Full Time, Spurs 2-1: Sandro comes on for Defoe for the sake of time wasting. Spurs control on the right in the attacking area. They win a free kick on the right at the level of the top of the box. Spurs let it go to the corner. Reina kicks it upfield, and Asso-Ekotto commits a foul. Torres delivers it in, and it is cleared. The ball falls to Lennon who has a chance to counter. Johnson slips and Spurs have a 3 on 2. Lennon has a chance against Reina, but he shoots past the far post. It will stay 2-1. Full time.
90+2', Spurs 2-1: Five minutes to be added. Liverpool have a chance at the other end with the ball bouncing around the area. Maxi shoots high ultimately, however. The ball is thereafter traded between keepers on long kicks. A longball falls to Lennon, who gets behind the defense on the right side of the attacking third. He gets inside Konchesky. Reina gets fingers to it low and to his right, but it hits the back of the net. Goal. Lennon. 2-1 Spurs.
90', 1-1: Tottenham has a dangerous moment at the back off a longball collected by Aurelio, but Gomes collects. Johnson is awareded a fair yellow card off a challenge on Bale off the goal kick. Bale is now down, getting the magic spray from the trainer. He gets up thereafter. Tottenham create a beautiful sequence from a longball. Lennon heads it from the corner of the box to Defoe, who finishes, but the flag is up. Liverpool escape again.
87', 1-1: The Bale corner eventually falls to Modric at the top of the box, and his volley goes just wide. Carragher is shaken up on the play — his shoulder seems legitimately injured. Kyrgiakos comes on for Carragher, who yells at the Greek for taking his time getting changed into his shirt.
84', 1-1: Aurelio picks out Torres on a diagonal run, but he is offside. he clearance is collected by Lucas, and Liverpool go forward with Johnson. His cross is righ to Gomes, however. Gomes' throw, though, is out of bounds. Liverpool stay on the front foot, and Lucas finds Kuyt, who finds Aurelio. He lays off to Meireles, who barely misses an effort from range. Defoe gets the ball at the other end, and Johnson is forced to concede a corner.
81', 1-1: Tottenham enjoy possession in the attacking area. They win a midfield free kick, which Bale sends in to no end. Liverpool counter thereafter. Meireles lays off to Rodriguez. Meireles ends up with it and tries to flop it into the box for Johnson, but he puts too much on it. At the other end, the ball is brought up well and Crouch crosses across goal from the right of the area. Reina parries and is again caught out of position, and Bale's on target effort is blocked by Reina. Bale is shaken up, but fine.
78', 1-1: Johsnon gives a way a free kick in his own half. Spurs control and the ball is sent to Defoe, who shoots wide from the top of the box. Kuyt is now up top with Torres. Liverpool build an attack, bringing numbers forward. Kuyt passes across the top of the area to Meireles, who tries to send a tricky ball to Aurelio, but misses him. Spurs go forward, but a longball to Crouch is missed, and the ball returns to midfield. Bale controls, and wins a throw on the left.
75', 1-1: Liverpool enjoy an attack up the left, winning two throws off Hutton. Spurs have a chance to break, but Kuyt intercepts. Tottenham is now pressing intensely in Liverpool's end. Ngog is sitting down. He comes off to be replaced by Aurelio — a change that will surely mean the team shifts around.
72', 1-1: Meireles finds Johnson on the set piece, but it doesn't result in a shot. Kuyt gets the ball on the far side and is brought down by Assou-Ekotto. He is not awarded a penalty and is furious. The defender did have a case for the ball, however. The game continues to be very open.
69', 1-1: Tottenham continue to look dangerous after scoring the equalizer, but the game has opened up for both sides. Hutton takes it up the right — he's been very active going forward. Kuyt picks out Torres on a counter, but Bassong covers. He challenges Torres for no reason in the left corner, and concedes a free kick in a dangerous area close on the left side.
66', 1-1: A turnover at midfield leads to a brilliant Modric run up the left. He beats everybody to within feet of goal. He lays it off for Crouch, but Skrtel intervenes, tackling it into his own net. Skrtel has scored for both teams. 1-1. Goal.
64', Liverpool 1-0: Tottenham go forward down the left with Bale and Assou-Ekotto, but they give Liverpool a countering chance. Ngog's cross from the left of the box misses everybody. Liverpool attack again and Kuyt goes down in the area on a lot of contact, but nothing is given. The ball stays in the box, but nobody can get a shot off. Liverpool eventually win a corner.
60', Liverpool 1-0: Defoe sends the penalty wide left past the post. The handball did occur right on the line of the area — so all has perhaps balanced out.
59', Liverpool 1-0: Bale's free kick hits the wall, but it hits Ngog in the arms. Penalty. Skrtel has been booked for protesting.
58', Liverpool 1-0: The corner goes all the way through the box to Skrtel, but he can't connect, and it is cleared. Tottenham move forward, but Modric can't connect across the field to Hutton. The ball is traded in midfield before Spurs build from the back. A longball is sent for Crouch, who goes to ground. Konchesky did give him a minor push, but the appeal is denied. A longball is dummied by Defoe to Crouch, and Carragher fouls Defoe right at the top of the box thereafter.
55', Liverpool 1-0: Spurs are back forward again. Assou-Ekotto takes a shot from distance and wins a corner. Bale's corner comes to nothing, but Spurs rebuild. Reina collects a longball. Johnson makes a run at the other end and wins a throw in the right corner. Bale clears to Crouch, but Liverpool win it back. Bassong is forced to concede a corner.
52', Liverpool 1-0: Bale links with Defoe in the area, but he can't quite get a good foot to it and Reina collects it. Tottenham win a kick at midfield off the goal kick. They build forward, and Skrtel conceds a corner. Crouch heads it back from the far post, and it falls to Defoe's feet. He can't do anything with it, and Reina grasps it. Liverpool generate somewhat of a counter, but Torres commits a foul. Tottenham goes forward. Hutton's cross is parried by Reina, but he is out of position and Bale shoots on target. Meireles saves off the line — great play. Bale can't believe it.
49', Liverpool 1-0: Torres begins the half with an immediate breakaway, and Bassong again saves the day with a desperate challenge — complete deja vu. The teams trade in midfield before a spell Palacios fouls Lucas right at center. The kick results in a Spurs throw, which ultimately comes to Crouch — who is fouled by Lucas.
Half Analysis: Liverpool's midfield has done very well to hold its own against a pacy, skillful Tottenham unit.
Meireles is having a particularly strong game — finding space, shooting, and distributing. Maxi Rodriguez has been highly influential but has made a mess of a should-be goal. Kuyt and Lucas have done well, but have not been as active.
Liverpool's defense has been caught out on counter attacks and have been forced to concede three yellow cards, which could come into play in the second half if Tottenham continues to force the issue. Carragher has looked mistake prone, but he has also come up huge at times — such as his goal-line save of Defoe's would-be goal. Konchesky has been the poorest of the bunch, even though his task of dealing with Lennon has been less difficult than Johnson's task of dealing with Bale. In truth, Bale has run wild and caused all sorts of trouble — a trend that seems likely to continue. Johnson has done very well going forward, however.
Torres has been great when he has had a chance to be on the ball, but he has disappeared for stretches. Ngog has found himself touches by playing a wider role up the left, but he hasn't been particularly effective.
In truth, the goal was somewhat against the run of play. Tottenham were the more threatening side — though Liverpool were dangerous as well. Tottenham's sub problem and Liverpool's card problem could put both in a precarious position going forward.
Half, Liverpool 1-0: Tottenham enjoy a long spell of possession after the goal, but they can do nothing with it. Reina clears and has it sent back to him — two minutes of added time. Liverpool pass it around their own zone, but go forward with more intent after winning a longball. Torres finds Maxi on a give and go and picks him out in space in front of net, but Maxi mishandles the ball. Bale makes a run the other way and crosses it in from close to no avail. The counter is sent to Torres, who has a breakaway. Bassong comes in at the last moment and tackles the ball from a dangerous angle — great tackle. The corner is cleared — half time.
44', Liverpool 1-0: Bale shoots over the wall from the 35 yard set piece. He bounces it in front of goal with pace but it is wide. Bassong fouls Ngog on Liverpool's move forward. Meireles' free kick rattles around in the area before it falls to Skrtel's feet. He finishes low past Gomes. Goal! 1-0 Liverpool. Skrtel.
41', 0-0: Spurs build from the back, but it rattles around midfield. Lennon lays it for Hutton down the right, but his cross is sent right to Reina. Liverpool sets up in the attacking zone. Meireles shoots from way out. It's a great effort from 30 yards. Gomes has to deflect it wide as it bouces right in front of him. Hotton clears the corner back to Liverpool's defense. Modric counters quickly after a second clearance. He beats multiple defenders and is joined by Lennon forward. Carragher is forced to tackle him from behind and is given a fair yellow.
37', 0-0: Kaboul's day is done — Bassong comes on. They now have just one substitute available for the second half. Johnson's throw down the right leads to a great run through defenders for the right back. He gets into the area, but concedes a goal kick ultimately. Spurs build left to right before Liverpool intercept and clear.
34', 0-0: Liverpool go forward and Kuyt crosses to the near post, but Ngog heads for a goal kick. Tottenham counter quickly. Tottenham brings numbers forward but are unable to do anything. Torres counters, but his shot is blocked for a throw. Kaboul is down.
31', 0-0: Liverpool set up shop in Tottenham's half, but Meireles eventually loses a throw decision on the left. The Reds win it back and again set up their lines forward. Spurs are pressing though. Bale makes a long run across the field. Konchesky is forced to foul him blatantly at the top of the area. Yellow card. Bale hits the wall, but it falls to Assou-Ekotto. Tottenham rebuild. They go up the right through Hutton and Lennon, who wins a throw. The throw is taken quickly and falls to Modric. He is alone behind the defense and his shot is parried by Reina into open space. The Defoe finish is saved off the line by Carragher — great play.
28', 0-0: The corner is cleared to the far side, but it falls to Hutton — who runs into the box and falls to the ground. He appeals for a penalty, but Kuyt appeals for a dive. It comes to nothing. Torres counterattacks but he is called for a foul. Spurs win a series of throws in the left corner. Assou-Ekotto heads into the box for Crouch, but the ball is lost and Ngog counters. Hutton recovers.
25', 0-0: The corner bounces off a few heads before it is cleared for a throw in the right corner. The ball again bounces around the box before Kuyt shoots wide but wins a corner. The corner is again cleared to the right side. The ball is finally cleared and Bale has a countering chance. Meireles tackles the ball, but also gets Bale from the back and gives Meireles a yellow — unfairly. Tottenham give it up but win it back in the atacking half. Modric wins a corner.
22', 0-0: Crouch wins a free kick from Skrtel in the center at the edge of the final third. Kaboul takes it but he can't keep it down. The goal kick falls to Ngog who finds Kuyt and Liverpool set up the attack on the right. They lose out to Bale, but Assou-Ekotto's throw is intercepted. Liverpool again attack. Lucas shoots from distance and it is deflected for a corner.
19', 0-0: Johnson comes forward for the first time thus far. He delivers into the box, but it is cleared by Gallas. Spurs attack with Bale. Johnson has to kick it behind for a corner. The corner is a good one, but Crouch misses it with his foot after it was too high for Gallas. Liverpool build with Ngog and Torres. The ball is laid off to Maxi at the top of the box. He takes a shot well, and it is saved by Gomes low to his left for a corner. The corner is cleared. Liverpool build from the back, but the longball that followed is lost to Spurs.
16', 0-0: Defoe's entrance should make Spus more of a 4-4-2 than with the roving Van der Vaart. Palacios has started poorly — Spurs miss Huddlestone. Modric crosses from the left corner and picks out Defoe. He volleys onto goal but it is easy for Reina. Liverpool goes forward and win a corner off a Gallas header cleared behind. Meireles' corner comes to little. It is cleared to Liverpool's defense. The teams trade in midfield thereafter.
13', 0-0: Van der Vaart looks done for the day. Crouch and Lennon link up for another chance, but they give it up lacking numbers. Liverpool have a chance to build now. Rodriguez looks for Ngog, but Tottenham win it in front of the box. Defoe comes on for the injured Van der Vaart. Liverpool have a chance in the box with Kuyt, but it is intercepted. The pace has increased now, as each side goes all the way to the others' area but give it up ultimately.
10', 0-0: Liverpool go forward and Torres flicks it to Maxi Rodriguez in the box behind the defense, but Maxi is offside. Liverpool's attack continues after the clear — up the left through Ngog. Torres takes it in the corner and gives it up before winning it back on a deflection. Torres roves into the box and it is tackled away before it falls to Maxi, who shoots wide past the far post from the top of the box. Spurs then go up the left but cross right and set up shop. Hutton crosses to Crouch who heads it down to Van Der Vaart in space in front of net, but he backheels to nobody and injures his hamstring.
7', 0-0: Spurs maintain the attack, moving from left to right. Lennon attacks from the right corner and beats Konchesky on the line. He finds Modric in the box, but Modric's volley doesn't have enough on it to beat Reina — he saves easily. Still, the attack was a strong one. Liverpool build forward off a foul but it is intercepted. Tottenham build at a snail's pace under little pressure. Kaboul longballs for Crouch, but Liverpool win a throw. They win it in midfield but send it back to Gomes. It ultimately falls to Palacios. A series of interceptions give it to Bale, who finds Van Der Vaart, but Carragher deals with it.
4', 0-0: Encouraging set of opening touches for Liverpool as Kuyt brings the ball forward and it is held in by Konchesky off the clear attempt. The ball is thereafter traded in midfield and Spurs build from the back. They are really taking their time going forward — but under little pressure. Kaboul longballs all the way to Reina. Liverpool build and Carragher picks out Kuyt, but Gallas intercepts at the top of the box. It is cleared back to the Carragher, and Liverpool win a throw up the right. Tottenham collect and counter with Lennon, but he attempts to lay it off to a non-existent person. He would have had Bale.
10 a.m.: The math is simple. Despite everything that has happened, Liverpool are just a victory over Tottenham from matching last season's fourth-place finishers at 22 points — four points out of the top four. A loss, though, will leave the Reds just five points clear of relegation-zone Wigan. Such has been the nature of the rocky start to the season at Anfield. Each win is exaggerated in significance because it so significantly vaults Liverpool up the tightly bunched league table — and each loss comes with an equal, opposite reaction.
Liverpool's performance against West Ham was encouraging for a variety of reasons — particularly the play of Glen Johnson — but a win over a last place team can only be given so much credence, especially given the Reds' inability to maintain momentum thus far this season.
Tottenham, on the other hand, are coming off one of their biggest league wins in recent memory, a 3-2 second-half comeback at the Emirates. Gareth Bale and Rafael Van der Vaart have been in world class form, and Jermaine Defoe showed flashes of his former self last week against Arsenal as well. Still, if Tottenham are vulnerable, it is surely at the back, where their parts never quite seem to fit together in front of Gomes. Their pace and creativity in midfield, however, looks likely to give a Steven Gerrard-less Liverpool fits.
Joe Cole is expected to return from injury for the Reds.
Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. ET. Lineups posted below.
Liverpool
Pepe Reina (25), goalkeeper
Martin Skrtel (37), center-left defender
Jamie Carragher (23), center-right defender
Paul Konchesky (3), left back
Glen Johnson (2), right back
Lucas (21), center-left midfielder
Raul Meireles (4), center-right midfielder
Maxi RodrÃguez (17), left wing
Dirk Kuyt (18), right wing
David Ngog (24), forward
Fernando Torres (9), forward
Substitutes
Joe Cole (10)
Fabio Aurelio (6)
Ryan Babel (19)
Brad Jones (1)
Christian Poulsen (28)
Sotirios Kyrgiakos (16)
Milan Jovanovic (14)
Tottenham Hotspur
Gomes (1), goalkeeper
Younes Kaboul (4), center-left defender
William Gallas (13), center-right defender
Benoit Assou-Ekotto (32), left back
Alan Hutton (2), right back
Luka Modric (14), attacking midfielder
Wilson Palacios (12), holding midfielder
Rafael Van der Vaart (11), free role
Gareth Bale (3), left wing
Aaron Lennon (7), right wing
Peter Crouch (15), forward
Substitutes
Jermain Defoe (18)
Carlo Cudicini (23)
Niko Kranjcar (21)
Roman Pavlyuchenko (9)
Sebastien Bassong (19)
Vedran Corluka (22)
Sandro (30)