KEY POINTS

  • The England left-back remains sidelined with a knee injury.
  • Jan Vertonghen also not available due to an ankle problem.
  • Spurs reverted to four at the back against Middlesbrough due to injuries.

Tottenham Hotspur travel to Merseyside on Saturday (11 February) with the determination of keeping their Premier League title hopes alive – and inflicting more misery on Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool. The north London side sit nine points adrift of league leaders Chelsea but Mauricio Pochettino firmly believes a title challenge is still on.

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IBTimes UK looks ahead to Saturday's match and how Spurs will line up at Anfield.

Team news

Danny Rose saw a specialist over his knee injury earlier this week and while the prognosis was good from Pochettino when he addressed the media on Thursday, the England international is not expected to be involved for the rest of February.

Jan Vertonghen is also unavailable for Saturday's trip to Merseyside; he continues his recovery from an ankle ligament injury but is expected to return to full first-team training next week.

Erik Lamela, who has not featured since last October, is still unavailable but Kieran Trippier is expected to make the travelling squad having recovered from a hip injury during that FA Cup fourth round thriller with Wycombe Wanderers.

Danny Rose
Rose sustained a knee injury against Sunderland last week Getty Images

The formation – A return to a flat back four?

Tottenham's success last season was built on Pochettino's preferred 4-2-3-1 formation but the Argentine has not been afraid of tweaking it this term. He experimented with a 4-1-4-1 formation before deploying three at the back in a 3-4-2-1 over the festive period and in January - a system that has allowed Kyle Walker and Danny Rose to thrive.

Rose's injury however poses a major problem. Ben Davies represents solid cover on the left defensively, but the Wales international cannot replicate Rose's speed, power and influence down that flank which has provided vital support to Harry Kane up front.

Mauricio Pochettino
Injuries saw Pochettino change his system again against Middlesbrough last week  Getty Images

The back three also worked best when Jan Vertonghen lined up alongside Toby Alderweireld and Eric Dier. With Vertonghen sidelined with an ankle injury, Kevin Wimmer or Cameron Carter-Vickers would be tasked with dropping in, with neither man looking too convincing as part of a back three. Reverting to a flat back four keeps things nice and tight – as we saw in the 1-0 win over Middlesbrough last time out.

In Rose's absence, Heung-min Son and Moussa Sissoko are probably Tottenham's best two options to provide pace in attack. We are inclined to give the nod to the South Korea international, meaning Pochettino could name the same starting XI that beat Boro.

Predicted Tottenham XI to take on Liverpool (4-2-3-1 formation)

Hugo Lloris, Kyle Walker, Eric Dier, Toby Alderweireld, Ben Davies, Mousa Dembele, Victor Wanyama, Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli, Son Heung-min, Harry Kane

Liverpool FC