Liverpool have just suffered a disappointing draw against Manchester United in round 20 of the Premier League. Therefore, they will be very determined when facing Tottenham in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final. Memories of the 6-3 victory over Spurs in December last year are still fresh in the minds of the "Reds".
The stats suggest Liverpool will cause serious problems for Spurs' weak defence - just as they did when they put six past their opponents not long ago.
Liverpool may have been held to a 2-2 draw by Man United, but they were once again fearsome in attack, with 19 shots at Anfield. In fact, their expected goals total was 2.8 xG and they averaged 2.36 xG per game in the Premier League this season, their highest ever tally in the competition.
It will be interesting to see how manager Arne Slot lines up his squad for the Tottenham game, with the Dutchman still having plenty of options up front.
Mohamed Salah - who scored twice against Spurs in the Premier League first leg - will be keen to continue his woes, with Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz also ready to join the Egyptian.
Diogo Jota will compete with Darwin Nunez for playing time, while Federico Chiesa is also desperate to make an impact.
Meanwhile, Tottenham's list of absent players has reached 10. Among them, a series of key players in the "Rooster" defense cannot play.
Tottenham's defensive frailties were exposed in a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle last weekend, with Spurs' top centre-backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven still sidelined, allowing Newcastle to score two goals from 2.45 xG.
It was the fifth time Spurs have conceded more than 2 xG this season. Only bottom-placed Southampton have conceded more expected goals than Tottenham in the Premier League since November last year.
Spurs have seen their goals conceded and shots faced increase in recent months. They have struggled with injuries. Rodrigo Bentancur will be back in midfield after suspension, but that is unlikely to reassure Tottenham fans. Liverpool's hungry attack will be a cause for concern for Spurs fans.
The match between Tottenham and Liverpool takes place at 3:00 a.m. on January 9 (Vietnam time).
