Postecoglou Provides Spurs Injury Update Ahead of Liverpool Clash | OneFootball

Liverpool Title Charge Meets Spurs Caution Over Key Injuries

Liverpool’s march toward Premier League history takes centre stage at Anfield this weekend as they welcome Tottenham Hotspur. With Arne Slot’s side on the verge of a record-equalling 20th league crown, Sunday’s fixture could mark a defining chapter in the club’s illustrious story.

Only Arsenal’s midweek clash with Crystal Palace holds the power to delay Liverpool’s potential title celebration. But regardless of results elsewhere, there’s a sense that the Kop is ready to erupt. Anfield, ever imposing and unrelenting, has not witnessed a league defeat to Spurs in 14 meetings. History and form both lean red.

For Tottenham, it’s a different narrative. Languishing in 16th place and having lost more than half of their league games, the season has unravelled. Their defensive record reads like a warning light—51 goals conceded, numerous points squandered, and faith in a top-half finish dwindling.

Postecoglou Carefully Managing Injured Stars

Ange Postecoglou arrives at Anfield hoping to avoid another heavy blow, but his hands may be tied. After the 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest, the Australian offered insight into the state of his squad—particularly defensive lynchpins Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, both of whom have struggled with hamstring injuries throughout the campaign.

“I thought they needed to play some minutes tonight because it becomes 10 days leading into Liverpool. With both of them we’ve got them in a really good place physically now and I just want to keep them ticking over,” Postecoglou told Football London.

“I felt that there was no need to play more than 45 minutes today and we needed to get a couple of others game time.”

Photo: IMAGO

In what seems a pragmatic yet cautious approach, the Spurs boss added: “I just felt that if it was Sunday we probably wouldn’t have played them, but on a Monday, especially for Micky because he’s been playing just one game a week, we need to build him up because he’s in a really good place at the moment so I thought 45 minutes for both of them would be beneficial.”

Udogie and Maddison Also Eased Back

It wasn’t just the centre-backs being managed. Destiny Udogie and James Maddison, two of Spurs’ more influential performers, were also kept out of the Forest defeat as Postecoglou prioritised freshness ahead of the Liverpool clash.

“Destiny was fine. We just left him out of the squad tonight. He put in a big physical shift on Thursday and the idea was always to rest him,” he explained.

“I wasn’t going to put him on so there was no point in putting him on the bench. Madders was pretty sore yesterday but in the last 24 hours, he recovered and was keen to be on the bench. They’re both fine.”

Anfield Awaits with Expectations and Tension

The significance of this fixture cannot be overstated. For Liverpool, it’s an opportunity to place their name in the history books under new leadership. Slot’s arrival marked a fresh beginning—and now, with the title in reach, his work may be rewarded with silverware and a symbolic handover from the Klopp era.

For Spurs, Sunday offers a rare chance to salvage pride and play spoiler. But the odds—form, fitness, and psychological weight—are stacked heavily against them.

Liverpool are not just fighting for three points—they’re chasing immortality. Postecoglou, meanwhile, must hope that a patched-up defence and a spark of belief can delay the coronation.