Tottenham Hotspur’s Premier League status is hanging by a thread, as Spurs travel to Anfield to take on underperforming reigning champions Liverpool in a potentially season-defining fixture.
What seemed almost impossible to imagine until recently has become a harsh reality for the North London powerhouse, as they fight to stave off relegation amid the darkest period in the club’s modern history.
As for Liverpool, they will be out to bounce back from a frustrating 1-0 defeat at Galatasaray and maintain their hopes of securing a third consecutive top-four finish.
Managerial dilemma
It has been a month since last season’s UEFA Europa League winners appointed Igor Tudor as a wartime manager, but the Croatian’s arrival has failed to produce the desired effect.
On the contrary, Spurs have become the subject of mockery, with Atletico Madrid pouring more misery on the out-of-sorts London club in midweek UEFA Champions League action.
Indeed, an embarrassing 5-2 defeat at the Metropolitano Stadium has intensified rumours that Tottenham could soon sack the former Juventus boss despite a shortage of options in the market.
Sunday’s showdown at Anfield has all the makings of a ‘make or break’ fixture for Tudor, who has lost all four matches in charge, including a pair of losses to Crystal Palace and Fulham in the Premier League.
Another disappointing result on Merseyside could spell the end of the 47-year-old’s lacklustre tenure and plunge Spurs’ season into even deeper turmoil, with the clock relentlessly working against the Croatian’s side.
What if…
Anfield has never been a happy hunting ground for Tottenham. For context, they have only won one of their last 31 league visits to Liverpool’s home ground (D9, L21), conceding at least four goals in four consecutive matches here.
With just a single point separating Spurs from 18th-placed West Ham United, it’s imperative to avoid another humiliation at Anfield, where the visitors will be looking to turn their season around.
Dropping to the relegation zone with only nine rounds left would only deepen the sense of crisis around the club and further erode confidence among supporters.
According to The Guardian, Tottenham have already pushed back the deadline for fans to renew their season tickets, giving them more time to decide based on which division the club will compete in next season.
There’s no doubt that another loss in Liverpool would severely damage Spurs’ survival hopes and amplify the uncertainty surrounding the club’s immediate future.
More importantly, it would give Tottenham’s direct rivals a chance to leapfrog them in the Premier League standings.
Eyes on other venues
Spurs enter this round only a point clear of 17th-placed Nottingham Forest and 18th-placed West Ham, who are locked together on 28 points, leaving Tudor’s side with virtually no margin for error in the relegation battle.
With the Irons facing title-chasing Manchester City at the London Stadium, this could be an opportunity for Tottenham to put some daylight between them and Nuno Espirito Santo’s men.
However, they must end their chastening winless run in the Premier League, as they have not won a league game since seeing off Palace on Boxing Day, going 11 consecutive matches without winning.
Six consecutive defeats in all competitions for the first time in the club’s history has prompted Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney to publicly lash out, calling Tottenham players a “disgrace” and urging them to urgently turn their form around.
There’s only one suitable way to respond to criticism, and it’s on the field. Unfortunately, Spurs’ five-game winless league run on the road (D2, L3) cannot inspire confidence.
There’s a feeling that Forest could profit most from this round, as they host Fulham at the City Ground, buoyed by a stunning 2-2 draw against Man City at the Etihad Stadium last time out.
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