On 15 March 2026, Anfield will host a fixture loaded with tension and subplots as Liverpool welcome Tottenham in the Premier League. The table tells its own story: Liverpool sit 6th on 48 points, clinging to European ambitions, while Tottenham arrive in 16th on 29 points, uncomfortably close to the relegation fight. A 19‑point gap underpins the narrative – one side chasing upward momentum, the other simply trying to stop the slide.
With C. Kavanagh in charge and the Kop demanding a response after recent inconsistencies, this has all the makings of a frantic, high‑tempo afternoon on Merseyside.
Form guide and statistical landscape
Liverpool’s league body of work paints them as flawed but dangerous. Over 29 games they have scored 48 and conceded 39, averaging 1.7 goals for and 1.3 against per match. At Anfield, they are stronger: 26 goals scored and 16 conceded in 14 home fixtures, roughly 1.9 scored and 1.1 conceded per game. Eight home wins from 14, with only three defeats, underline the fortress‑feel that still clings to this ground.
The broader form line – “LWWWL” in the table, and a season pattern of streaks in their stats (a five‑game winning run, four‑game losing run, four‑game unbeaten draw stretch) – suggests volatility. When Liverpool click, they are ruthless: their biggest home win is 5‑2, and they have hit five at Anfield more than once. They also keep a decent number of clean sheets (four at home, nine overall) and have failed to score in only two home league games.
Tottenham’s numbers are those of a side in real trouble. They are 16th with 29 points from 29 games, goal difference -7, and a brutal current form line of “LLLLL” in the table. Across the campaign they have 39 goals for and 46 against, 1.3 scored and 1.6 conceded on average. Intriguingly, they are far better away than at home: five wins and four draws in 14 away games, with 21 scored and 21 conceded – 1.5 goals scored and 1.5 conceded per away match.
That away record is the one shard of optimism for Spurs. They have five away clean sheets, and have shown they can win 0‑3 on the road at their best. But the overarching trend is grim: 14 league defeats, a long, losing spiral in their extended form string, and a defence that is too easily opened up, particularly when the game becomes stretched.
Put simply: Liverpool are a high‑ceiling, high‑variance side at home; Tottenham are a fragile team whose away competence is being drowned out by a catastrophic recent run.
Head‑to‑head: goals, chaos and Anfield dominance
The last five meetings between these clubs form a self‑contained story of wild scorelines and Anfield authority.
- On 20 December 2025 in London, Liverpool went to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and won 1‑2 in the league, overturning a 0‑0 half‑time stalemate into a crucial away victory.
- On 27 April 2025 at Anfield, Liverpool blew Spurs away 5‑1 in the Premier League, racing into a 3‑1 half‑time lead and never looking back.
- On 6 February 2025, also at Anfield, Liverpool dismantled Tottenham 4‑0 in the League Cup semi‑final second leg, having led 1‑0 at half‑time.
- On 8 January 2025 in London, Tottenham edged a tight League Cup semi‑final first leg 1‑0, turning a 0‑0 interval into a narrow home win.
- On 22 December 2024 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Liverpool won a wild league game 3‑6, having led 1‑3 at the break.
Across those five games, Liverpool have four wins and Tottenham one, with Liverpool scoring 18 goals to Spurs’ 6. Anfield, in particular, has been unforgiving: 5‑1 and 4‑0 in their last two visits in all competitions. The pattern is clear – when these sides meet, defences suffer, and Liverpool tend to impose themselves, especially on home turf.
Tactical themes: Liverpool’s press vs Spurs’ stretched back line
Liverpool’s statistical profile and preferred structures point to a front‑foot approach. Their most used shape is 4‑2‑3‑1 (27 league matches), with occasional switches to 4‑3‑3 and 4‑2‑2‑2. Expect them to build with a double pivot, push full‑backs high and use an aggressive press, especially in the middle third where their yellow‑card data spikes between 46‑60 and 76‑90 minutes – a sign of intense duels late on.
With 26 home goals and only two Anfield blanks, they will back their attacking patterns to break a Tottenham defence that has conceded 21 away and 46 overall. The biggest home win margin (5‑2) and the historical 5‑1 and 4‑0 against Spurs suggest they relish stretching this opponent horizontally and vertically, pinning the full‑backs and flooding the box with late runners.
Tottenham, meanwhile, are tactically unsettled. They have used six different formations in the league – most often 4‑2‑3‑1 (13 times), but also 4‑3‑3, 3‑4‑2‑1, 4‑2‑2‑2, 3‑5‑2 and 4‑4‑2. That tactical churn, combined with a rash of injuries, hints at a side still searching for balance. Their away record (21 for, 21 against) shows they can be proactive and carry a threat, but the defensive fragility and heavy away losses (notably 4‑1) underline the risks when they open up.
Discipline could matter. Tottenham accumulate many yellows between 61‑75 minutes, and have seen multiple reds in early halves. Under pressure at Anfield, especially if Liverpool’s press forces rushed passes out from the back, that volatility could be exposed again.
Key players and attacking focal points
For Liverpool, Hugo Ekitike has emerged as a central figure in the league. With 11 goals and 4 assists in 26 appearances, he offers a blend of penalty‑box presence and link play. His 47 shots (19 on target) and 20 key passes highlight a striker who both finishes and creates. He is also heavily involved in duels and dribbles, suggesting he will be central to Liverpool’s attempts to pin Tottenham’s centre‑backs and drag them into uncomfortable areas.
Around Ekitike, Liverpool’s numbers hint at a collective threat rather than reliance on one scorer. Their ability to hit five at home and three away at their best shows that multiple runners from midfield and wide zones contribute, particularly in that 4‑2‑3‑1 with an advanced No.10 and aggressive wingers.
Tottenham’s main attacking hope is Richarlison. The Brazilian has 8 league goals and 3 assists from 24 appearances, with 16 shots on target from 27 attempts and 15 key passes. His physicality and aerial ability, combined with his knack for drawing fouls (24 won), make him the obvious outlet when Spurs go long or try to transition quickly. If Tottenham are to exploit Liverpool’s occasional defensive looseness – 39 conceded in 29 – Richarlison’s movement between centre‑backs and into the channels will be critical.
However, Spurs’ creative supply line is badly damaged. J. Maddison, D. Kulusevski, M. Kudus, W. Odobert and D. Udogie are all listed as missing, stripping them of ball‑carriers, set‑piece quality and final‑third invention. That raises the risk of Richarlison becoming isolated if Tottenham cannot progress the ball cleanly through midfield.
Team news: injury lists shaping the contest
Both squads are heavily affected, but Tottenham’s absentees feel especially structural.
For Liverpool, the headline blow is in goal: Alisson is out with a muscle injury. That forces a change in a key position and may slightly alter how bravely Liverpool play out from the back. Further issues hit depth and rotation: S. Bajcetic (hamstring), C. Bradley (knee), F. Chiesa (illness), W. Endo (foot), A. Isak (broken leg) and G. Leoni (knee) are all unavailable. The loss of Endo’s control in midfield and Chiesa’s wing threat narrows Klopp’s options, but the core of the attacking and defensive spine beyond the goalkeeper appears intact.
Tottenham’s list is even more alarming. R. Bentancur (muscle), L. Bergvall (ankle), B. Davies (ankle), M. Kudus (muscle), D. Kulusevski (knee), J. Maddison (knee), W. Odobert (knee), D. Udogie (muscle) and M. van de Ven (suspended after a red card) are all ruled out. That is a huge chunk of their first‑choice XI and key rotation options across midfield, defence and attack. The absence of van de Ven’s pace at the back and Udogie’s dynamism at left‑back could be particularly damaging against Liverpool’s wide overloads.
With so many creative and defensive leaders missing, Tottenham may be forced into a more conservative, reactive approach, sitting deeper and hoping to counter through Richarlison and perhaps one or two secondary runners.
The verdict
Anfield, the table, the form and the head‑to‑head data all tilt this fixture towards Liverpool. They are strong at home, score regularly, and have battered Tottenham in their last two meetings on this ground. Spurs arrive on a five‑game losing streak in the league, with a decimated squad and a defence that has conceded 46 times.
Tottenham’s away resilience earlier in the campaign and Richarlison’s threat mean they cannot be completely written off, especially against a Liverpool side that can occasionally switch off defensively. But the combination of Liverpool’s attacking firepower, their historical dominance in this matchup, and Spurs’ injury crisis suggests the home side should have too much.
Expect a high‑tempo game with Liverpool pressing aggressively, creating volume chances and testing a makeshift Tottenham back line. Spurs may have moments in transition, but over 90 minutes, the balance of probability points towards a Liverpool win in another fixture with multiple goals.
