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Tottenham Hotspur will play host to Liverpool in the Premier League on Saturday evening as they look to step up their challenge for a top-four finish this season.
Jose Mourinho's men managed a toilsome 1-1 draw against Middlesbrough in the FA Cup on Sunday and have varied reasons to be discouraged following an uninspiring performance by an otherwise strong squad. Their previous Premier League encounter saw them lose 1-0 to Southampton in a game that exposed a defensive fallibility that has plagued the team since Mauricio Pochettino's reign.
Meanwhile, Liverpool have shown no signs of slowing down their exceptional run as they beat Merseyside rivals, Everton, 1-0 in the third round of the FA Cup over the weekend. Jurgen Klopp's men also have a 13-point lead at the summit of the English top-flight after registering a 2-0 win over Sheffield United at Anfield last week.
Spurs have an injury crisis to contend with the likes of Harry Kane, Moussa Sissoko, Hugo Lloris, Danny Rose, and Ben Davies all sidelined due to injury. The Reds, on the other hand, have major doubts on the fitness of Fabinho and Naby Keita and it's unlikely that the duo will start this Saturday.
In this article, we take a look at a combined XI from Tottenham and Liverpool:
Note: Only players who are fit and available for the upcoming game have been considered.
GK: Alisson Becker
Alisson may have struggled to replicate his erstwhile form upon his initial comeback from injury but the shot-stopper has begun making up for it with consecutive clean sheets in Liverpool's last five Premier League games.
The Brazil international has made 12 appearances in the English top-flight so far this season, during which he has kept five clean sheets and conceded five goals. The 27-year-old has also rescued the Reds from atypical defensive mistakes this term, having made 22 saves and five sweeper clearances.
Alisson has abundantly justified his £67 million transfer price tag for Liverpool and could easily secure a spot in any elite team in Europe at the moment.
Left-back: Andrew Robertson
The consistency of Andy Robertson's exponential rise into the bracket of European football's best modern left-backs sees him ease his way into this combined XI.
The indisputable Scot combines defensive intelligence with attacking prowess, showing a keen ability to be prolific in the offensive front without neglecting any of his duties at the back.
The 25-year-old has registered one goal and six assists in 20 Premier League outings in the present campaign and his telepathic understanding with Sadio Mane down the left flank will surely help him increase those numbers at the heavy cost of Liverpool's opponents.
Centre-back: Virgil van Dijk
Virgil van Dijk's influence on Jurgen Klopp's squad since completing a then world-record €84 million transfer in January 2018 has been astounding.
The Netherlands international was the defensive authority behind Liverpool's title charge in the previous season and his displays were paramount as they lifted the UEFA Champions League title at the end of the campaign.
The 28-year-old may not have replicated the same heights in the present campaign but he remains a vital component of the Reds squad as a player who is almost impenetrable defensively and is capable of getting on the scoresheet as well.
Van Dijk, who has racked up three goals in 20 appearances for the Merseyside giants this term, is the obvious choice in one of the centre-back spots in this team and there is really no better option in this area of the field that the towering Dutchman.
Centre-back: Joe Gomez
When the season started, Joe Gomez's position as Liverpool’s first-choice centre-back appeared to be slipping away as an ankle injury halted a promising individual unfolding at Anfield. The resurgence of Joel Matip further alienated him from the role as the Cameroonian established himself as a principal defensive figure towards the end of the previous season.
Injuries to the likes of Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren this season has now put him back on the map as he takes his place alongside Van Dijk at the heart of the Reds' defence. Since then, the 22-year-old has put on reinvigorated performances that match those of his Ballon d'Or-nominated partner and has been fundamental in maintaining the club's recent clean sheet run.
Right-back: Trent Alexander-Arnold
Much like Robertson, there is not much competition for Trent Alexander-Arnold in the right-back position, with Tottenham Hotspur presently short of options in the area after Kieran Trippier left for Atletico Madrid last year.
The Liverpool academy graduate possesses a unique combination of skills- which include pace, creativity and impeccable crossing- that has terrorised opponents down the flanks and his understanding with Gomez has given him further liberties on the other end of the pitch without compensating defensively.
The 21-year-old defender has already tallied two goals and eight assists in 20 league games this season and will undoubtedly be a massive threat to Spurs this weekend.
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Central defensive midfielder: Jordan Henderson
Jordan Henderson has emerged as the most consistent player, not only for Liverpool, but in the entire Premier League itself, having played more games than any other player in the last decade.
The England international has taken his place as the Reds captain with a particular diligence that finally bore fruit last year when they lifted the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup.
The 29-year-old may not be the most creative player around but he shines as a natural leader who commands the respect of his peers and is a tireless workhorse guaranteed to leave his all on the pitch when called upon. He has tallied one goal and two assists in 19 appearances for Liverpool this term and rightfully takes his place in this combined XI over Spurs' lacklustre midfielders.
Central midfielder: Georginio Wijnaldum
Georginio Wijnaldum may not be the most prestigious name in England but he has proven himself to be a key member of the current Liverpool squad and the embodiment of Jurgen Klopp's football philosophy.
The Netherlands international's influence in his manager's tactical application is undisputed, with his instinctual approach to the game and his athleticism making him an ideal task-master for Gegenpressing.
Like Henderson, the 29-year-old's worth transcends the numbers as he is one of the rare players who are willing to give up their individual pursuits and stay true to their coach's plans for the team.
Wijnaldum has netted two Premier League goals for Liverpool so far this season and the Merseyside giants would be wise to tie him down to a new deal as speculation over his future recently began to do the rounds in the rumour mill.
Central midfielder: Christian Eriksen
Christian Eriksen stands as the only Tottenham Hotspur player on the list and despite his reduced form and comparatively fewer appearances, the midfielder's brilliance simply cannot be understated.
The Denmark international averaged more shots, key passes and dribbles per game in the previous season but this is less a testament of his inefficiency and more of his discontentment at the north London club.
Eriksen's contract at Spurs is set to expire at the end of the season and the likes of Inter Milan and Real Madrid have all been credited with an interest in his services. This comes as no surprise as the playmaker has been one of the club's best and most dependable players over the last four seasons.
The 27-year-old is an under-the-radar player who lets his football speak for him. He is incredibly good at building cohesion within the team and has consistently set up some beautiful goals for his teammates, creating more than double the number of chances than any other player in the team in the last three seasons.
Eriksen has tallied two goals and two assists in the Premier League this season and it remains to be seen if he will ply his trade elsewhere by the time the January transfer window slams shut.
Right-winger: Mohamed Salah
Mohamed Salah's metamorphosis from a Chelsea flop to one of the best forwards in modern football has been spectacular to watch. Since arriving at Anfield in 2017, the forward has proven himself to be a decisive and prolific goalscorer, scoring a Golden Boot-winning 32 goals in the Premier League in his debut season with Liverpool.
The Egypt international went on to be labeled a one-season wonder by a section of critics but he proved them all wrong by winning a second Golden Boot the next season, with 22 league goals under his belt.
The 27-year-old has been unable to replicate his best form so far this season, with many believing that what the former Basel man lacks is not efficiency but rest.
Having said that, Salah remains one of the most vital cogs in Jurgen Klopp's attacking set-up and his assertiveness in front of goal is undisputable. He has so far registered 10 goals and four assists in the Premier League this season and is likely to add more to his tally in the years to come.
Left-winger: Sadio Mane
One can safely say that newly-crowned African Player of the Year Sadio Mane is currently the heart of Liverpool's lethal attacking trio having shown immense development on every level in the last few years.
Last season, the Senegal international shared the Premier League Golden Boot with team-mate Salah and Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after scoring 22 goals in the English top-flight. Since then, the 27-year-old's form has boasted of an even more refined form, with his goals per game ratio, conversion rate and chances created all having drastically improved.
Mane has 11 goals and six assists to his name in the Premier League at the moment and his intelligent runs and instinctual movements will surely be difficult for Spurs to stop this weekend.
Striker: Roberto Firmino
Harry Kane would originally have walked into this position if it wasn't for his injury, albeit by narrow margins, as there are very few attacking players as consistent and reliable as Roberto Firmino.
There was an underlying concern over the Brazilian's form after he only managed one goal in 16 appearances this season but his contribution to Jurgen Klopp's team transcends goals as his tireless work in opening up spaces, his runs at defenders and his ability to bring his fellow attackers into the game make him one of the best teammates a player could ask for.
The 28-year-old currently has six goals and four assists to his name in the Premier League and any under-estimation of the forward by the Reds' north London opponents on Saturday is likely to backfire heavily.
