Tottenham Hotspur host Liverpool in the Premier League this afternoon, still bouncing from the frenetic Carabao Cup victory against Manchester United on Thursday evening.
That performance has set up a semi-final showdown with Arne Slot’s squad in the New Year, and this weekend’s clash could be used as a yardstick down the line to determine how the exciting outfits match up.
Liverpool are two points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand but have ceded ground in each of their past two matches and look more susceptible with Ibrahima Konate sidelined through injury.
Spurs team news
Though Sunday’s visitors have one or two concerns, Tottenham have suffered a spate of setbacks in recent weeks that have limited their options considerably.
Guglielmo Vicario is still out, and thus Fraser Forster, 36, will reprise his place between the sticks once again after his horror show against the Red Devils.
Compounding this problem, star defenders Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven are still out until the New Year, and while Ben Davies is nearing a return, this one might come too soon.
While Spence made a good impression, he’s probably not going to start for this one, with Destiny Udogie believed to be fit once again after missing out in midweek. The robust left-back could be key against a Reds side that may just be eyeing him somewhat jealously.
Destiny Udogie could be crucial vs Liverpool
Udogie is set to be fit for this crunch clash, and it’s a good thing too, with his strengths perfect for the high-stakes fixture against the Liverpool machine.
|
Destiny Udogie – Premier League Statistics |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Match Stats* |
2023/24 |
2024/25 |
|
Matches (starts) |
28 (28) |
16 (16) |
|
Goals |
2 |
0 |
|
Assists |
3 |
1 |
|
Touches* |
67.2 |
63.3 |
|
Pass completion |
87% |
89% |
|
Key passes* |
0.9 |
0.8 |
|
Dribbles* |
0.9 |
0.6 |
|
Ball recoveries* |
6.0 |
4.6 |
|
Tackles + interceptions* |
3.7 |
3.8 |
|
Total duels (won)* |
5.4 (50%) |
5.8 (56%) |
|
Stats via Sofascore (* = per game) |
||
Some may claim that Udogie hasn’t been at his best this season, but the data would suggest that he’s continuing to make headway in England’s top flight and, let’s not forget, has only recently turned 22.
Described as a “monster” by journalist Travis Levison due to his physical and athletic qualities, Udogie is the perfect player to nullify a player like Mohamed Salah, who is 32 but still one of the most potent threats in Europe.
Salah’s athletic regression is a by-product of Father Time, but he’s catered his game to accommodate his age. It will take someone such as Udogie to come out on top.
Indeed, the Italian ranks among the top 7% of Premier League full-backs this year for progressive passes, the top 18% for progressive carries and the top 14% for tackles and blocks per 90, as per FBref, making good on the claims from reporter Hunter Godson that he is a “sickeningly good” young talent who would walk into “nearly every team in the world already”, including the Reds.
Liverpool’s Andy Robertson may return to the starting line-up after being sent off against Fulham one week ago (missing out against Southampton on Wednesday) but the 30-year-old is starting to show signs of withering and given that Liverpool will be hunting for a left-back in 2025, might pay extra close attention to Udogie’s performance.
Of course, it’s not likely that Spurs’ talent will be going anywhere soon, though that’s not going to stop Tottenham from showcasing Udogie in all his qualities, perhaps proving to be the difference-maker on a testing afternoon.
Related
Levy must axe Spurs “horror show” who Postecoglou “really wanted” to sign
The experienced international has not been good enough for Spurs.
