Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur Prediction: Reds’ class to shine through as Spurs miss out on trip to Wembley

Tottenham Hotspur produced a shock in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final tie with Liverpool last month, beating the Reds 1-0 thanks to an 86th-minute strike from Lucas Bergvall. On Thursday (20:00, Sky Sports Main Event), Ange Postecoglou's side will look to defend their lead as they bid to reach next month's final at Wembley Stadium, but Anfield is a daunting ground for any visitor, let alone one that hasn't won there since May 2011 and has lost 10 of 14 matches since.

Below is my Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur prediction, complete with all the latest team news and match odds, as the hosts seek to overturn a goal deficit in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final. 

Team News

There were no incomings or significant departures at Anfield during the January transfer window which spilled into the first few days of February, but a few youngsters, including Jayden Danns (Sunderland), did depart the club on loan.

The biggest team news concerning Liverpool ahead of Thursday's cup tie is that vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold is a major doubt to feature after limping off in the 70th minute of Saturday's 2-0 win at AFC Bournemouth with a thigh injury. The Reds right-back looks likely to miss out in midweek with next Wednesday's Merseyside derby at Everton in mind.

Conor Bradley came on for Alexander-Arnold at Vitality Stadium and is set to replace the 26-year-old in Arne Slot's starting XI for the visit of Spurs, with Alisson Becker, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson likely to stay put in defence.

In midfield, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai should keep their places, while Mohamed Salah is a dead cert on the right-hand side of Liverpool's attack.

The positions of Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz are less sure, however, with Slot likely to keep one in the side and drop the other out for one of Darwin Nunez or Diogo Jota.

Joe Gomez, alongside Jota, returned to team training last week, but unlike the Portuguese attacker, Gomez was left out of the squad that travelled to the South Coast on the weekend. The 27-year-old will hope to return to the fold this week, though.

Football Odds

Unlike their hosts on Thursday, Tottenham Hotspur were active in the last few days of the transfer window, loaning in Mathys Tel (Bayern Munich) and Kevin Danso (Lens) to add to their early January capture of Slavia Prague goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, who starred on his Lilywhites debut in the first leg last month, keeping a clean sheet at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

With Guglielmo Vicario (ankle) still sidelined, Kinsky will keep net again on Thursday, and he could be joined in the starting XI, certainly in the squad, by Tel and Danso, both of whom featured for their parent clubs last month, although Danso's last appearance was on January 12 and it remains to be seen whether Postecoglou throws him straight in at the deep end.

The Australian's hand could be forced by recent injuries sustained by Radu Dragusin (ACL) and Micky van de Ven (unknown), though, which would leave Danso as the only fit and available centre-back with Cristian Romero (thigh) still out. Ben Davies and Archie Gray started in the middle of defence in Sunday's 2-0 win at Brentford but a trip to Anfield is an entirely different prospect.

Spurs' crowded treatment room also includes James Maddison (calf), Dominic Solanke (knee), Destiny Udogie, Wilson Odobert (both thigh), Brennan Johnson (calf) and Timo Werner (muscle), which is likely to see the north Londoners name another inexperienced bench full of teenagers on Thursday.

Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur Odds

Liverpool are overwhelming favourites to win Thursday's match, with odds of 1/4 giving the hosts an implied probability of 80%, while Tottenham are 9/1, or a 10% chance, to emerge victorious from both legs. The draw, which would be enough to send Spurs to the final, is priced at 13/2.

Liverpool are 4/11 to win the tie by any means, with Spurs 2/1.

Both teams to score - excluding extra time - is available at 4/7, and over 3.5 total goals at 4/6.

The Reds dominate the anytime goalscorer market with Salah (4/7) first up followed by Nunez (5/6), Jota (19/20), Diaz and Gakpo (both 11/10). Son Heung-min is considered Spurs' most likely scorer at 13/5.

To Win Both Halves - Liverpool @ 13/10

Postecoglou and Spurs deserve tremendous credit for keeping a clean sheet and winning the first leg despite having several key players out injured, and after another desperate run of results and performances followed, back-to-back victories against Elfsborg (3-0) and Brentford (0-2) has lifted the mood at the club again.

The signings of Tel and Danso, albeit temporary for now, have also helped to raise spirits, but their injury list remains lengthy and a trip to Anfield is not what the doctor ordered.

Liverpool have won five of their seven games since that defeat in north London on January 8, losing only to PSV Eindhoven (3-2) in a game where they rested players and could afford to fall to defeat.

Under Slot, the Reds have lost just once in L4 and that was back in September against Premier League high-flyers Nottingham Forest (0-1).

Thursday's hosts have few injuries to contend with and I just can't see anything but a comfortable Liverpool win in midweek.

Liverpool need to win by at least two goals to avoid the tie being taken to extra time and, potentially, a penalty shootout, so I think they will fly out the traps in front of their fans.

Slot's side have been ahead at half-time in their last three games at Anfield, and in their league meeting with Spurs in December, the Reds won 6-3 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, winning the first half 3-1 and the second half 3-2.

Back the Premier League leaders to take a lead into the interval on Thursday and add to their tally in the second half.

Booking Points Handicap -10 - Tottenham Hotspur -10 @ 7/5

Liverpool received two yellow cards to Spurs' one in their league match earlier this season but the Reds kept their slate clean in last month's Carabao Cup semi-final first leg, being shown no cards compared to their hosts' two.

On Spurs' last visit to Anfield, in May last year when Liverpool won 4-2, the Merseyside club received a single yellow, amounting to 10 booking points, while the north Londoners were flashed yellow four times, racking up 40.

With Spurs holding the advantage in this tie but billed as big underdogs away at one of the most intimidating venues in European football, I expect Postecoglou's charges to fly into the challenges in a bid to make life as uncomfortable as possible for their superior hosts, wasting as much time as possible.

As a result, the -10 booking points handicap on Spurs appeals at 7/5.

Offers

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