Tottenham Hotspur will make the daunting trip northward with focus on turning their form on its head and ending a bleak run of three successive losses in the Premier League.
Ange Postecoglou's side have skewed off course over these last few weeks, with their patchy form throughout 2024 devolving into a wretched skid that adds extra emphasis on this afternoon's fixture against Liverpool at Anfield.
Whether Postecoglou will be able to stem the tide and steady the ship over these final few games of the campaign remains to be seen but it would take something herculean to close the distance on fourth-place Aston Villa, who are seven points ahead having played an extra match.
Given that Spurs host title-chasing champions Manchester City in two weeks too, it's clear that anything other than victory on Merseyside will close the door on a place among Europe's elite new season.
Still, there's plenty of room for optimism, with the seeds of success certainly planted since the Australian's arrival.
He hasn't been helped by persistent injuries – and he won't be helped in this regard later this afternoon.
Spurs team news
With Destiny Udogie and Ben Davies both ruled out for the season, Postecoglou's decision to play Emerson Royal backfired miserably during Thursday's dismal defeat against Chelsea. Micky van de Ven could play an inverted wide defensive role but it's unclear what will occur at this stage.
After fielding a new midfield at Stamford Bridge, the 58-year-old admitted it "didn't work" and Rodrigo Bentancur, James Maddison and Yves Bissouma could be in line for recalls.
Ryan Sessegnon, Fraser Forster and Manor Solomon all remain long-term absentees.
Richarlison earned his first starting appearance in two months in midweek but both he and Heung-min Son, who moved to left wing, were poor and the Brazilian must not play from the outset again versus Jurgen Klopp's team.
Why Richarlison shouldn't start
Richarlison started against Chelsea but he was too isolated, too ineffective, and given that Liverpool, when firing, produce stunning levels of suffocating pressure, deploying Son back as the focal frontman, where he can impress with his multi-faceted skill set, might just be the order of the day.
A patchy player, Richarlison had endured a torrid time at Tottenham after joining from Everton in a £60m transfer back in 2022, scoring just one Premier League goal in his first campaign – during the 4-3 defeat at Anfield.
And while his miserable stint at the side continued into the current campaign, groin surgery before the new year revitalised the Brazilian and saw him return to his finest goalscoring form, scoring nine goals from eight matches from December to February.
But the ferocious forward managed only 19 touches against Chelsea, unleashing one blocked shot and failing to even attempt a dribble.
The player Ange should choose to replace Richarlison
A more dynamic approach is needed this time, and given Timo Werner is injured and Son simply has to return to the spearhead, Brennan Johnson must replace Richarlison on the left wing.
Tottenham signed Johnson from Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest in a £47.5m transfer last summer, with the rising star having played a central role in the Tricky Trees' survival on their first term back in the top flight.
Across 30 fixtures for the Lilywhites, the 5 foot 10 winger has scored five goals and added seven assists, though he has also impressed with his electric pace and versatility.
Content creator Dan Cook – known by his moniker HLTCO – is among those to have picked up on Johnson's blooming quality, remarking on his physical attributes several months back.
He said: "Brennan Johnson is such an exciting player to watch. He’s got frightening pace and directness; constantly looking to make something happen, it must be an absolute nightmare to defend against him."
He's had an imperfect first campaign in the English capital but the 22-year-old certainly has plenty of room for growth and his upswing in performance after a slow start suggests that Postecoglou must unleash him at Anfield, perhaps even on the left in a move that would send Richarlison back to the bench.
Right winger
17
2
4
Left winger
9
2
1
Attacking midfield
1
0
0
Centre-forward
1
0
0
Right midfield
1
0
0
The table above emphasises Johnson's dynamism but it also speaks of his demonstrably better finishing when placed on the left. This is only natural: the Wales international is right-footed and thus uses his pace and mobility to swerve inward and strike on goal with more confidence.
As per FBref, Johnson ranks among the top 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 14% for touches in the attacking penalty area and the top 4% for blocks per 90.
His creativity stems from the athletic imperative that makes him such an interesting prospect, having also created eight big chances from just 22 Premier League starts this season, averaging 1.1 key passes per game too, as per Sofascore.
Liverpool have been susceptible to swift transitions this season while also conceding clear chances with regularity, and this is something that Postecoglou must push to exploit.
Balance will be key, and given that Maddison must reclaim his starting spot as the chief playmaker, Dejan Kulusevski will likely move out to the right, where his work rate and defensive style will settle the equilibrium.
Where does that leave Son? Up front. The South Korean has not been at his best recently, no doubt about that, but he is one of the Premier League's superlative forwards and offers such a wonderful blend of ways to hurt his adversaries, scoring 13 goals and providing five assists from 20 matches at centre-forward this season.
Finding the right balance will indeed hold the key to victory, and with Werner and Udogie injured, a blast of electricity is needed down that left channel, and Johnson has the tools to do a job.
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