to give them a solid goalkeeper. He will be prone to the odd mistake due to the way he plays the game, as we saw at Leciester, but overall he is a very good addition and for the first time in four or five years, Liverpool have a genuine number one goalie.

Virgil Van Dijk was the other player brought in, he came during last season and I think this is the season where we will all see why Liverpool spent so much money on him. At 27 he is in his prime right now and will play his best footballing years with Liverpool, at the heart of their defence. Van Dijk is tasked with holding things together at the back and so far this season he hasn’t put a foot wrong. While the attention will always be on the front three at Liverpool, it could be that Van Dijk and Alisson are the two most important players on this team and the two who will propel them to challenging for the title over the next few years.

Tottenham Still Waiting on New Stadium

One thing that could potentially distract and harm Tottenham this season is the progress of their new stadium. They have already had to delay their move and it could be delayed even further as the finishing touches are put in place. That means they are continuing to play at Wembley and a move of stadium during the season is something that could prove to be tricky.

We saw last season that it took Tottenham some time to adjust when they moved into their temporary home of Wembley and should they do the same again when they move back home, that could prevent any title bid. They cannot afford to drop points, especially in important games half way through the season which is when it looks like they will be moving, if of course they move in at all this season. Things are still up in the air, but one thing is for sure and that is that the move is going to come at exactly the wrong time and be a big test for the players.

Tottenham vs Liverpool Betting Tips

One of the many things that these two have in common is they have fantastic attacking front three’s. When these two meet on Saturday we will see Kane, Ali and Moura takings on Salah, Firmino and Sane, so it would be a huge surprise if we didn’t see goals in this game. Anyone betting on the total goals, both teams to score etc will no doubt be looking at this game with huge interest because it looks to be nailed on for goals, regardless of how well each defence performs. I think the flair players will be too good on the day and come out on top.

When it comes to who will actually win this game, I personally think the answer is no one and I will be backing the draw. I think Liverpool are the slightly better team here when you compare them both on paper, but with Tottenham playing at home I think that will even things out. I don’t believe Tottenham quite have enough to beat Liverpool, but I do think they can take a point from the game, something that Liverpool will also be happy with despite it meaning they would lose their winning streak.

Expect to see a very competitive game, and I am sure we will also see goals scored, but ultimately both teams may have to settle for a point from this one.