Michael Owen predicts winner in Liverpool's clash with Tottenham Hotspur
Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen has given his prediction for the Reds' match against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League at Anfield on Saturday, May 7.
The game is a crucial one with a lot to lose for both clubs. The Merseysiders trail Premier League leaders Manchester City by just one point. Tottenham, meanwhile, are two points behind fourth-placed Arsenal. With just four games remaining, any slip-up could be fatal.
Next up, @SpursOfficial at Anfield đźŹ
#LIVTOT https://t.co/viD74S8sqz
Liverpool come into the match on the back of a Champions League semi-final win over Villarreal on Tuesday, May 3. Leading 2-0 from the first leg, they trailed 2-0 at the end of the first half of the second leg. However, they made a great comeback to win 3-2 on the night and 5-2 on aggregate.
Tottenham, meanwhile, beat Leicester City 3-1 in their last game in the Premier League on Sunday, May 1, to keep pace with the fourth-placed Gunners.
Making his prediction for the game in his BetVictor column, Owen wrote:
"I’m running out of superlatives for this Liverpool side, the wins just keep coming. It wasn’t an emphatic performance, but the win last week at Newcastle was huge. That comeback win in Spain on Tuesday is bound to mean they enter this in great spirit. Luis Diaz changed the game against Villarreal, and I’d expect to see him from the start here."
He added:
"This one is huge for Spurs. Considering Arsenal’s recent form, I don’t think Spurs can afford to lose this game. Son has been in brilliant form, and he’s in the running for the golden boot. However, I can’t not pick Liverpool. No side in Europe is in better form than them and they just don’t look like losing, particularly at Anfield. 3-1."
Can Tottenham Hotspur beat Liverpool at Anfield?
The Reds are on a 13-match unbeaten run across competitions. They have seemed impossible to stop, drawing and beating Manchester City in this 13-match run.
Moreover, beating the Reds at Anfield in the league is almost impossible at the moment. Virgil van Dijk holds an incredible record of never losing a Premier League game at Anfield.
Tottenham, meanwhile, have won three of their last five Premier League games. They will find solace in their performance against Jurgen Klopp's men in December, drawing 2-2.
Spurs 2-2 Liverpool FT:
xG: 2.40-1.65
Shots: 9-18
Shots on target: 5-6
Big Chances: 6-1
Touches in opp. box: 25-34
Possession: 44%-56%
Yellow cards: 4-4
Red cards: 0-1
Fouls: 12-11
A fantastic game at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium. 🍿 https://t.co/H1epgYkKIw
They're the only team in the Premier League so far who haven't conceded all three points to the top two. They completed a double over Manchester City this season.
While a win for Tottenham at Anfield seems unlikely, they can be expected to put up a good challenge and push the quadruple-chasing Reds.
Jurgen Klopp's men have already won the Carabao Cup. They'll play Chelsea in the FA Cup final on May 14 before locking horns with 13-time winners Real Madrid in the Champions League final two weeks later.