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Liverpool will be aiming to make it back-to-back wins in the Premier League as it faces Tottenham today, with Arne Slot hoping Dominik Szoboszlai will be fit to start

Liverpool will be hoping to boost its top four hopes as it makes its way to Tottenham today.

Arne Slot’s side is looking for back-to-back league wins for the first time since September as it takes on an under-pressure Spurs side, with the heat increasing on Thomas Frank after just two league wins at home this season.

If Newcastle can beat Chelsea in the earlier kick-off, there will also be a chance for the Reds to move back into the Champions League spots in the table, which would come as a welcome relief after what has been a tough campaign so far.

Of course, Slot will have some big decisions to make with his side, not least with Mohamed Salah missing. The 33-year-old has made his way over to Morocco ahead of the start of the Africa Cup of Nations, and as doubts over his future continue, today could see the start of Liverpool’s plan to eventually replace its talismanic winger.

That might prove a little more difficult today, given some of the injury problems currently in the side. Dominik Szoboszlai, who has filled in on the right in recent games, is a slight doubt after being forced off against Brighton last weekend.

With Cody Gakpo out injured and Jeremie Frimpong having only just returned to training after nearly two months out, there aren’t too many options available to Slot on the right. The sight of Szoboszlai taking part in training on Friday then will have come as a relief to many, and we’d expect him to start as usual today.

Speaking of which, the Reds’ side may take on a familiar look to last weekend’s win over Brighton, with just the one enforced change.

Alisson takes up his usual spot in goal, with Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate in front of him once again. Milos Kerkez will likely continue at left-back, while the return of Conor Bradley from suspension comes at a good time after Joe Gomez’s injury, so the Northern Ireland international goes straight back into the side.

It’s as you were with the rest of the side. Curtis Jones deserves to keep his place in midfield alongside Ryan Gravenberch, with Alexis Mac Allister continuing as the No.10 as Szoboszlai desputizes on the right again.

Florian Wirtz stays on the left, while Hugo Ekitike should absolutely keep his place up top. Even with the Premier League’s most expensive player in Alexander Isak sitting on the bench, the in-form Ekitike simply cannot be dropped at the moment.

Liverpool travels to Spurs in the Premier League this weekend, with several players set to be missing from the game, potentially including midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai

Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai could be available as the Reds take on Tottenham in the Premier League this weekend, while Jeremie Frimpong is set to make his return to the matchday squad.

Cody Gakpo and Wataru Endo are both out, though the former has had a scan and won't be missing for as long as first feared. Center-backs Joe Gomez and Giovanni Leoni are also both sidelined.

James Maddison is a long-term absentee for Spurs with a knee injury. Like Mohamed Salah, Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma are both at AFCON. Destiny Udogie won't be back from a thigh injury for Thomas Frank's side until January, while former Liverpool striker Dominic Solanke is also sidelined at the moment.

Radu Dragusin, Dejan Kulusevski and Kota Takai are also out, which makes eight Spurs players in total. Liverpool has six players either doubtful or unavailable for the game.

For Liverpool, Conor Bradley is at least available again after he missed the win over Brighton through suspension. Szoboszlai, if he features, will need to avoid a booking or he will pick up a ban of his own.

Liverpool has a strong recent record against Spurs and scored six times in this fixture last season. But Arne Slot is taking nothing for granted as his side continues to build confidence.

"It took us 92 minutes to score away against Brentford, against a Thomas Frank team last season, so you cannot compare..." he said in Friday's press conference.

"Yes, you can compare certain things because [it is] mainly the same players. They've added a few players to the team and with Thomas Frank [there is] a new manager, so I don't think you can compare our games of last season with this season.

"Even more so because we not only added, we lost a lot of players as well, so you cannot compare this team of ours to last season — even with the same manager — and you cannot compare our results of last season [against Tottenham] with facing a Thomas Frank team.

"I think winning always gives a good feeling and good spirit for a team that had so many changes during the summer. The league table, the first 12, 13, 14, 15 teams are so close to each other that winning or losing matters a lot, with one exception.

"Although [Manchester] City are coming closer and closer to Arsenal now, but Arsenal are quite far away from us. I think the main thing for us is to build on what we are building on in the last five games.

"I think with the exception of Brighton maybe, because we did concede a lot of chances against them, but the other games we were solid defensively and that's a good base, combined with that the players are getting more and more ready to compete at Premier League intensity as a group.

"So, I think we can expect more from us in the upcoming part of the season than what we've shown before, but I assume that everybody would expect that [of themselves] as well."

Liverpool took in its final training session ahead of facing Tottenham on Saturday - here's what we spotted from the AXA Training Centre, including some good news for Dominik Szoboszlai

Liverpool’s players have been going through their final preparations at the AXA Training Centre today as they prepare for Saturday’s trip to Tottenham.

Arne Slot put his squad through their paces as usual on Friday after speaking to the media, and there was, of course, one notable absentee, with Mohamed Salah away as he prepares for the start of the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt.

There will still be questions to answer over his future, but for the time being, Liverpool will be focused on trying to boost its top-four hopes without him, starting at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium tomorrow.

The Reds were given a scare ahead of tomorrow’s game after Dominik Szoboszlai was forced off last weekend. Slot is certain to be without the injured Joe Gomez, Cody Gakpo and, of course, Giovanni Leoni, and he’ll be eager for a boost from his star midfielder.

There was some good news on that front as the club's cameras were present for Liverpool’s latest training session. Here’s what we spotted on Friday:

Szoboszlai hint

Given he has been perhaps Liverpool's best player this season, the sight of Szoboszlai limping off against Brighton would have been enough to fill supporters with dread.

The good news is, it doesn't seem to have been anything serious, and if the latest pictures from training are anything to go by, the Hungarian shouldn't have to miss out on tomorrow's trip to north London.

Szoboszlai was pictured taking part in the gym session and out on the training pitch, raising hopes that he will be available to face Tottenham. At the very least, it looks as though he should be fit enough for a place in the matchday squad.

Salah solution?

Whatever happens regarding Salah's future, Liverpool needs to take his time away at the Africa Cup of Nations as an opportunity to take a look at its options to eventually replace him on the right.

One solution could see Jeremie Frimpong come back into contention. The Netherlands international has been back in training following his recent hamstring injury, and he may well make his return to the squad against Tottenham tomorrow.

Whether he will be fit enough to start after nearly two months out is highly doubtful, but he will surely be seen as a potential long-term successor to Salah on the right.

Although he was initially seen as a replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back, Frimpong operated much more as a winger for Bayer Leverkusen, and he usually takes up a more attacking role for his country. Could we see the start of Salah's succession plan tomorrow with the 25-year-old?

The forgotten man

Blink and you'll miss it, but tucked away in the latest batch of pictures from training was a sighting of Stefan Bajcetic.

The 21-year-old looked as though he was on course to become the next big thing at Anfield when he broke through during the 2022/23 season, and actually proved to be one of a very few bright sparks during what was a disappointing campaign.

Injury brought his season to a premature end, and that has rather set the tone for Bajcetic ever since. We've only seen him make three appearances for Liverpool over the subsequent couple of years, with his loan spell at Las Palmas last season ended early as he underwent surgery on his hamstring.

He's been out of action ever since, but hopefully this brief glimpse of him might signal the end of his injury nightmare, and get him back on track to become the player many hoped he would be.

Chiesa's big chance?

You have to give credit to Federico Chiesa. Despite being continually overlooked for opportunities, he always gives his all when he is evantually called upon.

And there are no signs of him letting up in training either, with the Italian going all out during the most recent session, no doubt in the hope that he might finally be rewarded with a start against Tottenham tomorrow.

He surely has as good a chance as he's ever had during his time with the Reds. Salah's absence leaves a gap in the front three, Szoboszlai might only be fit enough for a place on the bench, and it's unlikely we'll see Frimpong from the start.

Perhaps then, Chiesa is smelling his big chance might be set to arrive. You can't say he doesn't deserve it.

Pundit Paul Merson has predicted the outcome of Liverpool's trip to Spurs at the weekend. The Reds will like his thinking, but not his verdict on Mohamed Salah.

Paul Merson is backing Liverpool to beat Tottenham at the weekend. Perhaps the former Arsenal man is letting anti-Spurs biases show, but he is predicting a "comfortable" win for the Reds.

That would certainly be welcomed by Arne Slot. A third win on the bounce would turn this positive run into a genuine fightback, whereas defeat to Thomas Frank's struggling side would send Liverpool almost back to square one.

Slot will have to mastermind victory without Mohamed Salah, who has left for the African Cup of Nations. But the Egyptian has been in and out of the side anyway, creating an unhelpful sideshow that the manager will be pleased to shelve for a while.

When it comes to finding solutions on the pitch, Merson predicts that Slot will elect to use Dominik Szoboszlai on the right in place of Salah. The Hungarian had been an injury doubt, but it seems he will be able to play a part.

"Who comes in for Salah on the right?" Merson mused in his SportsKeeda column. "There is the option of using Federico Chiesa and he deserves more minutes.

"But I just feel like Dominik Szoboszlai might play there in this game. His best position is in midfield, but Slot may use him there and deploy Curtis Jones in midfield.

"Liverpool have not set the world alight with their performances but they are unbeaten in their last five games with three wins. I can see them beating Tottenham comfortably."

Szoboszlai is always a miss in the center of the park, but he has proved adept on the right wing. And Jones is enjoying a good run as well, and is a more than capable alternative in midfield.

On the other hand, Chiesa is a very viable option as well. Merson is right to point out that he deserves more minutes from Slot, and Salah's absence provides an opportunity to put that right on paper.

But in truth, it sounds as if Merson does not think it matters what Liverpool does. He described Spurs as struggling "so bad" in recent weeks, dubbing the loss to Nottingham Forest "atrocious" and settling on a 3-1 scoreline.

Liverpool won't be banking on the match being quite so routine. But if the team does continue to perform well in Salah's absence, Slot's dilemma will rear its head again before long.

The pair patched things up enough to allow Salah to feature against Brighton. But there persists a possibility that this was the 33-year-old's final game for Liverpool.

Merson believes that Liverpool would be ready to sell in January. He picked out a couple of relevant factors:

"If Liverpool get the money they want, I think they will sell Salah in January," Merson claimed. "It also depends on whether they can then go and get Antoine Semenyo, or whoever they consider as an ideal replacement, in the same window."

Liverpool would certainly consider Semenyo a good bit of business. But even amid the trials of the past few weeks, it will surely not be ready to lose Salah just yet.

So here's hoping that Merson has only got half of his Liverpool predictions correct. If he's right about the weekend, then Slot should be in for a relatviely stress-free 90 minutes.

Dominik Szoboszlai’s potential absence against Tottenham Hotspur could leave Arne Slot with a puzzling selection dilemma to solve on Saturday.

The Liverpool star was replaced in the 83rd minute of last weekend’s 2-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion. Szoboszlai sustained an ankle injury during the game, and after continuing for a brief period, Slot made the decision to withdraw one of his most trusted players.

In fact, those seven minutes on Saturday were the first Szoboszlai has missed in the Premier League or Champions League this season, with Liverpool growing reliant on the Hungarian’s versatility to solve the team’s problems. Szoboszlai has started in four different positions this season, making his possible omission at Spurs even more significant.

That Liverpool is missing Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo amplifies Slot’s selection headache.

The Reds' head coach claimed last week that he could call upon 13 experienced outfield players, and the Premier League champions failed to name a full bench against Brighton.

Since then, Joe Gomez and Szoboszlai have picked up injuries, although Conor Bradley’s return from suspension should at least ease some of Slot’s concerns at right-back.

It’s in the attacking areas where Liverpool is currently lacking. The reluctance to start Federico Chiesa or Rio Ngumoha further reduces Liverpool’s options on the right wing, where Szoboszlai has started two of the last three.

Should Slot wish to stick with his more traditional 4-2-3-1 shape, he may have no option but to start with Chiesa, or shoehorn Hugo Ekitike or Florian Wirtz into that position.

Alternatively, reverting to a diamond midfield, a shape Liverpool deployed in the win over Inter Milan, seems logical.

That would involve a recall for the rusty and increasingly unreliable Alexander Isak, who would partner the in-form Ekitike up front.

In midfield, Curtis Jones, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexi Mac Allister and Wirtz would offer a reliable quartet. The only issue with such an approach is Liverpool’s lack of midfield cover on the substitutes’ bench.

Meanwhile, with Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate as the only fit center-backs, reverting to a back three seems impossible. That could only be achieved if Gravenberch or Andy Robertson were to line up at the heart of defense, something Slot has previously trialed.

However the Liverpool head coach approaches the game, the possible absence of up to seven players is problematic. It underlines the dearth of reliable squad members he is currently operating with, an issue that must be addressed in January.

Dominik Szoboszlai is hoping to be passed fit for Liverpool’s Premier League encounter against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

The Hungarian, who has started all 22 Premier League and Champions League games this season, was replaced in the 83rd minute of last weekend’s win over Brighton & Hove Albion. Szoboszlai received on-field treatment after sustaining an ankle injury in the latter stages of the 2-0 victory, and while he managed to continue for a short period, Arne Slot made the decision to replace the 25-year-old.

“Dom, it was his ankle. It didn't look great when I just saw him. But he has an unbelievable mentality, so let's hope for the best,” the Liverpool head coach said after the game.

According to The Athletic, scans have since proved that the injury is not set to be a long-term problem, with Szoboszlai “responding well to treatment in recent days”.

The report adds that a final decision about his involvement at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will be made on Friday.

Should he miss out, there is an expectation that Szoboszlai will be back to face Wolverhampton Wanderers the following week.

The injury blow comes amid of spate of fresh problems for Liverpool. Joe Gomez also hobbled out of the Brighton game and Slot has already indicated he is unlikely to return in time for the Spurs game.

Wataru Endo and Cody Gakpo picked up injuries last week and are not expected to be back in time for the weekend, although Jeremie Frimpong is nearing a return to first-team action.

As for Szoboszlai, he has established himself as one of Liverpool’s most reliable players this term, despite many wondering what role he would have following the influx of summer arrivals.

Before being replaced against Brighton, the only minutes the ex-RB Leipzig man had missed this season came in Liverpool’s two Carabao Cup outings.

His versatility has also proved to be a hugely valuable asset. Szoboszlai has started in four different positions this season, and once again filled in at right-back on Saturday following Gomez’s early withdrawal.

Conor Bradley’s return from suspension at Tottenham will at least resolve that issue, but the lack of midfield and attacking options is a concern, especially after Mohamed Salah’s departure to the Africa Cup of Nations.

Liverpool’s most likely approach at the weekend will be a midfield diamond of Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones, Alexis Mac Allister and Florian Wirtz, with Hugo Ekitike partnering Alexander Isak up front.

Liverpool could be short of up to seven senior players for their trip to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. Arne Slot lamented having only 13 outfield players at his disposal ahead of the Reds' match against Brighton and Hove Albion last weekend.

Despite a brace from Hugo Ekitike securing a 2-0 victory for Slot's team, the win came with its own costs as the Dutch manager saw his squad options further reduced.

Joe Gomez had to be substituted in the first half due to a hamstring injury, while Dominik Szoboszlai also hobbled off towards the end after injuring his ankle. Mohamed Salah, who replaced Gomez, will now also be absent as he leaves for Africa Cup of Nations duty.

Slot was only able to name an eight-man bench, one short of the maximum allowed, against the Seagulls. His substitutes included two players, Wellity Lucky and Calvin Ramsay, who are yet to make their Premier League debuts.

Liverpool can at least look forward to the return of Conor Bradley for their journey to North London in their final game before Christmas, following his suspension during the Brighton win.

However, Slot may have to rely on the club's academy once again to fill his matchday squad due to the ongoing injury crisis. He has already confirmed that Gomez is expected to miss the Tottenham trip, while Szoboszlai's participation is also uncertain.

Meanwhile, it's yet to be confirmed whether Jeremie Frimpong will be fit for selection as he nears a return from a hamstring injury that has kept him out of action since the end of October.

"If I have a player who goes off with a muscle injury like Joe (Gomez), that's normally not a positive thing," Slot shared with the club following their victory over Brighton. "I would not expect him to be in the squad next week [at Tottenham Hotspur]. But sometimes you get a positive surprise.

"People now maybe understand a bit better why I was always so cautious not to play him so many games. I assume many people thought, 'If you have a defender, if you have a right full-back, why don't you play him?'".

"And Dom (Szoboszlai), it was his ankle. It didn't look great when I just saw him. But he has unbelievable mentality so let's hope for the best.

"The good thing is that Conor Bradley comes back from a suspension and normally Jeremie Frimpong will train with us also. But we're also going to miss Mo (Salah) because he is going to go to the Africa Cup of Nations."

Liverpool is already down Cody Gakpo and Wataru Endo, with Slot confirming last week that both players are expected to be out for several weeks due to muscle and ankle injuries respectively.

In other news, Giovanni Leoni remains on the long-term injury list after being ruled out for the season following an ACL surgery. The injury occurred during his debut for the club back in September.

Meanwhile, the reason for Trey Nyoni's absence from the matchday squad to face Brighton remains uncertain, while young talents Stefan Bajcetic, Jayden Danns (both suffering from hamstring injuries) and Kaide Gordon (meniscus injury) continue to be out of action due to their respective injuries.

Jurgen Klopp has been tipped for a surprise return to the Premier League soon, with Tottenham having been urged to hire the former Liverpool boss.

Klopp has been out of management since he left Anfield last year, having been in charge of the Reds for almost nine years. Since then, he has taken up a role as Red Bull’s head of global soccer, although speculation about a return to the dugout has followed him around.

Most recently, he has been linked with the Real Madrid job as Xabi Alonso comes under pressure after a poor run of form at the Bernabeu, but now a shock return to England has been suggested.

Former Tottenham owner Lord Alan Sugar has told the north London club it should be targeting Klopp as its new manager, with current boss Thomas Frank facing more heat after a mixed start to the season.

Spurs sit 11th after suffering a 3-0 loss at Nottingham Forest on Sunday - their sixth league defeat so far this season, leading to speculation over Frank’s future.

Taking to X after the game, Lord Sugar suggested that the club should go all out to hire Klopp as a replacement.

"With the massive fortune of the Lewis family it would be a win-win situation if they hired Jurgen Klopp in January," the star of The Apprentice said.

"Loads of money for players and a great manager. Who agrees?"

Well, Klopp himself looks to be among those who wouldn’t agree.

The 58-year-old has shown little interest in making a return to management, although he hasn’t completely ruled it out. What he has dismissed though is the prospect of a return to the Premier League to manage any club other than Liverpool.

"If you ask me, ‘Will you ever work as a manager again?’ I would say now no," Klopp said after announcing his decision to leave the Reds.

"But I don’t know obviously how that will feel because I never had the situation. What I know definitely – I will never, ever manage a different club in England than Liverpool, 100 per cent. That’s not possible. My love for this club, my respect for the people is too big. I couldn’t.

"I couldn’t for a second think about it. There’s no chance. This is part of my life, we are part of the family, we feel home here. There’s no chance to do that. But all the rest, will I ever work again? Of course, I know myself, I cannot just sit around."

Khalid Boulahrouz reckons Liverpool ought to pursue Micky van de Ven, describing the Dutchman as the "ideal successor" to Reds skipper Virgil van Dijk.

The 24-year-old made the switch to Tottenham Hotspur in a deal potentially worth $58 million (£43 million) from VfL Wolfsburg during the summer of 2023. Nevertheless, he had also been consistently linked with a switch to Anfield at that time, having previously been recruited by then-Liverpool sporting director Jorg Schmadtke for the German club initially.

The center-half has caught the eye for Spurs this campaign under Thomas Frank, recovering impressively following an injury-hit season last time out.

Netting six goals across 16 outings, the Dutchman has also contributed to his team securing seven clean sheets thus far this term.

With Van Dijk advancing in years, former Chelsea defender Boulahrouz maintains that Van de Ven would represent the perfect long-term solution for the 34-year-old at both club and international level.

"I think he's the ideal successor to Virgil van Dijk, both in the Dutch national team and at Liverpool," the former Netherlands international told ESPN NL.

"And Liverpool isn't crazy: if you're looking for a world-class left center-back and you have the money, you'll quickly end up with Van de Ven.

"The same goes for the Dutch national team. I think Ronald Koeman has long since realized that Van Dijk's successor is already out there.

"He's (Van de Ven) really outperforming them. He's physically strong and incredibly quick. Opponents know that, so they don't even try to get past him anymore. He could still do better on the ball; he makes the occasional blunder. But overall, I think he's fantastic."

Van Dijk penned a fresh two-year deal with Liverpool back in April before leading the Reds to Premier League glory, though he has faced scrutiny this campaign as Arne Slot's team continues to falter.

However, Boulahrouz has backed his fellow countryman, maintaining that he remains world-class. Yet he acknowledges that following numerous seasons at the pinnacle with Liverpool, Van Dijk could be approaching a period where he begins to decline.

"Virgil is still undisputed in the Dutch national team," he said. "Even though Liverpool hasn't been performing quite as well lately. Diogo Jota's passing has had a huge impact on the squad.

"In addition, many new players have joined. That has an impact, and you can see that with Van Dijk. But despite that, he remains a world-class player.

"The question, of course, is what Virgil will do after the World Cup. Playing in the Premier League for years has taken its toll. You might long for a bit of a break."

Kyle Walker welcomes the visit of Liverpool on Sunday for his first clash with the Reds in a Burnley shirt - and will certainly be hoping this one doesn't end in tears.

The veteran full-back is no stranger to showdowns with Liverpool having featured in several fiery clashes during his spell at rivals Manchester City. And despite City's untold success in that time, Walker's record against Liverpool is worse than any other club he's faced in his career.

Sunday will be the 28th time he has faced the Reds, with only seven victories to show for his efforts while he has been on the receiving end of defeat on no fewer than 10 occasions - one of which, he admitted, he'll "never, ever forget".

After a brief stint with AC Milan, Walker is back in the Premier League playing under ex-Spurs teammate Scott Parker at Turf Moor. And it is a memory from Walker's time at Tottenham which has caused him some significant grief.

Fortunately for his own sake, Parker had already moved on to Fulham by that point. Which is probably just as well, as it may have put him off going into management!

It was December 15, 2013 when Brendan Rodgers' title-chasing Liverpool made the trip to White Hart Lane, where Walker and Co were handed a demoralising 5-0 thumping - Spurs' worst home defeat in 16 years.

It was a defeat which turned out to be curtains for Spurs boss Andre Villas Boas, who was promptly handed his P45 the next day. And things all got a bit emotional in the Spurs dressing room...

“I can remember when he left, and I will never forget it,” Walker said on his BBC podcast, ‘ You’ll Never Beat Kyle Walker ‘. “I swear to you, I will never, ever forget it. We were sat in the auditorium and we got wind that he was going.

“[Daniel] Levy sacked him, but he was still in the building and we were still ready to train. He came downstairs and started crying in front of us.

“He started crying in front of us, and I remember his assistant was telling him to pull it together. He started crying, I’ve got tears running down my eyes. A lot of the lads had tears.

“Michael Dawson is welling, he can’t stop crying. He’s emotionally crying because that is how much he meant to the lads."

Walker added: "We probably didn’t do him justice on the pitch because that’s why he got the sack, but for 10-12 men to be crying because the manager has gone, he has done something well in the dressing room.

“Football aside, he’s emotionally connected with us as well. As a team, we probably let him down a bit.”