'One man Reds should fear? The Beast...'
Tottenham season ticket holder Joe Sullivan provides the view from White Hart Lane ahead of today's clash – and pinpoints powerful midfielder Sandro as the player who could influence the game most from a Spurs perspective.
Tell us about your season so far...
As per usual for us Tottenham fans, the season has been somewhat topsy-turvy. Supporters have been divided as to whether to stick with Andre Villas-Boas or not. The vast majority think we should stick with him and even more given our recent positive run of form.
Which player in the Tottenham side should we fear on Sunday?
If there's one player Liverpool should fear, and by fear, I mean quaking in your boots when you come up against him, it's Sandro, aka The Beast. Spurs' fortunes often depend on Sandro's performances. If he's at the top of his game he will run the game and Liverpool will struggle to get into the final third. He occasionally forays forward as well and can cause problems.
If you could give Brendan Rodgers one tip for beating Spurs, what would it be?
If I had a tip for Brendan, it would probably be to allow Spurs to have the ball and hit us on the counter. We've been poor against the counter-attack all season - and we even had good possession against Manchester City but ended up being beaten 6-0.
Who's the one Liverpool player you'd like to have in your side and why?
Without a doubt, the one player I personally would have at Spurs would be Luis Suarez. Rodgers seems to have drilled some discipline into him. As a result, he's playing the best football of his career and at this moment in time is the best player in the Premier League and in the top three in the world along with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. He has been playing even better this year than last year when he narrowly missed out on PFA Player of the Year to Gareth Bale. He should win that award hands down based on performances so far.
Where does this match rank in terms of importance to Spurs fans?
Tottenham v Liverpool is always a big game. Apart from the fierce London derbies against our local rivals, Liverpool and Manchester United are the two big fixtures for us, with Manchester City adding some spice in recent years. We managed to beat United at Old Trafford for the first time in 20 years last season, which was a big moment for us. Unfortunately we came unstuck against Liverpool at Anfield!
Favourite Spurs v Liverpool memory?
My personal favourite moment has to be when Benoit Assou-Ekotto scored in the first fixture of the 2009-10 season. From where I sit at White Hart Lane I was right behind his left boot as he hit it sweetly into the top corner. It meant more as it was Benni, who has a legendary cult status at White Hart Lane, and rarely scored.
And one you would rather forget...
Last season is still etched in my mind. We were winning 2-1 with not long to go and a shocking lack of concentration at the back let us down. In my opinion, that was the point where we missed out on Champions League football, missing out as we did just a point behind Arsenal.
Any tips for our travelling fans?
Any money spent in the area is welcome for the local economy, but on a bigger scale, Liverpool fans should make the most of London in the festive period with bags of stuff to do in central London.
Prediction?
My prediction for the game is 2-2. Liverpool are scoring freely at the moment, while Spurs are in a rich vein of form. Should make for a fantastic match!