Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the EFL Cup match.
Tottenham Hotspur earned a deserved victory (1:0) in the first leg of this semi-final, but a trip to Anfield rarely ends well for visiting teams. The good news for Tottenham Hotspur is that a draw would be enough to see them through—but that’s much easier said than done against Liverpool.
Liverpool
Liverpool’s results are closely tied to Mohamed Salah’s involvement. In three of their last four matches, the Egyptian has scored—and Liverpool have won. When he failed to find the net, the team suffered an away defeat to PSV Eindhoven (2:3), where even two goals weren’t enough to rescue a result. At Anfield, Liverpool remain a formidable force. Tottenham’s chances of holding on for a draw—or even snatching a win—are estimated at no more than 30-40%, making their task extremely difficult.
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur may have won the first leg, but they had Antonín Kinský in inspired form during his debut, while Radu Drăgușin made a crucial goal-line clearance. However, the Romanian is now out until October after suffering an ACL injury in the Europa League. He has already undergone surgery and will not be available for this crucial clash. Adding to Tottenham’s problems, Dominic Solanke—who had a goal ruled out and provided an assist for the winner in the first leg—is also unavailable. The injury crisis within the squad is staggering, leaving Ange Postecoglou with limited options.
Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur Prediction
Ange Postecoglou and his players will surely remember their humiliating home defeat to Liverpool (3:6) in December’s Premier League clash. It’s hard to see Tottenham getting lucky again like they did in the first leg. With a fired-up Liverpool side needing to overturn the deficit and Tottenham suffering from key injuries, Liverpool should have enough to win by a comfortable margin.
