The Independent

Swipe for next article

Liveupdated

Tottenham vs Atletico Madrid LIVE: Hosts fight to narrow win and produce first signs of a turnaround under Tudor

Tottenham 3-2 Atletico Madrid (5-7 agg.): Hosts produce spirited performance but goals from Julian Alvarez and David Hancko settle the tie

Tottenham exited the Champions League but secured their first win under Igor Tudor with a spirited performance in a 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid.

The visitors had an early goal ruled out but it was Spurs who were the superior side in the first half, and they were repaid for their early efforts when Randal Kolo Muani headed in from Mathys Tel’s cross.

Spurs were in the ascendancy after gaining the lead on the night, with Tel going close moments later as they headed into the break with renewed hope. However, it didn’t take long for Atleti to hit back, Julian Alvarez producing a brilliant finish to restore his side’s three-goal advantage.

It briefly looked like that goal might settle the tie but Xavi Simons gave Spurs renewed belief just minutes later, the Dutchman curling in a superb strike to give his side hope.

However, the hosts couldn’t capitalise when on top, with Atletico doing everything to break up play and prevent the hosts getting into a rhythm, and they soon landed the deciding blow as David Hancko glanced in from a corner to settle the tie.

It leaves Spurs rueing the remarkable 5-2 loss in the first leg last week, though attention has to quickly turn to the weekend, when they face Nottingham Forest in a potential relegation six-pointer.

Follow all the reaction from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium below:

Pinned

How Igor Tudor’s reign of error turned huge corner as Tottenham remembered how to win

Four days after emerging from pointlessness, Igor Tudor is now no longer winless. His interim reign of error at Tottenham is finally finding its purpose, eight days on from the Croatian appearing a complete and utter lost cause.

Spurs are out of the Champions League but akin to fellow relegation candidates Nottingham Forest, there is the fair argument that Europe could be a very unwanted distraction from survival. With Spurs fans in full voice, still in their seats at the full-time whistle, victory on the night feels far more important than defeat in tie.

Even without the milestone win, there was a sense of hope and pride that was attached to the atmosphere during the contest’s closing stages. “Oh When The Spurs” belting out from stand to stand, you wouldn’t have thought this was a team three goals down and on the verge of being dumped out of Europe. Purely from a performance perspective, a corner had been turned.

Spurs have found their fight and European exit might be just what Tudor needs

Tottenham 3-2 Atletico Madrid (5-7 agg.): Spurs sealed their first win of 2026 as Tudor’s interim reign of error finally began to show its purpose

Will Castle at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium18 March 2026 23:06

Champions League quarter-finals confirmed as Liverpool face PSG in huge clash

Liverpool will face Paris Saint-Germain in a blockbuster last-eight tie after the Champions League quarter-finals were confirmed following the conclusion of an eventful round of 16.

Arsenal ensured the unprecedented six English sides competing in this stage would not suffer a humiliating wipeout as they breezed past Bayer Leverkusen in their must-win second leg at the Emirates on Tuesday.

Stunning strikes from Eberechi Eze and Declan Rice proved the difference with Arsenal running out 3-1 winners on aggregate, setting up a tie with Sporting CP who recovered a three-goal first-leg deficit to win 5-0 on the night against Bodo/Glimt, ending the Norwegian side’s fairytale run.

Champions League quarter-finals confirmed as Liverpool face PSG in huge clash

The last-eight line-up has been confirmed with two English clubs still standing

Chris Wilson19 March 2026 07:00

Igor Tudor explains why Tottenham take ‘confidence’ into relegation showdown with Nottingham Forest

Interim Tottenham Hotspur manager Igor Tudor insists his players now have “a lot of confidence” ahead of their match against Nottingham Forest after the spirited Champions League win over Atletico Madrid.

Spurs fought to a 3-2 win in the second leg of their last-16 tie on Wednesday night thanks to a brace from Xavi Simons and an early header from Randal Kolo Muani, and while the result was only enough for a 7-5 aggregate loss, it did seal their first win under their interim boss.

Tudor’s side will not qualify for European competition but this is the sort of result that can spur them on for the rest of the season, with the Lilywhites having secured their first Premier League points under the Croatian with last week’s draw to Liverpool.

Tudor says Spurs players have ‘confidence’ ahead of relegation showdown with Forest

Spurs secured their first win under their interim manager with a 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League

Chris Wilson19 March 2026 06:00

Is the Premier League at risk of losing fifth Champions League place after damaging last-16 results?

The Premier League could boast seven clubs in next season’s Champions League if all the right pieces fall into place – but there is now a real danger of having only four spots after a string of poor results.

Last term saw an unprecedented six English clubs qualify for Europe’s premier competition; five by their league position, while Tottenham earned their place in the league phase after winning the Europa League.

Yet that inflated contingent could grow even more this year, with the Premier League appearing as one of the more prominent beneficiaries to the competition’s expansion to 36 teams that came into effect at the beginning of 2024/25.

Is the Premier League at risk of losing fifth Champions League place after exits?

An unprecedented seven English teams could make up the 36 clubs that qualify for next season’s Champions League

Chris Wilson19 March 2026 05:00

Premier League sides struggle

Not a great week or so for English sides in Europe...

Chris Wilson19 March 2026 03:00

The Liverpool frenzy that may have altered their Champions League fate – as revenge mission against PSG awaits

There may not be too many ways in which this season is better than last for Liverpool but Arne Slot can at least point to a significant one. Liverpool have gone further in the Champions League, and this was progress in more ways than one.

A quarter-final was booked in emphatic and entertaining fashion. The boos that greeted the final whistle against Tottenham on Sunday were replaced by cheers, the lethargy with which Liverpool have played too often giving way to an energy and intensity. This was frenzied and fast, players and crowd feeding off each other. For Slot, it was a response when the scrutiny upon him had heightened. The Dutchman switched tactics, to something of a 4-4-2, and the team changed tack. This was much better. This was one of his finest Anfield nights of the campaign.

The Liverpool frenzy that may have altered their Champions League fate – as PSG await

Liverpool 4-0 Galatasaray (4-1 agg.): After a difficult week, Arne Slot’s side were back to their best as they thrashed Galatasaray

Chris Wilson19 March 2026 02:00

Barcelona blow away Newcastle in brutal end to Champions League dream

Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha killed off Newcastle's Champions League dream as Barcelona survived a first-half fright to book a quarter-final place in style.

The 37-year-old Poland international hit the Magpies with a quick-fire double before the Brazilian struck to seal a 7-2 win on the night - a 13th on the trot since their return to the Nou Camp - and an 8-3 aggregate victory on a night when Eddie Howe's side imploded.

Anthony Elanga's first-half brace had cancelled out Raphinha's early opener and Marc Bernal's free-header, but Lamine Yamal's stoppage-time penalty opened the floodgates with Fermin Lopez, Lewandowski and Raphinha again doing the damage.

Barcelona blow away Newcastle in brutal end to Champions League dream

Barcelona 7-2 Newcastle (8-3 agg.): Having matched the Catalan club for three halves, Newcastle were blown away in the second leg to bow out of the Champions League

Chris Wilson19 March 2026 01:00

WATCH: Highlights as Spurs beat Atleti

Here are all the highlights as Spurs got their first win under Igor Tudor.

It all started with a great header from Kolo Muani...

...before a superb equaliser from Julian Alvarez.

Xavi Simons regained the lead for the hosts with his own brilliant strike...

...but the tie was settled by David Hancko late on...

...even if there was time for Simons to win the game late on with a penalty!

Chris Wilson19 March 2026 00:00

Champions League quarter-finals confirmed as Liverpool face PSG in huge clash

Liverpool will face Paris Saint-Germain in a blockbuster last-eight tie after the Champions League quarter-finals were confirmed following the conclusion of an eventful round of 16.

Arsenal ensured the unprecedented six English sides competing in this stage would not suffer a humiliating wipeout as they breezed past Bayer Leverkusen in their must-win second leg at the Emirates on Tuesday.

Stunning strikes from Eberechi Eze and Declan Rice proved the difference with Arsenal running out 3-1 winners on aggregate, setting up a tie with Sporting CP who recovered a three-goal first-leg deficit to win 5-0 on the night against Bodo/Glimt, ending the Norwegian side’s fairytale run.

Champions League quarter-finals confirmed as Liverpool face PSG in huge clash

The last-eight line-up has been confirmed with two English clubs still standing

Chris Wilson18 March 2026 23:30

Igor Tudor explains why Tottenham take ‘confidence’ into relegation showdown with Nottingham Forest

Interim Tottenham Hotspur manager Igor Tudor insists his players now have “a lot of confidence” ahead of their match against Nottingham Forest after the spirited Champions League win over Atletico Madrid.

Spurs fought to a 3-2 win in the second leg of their last-16 tie on Wednesday night thanks to a brace from Xavi Simons and an early header from Randal Kolo Muani, and while the result was only enough for a 7-5 aggregate loss, it did seal their first win under their interim boss.

Tudor’s side will not qualify for European competition but this is the sort of result that can spur them on for the rest of the season, with the Lilywhites having secured their first Premier League points under the Croatian with last week’s draw to Liverpool.

Tudor says Spurs players have ‘confidence’ ahead of relegation showdown with Forest

Spurs secured their first win under their interim manager with a 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League

Chris Wilson18 March 2026 23:15

Four days after emerging from pointlessness, Igor Tudor is now no longer winless. His interim reign of error at Tottenham is finally finding its purpose, eight days on from the Croatian appearing a complete and utter lost cause.

Spurs are out of the Champions League but akin to fellow relegation candidates Nottingham Forest, there is the valid argument that Europe could be a very unwanted distraction from survival. With Spurs fans in full voice, still in their seats at the full-time whistle, victory on the night feels far more important than defeat in a tie.

Even without the milestone win, there was a sense of hope and pride that was attached to the atmosphere during the contest’s closing stages. “Oh When The Spurs” belting out from stand to stand, you wouldn’t have thought this was a team three goals down and on the verge of being dumped out of Europe. Purely from a performance perspective, a corner had been turned.

“We're out but one very good team on the pitch, one very good performance of the players and energy,” Tudor said. “It was really nice that the fans recognised that the team did everything they could do. They were with us from the start and I thank them for that.”

There was a semblance after Sunday’s draw at Anfield that, with Tudor on the touchline but not necessarily conscious at the wheel, Spurs were beginning to stage their own rescue mission. Their players had shown some fight. Tottenham couldn’t pat themselves on the back too heavily, of course – that first result in five games under the Croatian was hardly to do with Tudor’s tactical acumen and more came from an ever-beleaguered Liverpool’s persistent inability to finish well. It was nevertheless a baby step in the right direction.

The visit of Atletico now acted as a litmus test to see if they were toddling on the road to recovery. Three goals down after their catastrophe in the Spanish capital, a remontada looked dead on arrival. Instead, this felt like a free hit, their last of what is probably the most important close-season in the club’s history.

Perhaps that’s why Tudor opted for more inconsistency in his team selection, who looked like he was reverting back to the three-back system that shipped four in 22 minutes at the Metropolitano. Instead, Radu Dragusin slotted in at right-back, with Pedro Porro moving to right wing in a 4-2-3-1 setup – the fourth formation Tudor has utilised in six outings.

Yet in this setup, something began to click for Tottenham going forward. Tudor’s men no longer looked flat or devoid of attacking inspiration. Spurs looked like they had a gameplan and for the first time in his reign, multiple Tudor decisions were paying off at once. “You work, you work, you work and then there is a game that shows our work,” the interim boss said. “The players really believed, that was the key.”

Porro was a live wire in his more advanced position, Archie Gray and Pape Matar Sarr starred in the double pivot, while Randal Kolo Muani and Xavi Simons – restored to the side after their influential Anfield cameos – made their starts count with goals.

Kolo Muani delivered Spurs a warranted breakthrough on the half-hour mark, providing the header to match countryman Mathys Tel’s inch-perfect cross. To this point, three of Tottenham’s six goals under Tudor were at least in part down to defensive errors, including their second against Atleti last week and their equaliser at Liverpool. This one could only be pinned on the quality of their own.

The same could be said for Tottenham’s second, which came five minutes after a piece of individual brilliance from Julian Alvarez briefly snuffed out the newfound belief that was being felt on White Hart Lane. Xavi Simons, with a fire lit by a VAR call that deemed him not to be fouled in the build-up to Atletico’s equaliser, beautifully bent home from range in the 52nd minute.

And it was the Dutchman’s trickery that delivered Tottenham a first win of 2026, a first at home since 6 December. He won the late penalty and converted with aplomb, a consolation in the tie but potentially crucial to Tottenham’s resurrection.

Spurs still looked porous at the back. They surrendered a lead twice, Atletico’s second seeing David Hancko completely brush off Djed Spence to head home an Alvarez corner to kill all hope of a comeback 15 minutes from time. Spence regressed into the “Spursy” habits of the away leg moments later, being robbed of the ball at the restart and giving Alvarez a clear run on goal. It would’ve been deja vu if not from the goalkeeping heroics of Guglielmo Vicario, whose impressive display can only highlight how detrimental Tudor’s gamble on Antonin Kinsky proved to their chances in this tie.

But without Jan Oblak down the other end, that unlikely remontada could have become a serious possibility. Tel and Porro both had huge chances to reduce the aggregate deficit to one either side of half-time, but neither could beat the imposing Slovenian.

Alas, there was no miracle on this night, but maybe that was best for Tottenham. They need full focus on maintaining their Premier League status because after this free hit, Spurs face eight cup finals, now with a reminder of the winning feeling. Tudor says Sunday’s pivotal meeting with Forest “will decide nothing” – in reality it could change everything. This will be their last Champions League game for a while – the only remaining Tottenham objective is to avoid the Championship.

Interim Tottenham Hotspur manager Igor Tudor will welcome back Cristian Romero, Destiny Udogie and Lucas Bergvall for the second leg of the Champions League last-16 tie against Atletico Madrid this week.

However, Spurs will be without Joao Palhinha for the return leg, while Conor Gallagher may have to settle for a place on the bench after suffering from a virus in the lead up to the draw with Liverpool.

Spurs captain Romero makes a return from the concussion that he suffered in a collision with Palhinha in the 5-2 first-leg loss just under a week ago, though the Portuguese midfielder has not recovered in time for this week’s match.

“Romero, he's there. You saw him in training today? He can play. Joao, no, he's a little bit worse, so he'll be (available) for the next game. Romero is in,” explained Tudor.

But there is a welcome boost for Tudor as the duo of Udogie and Bergvall will be back in the squad, though their manager was quick to highlight that neither would be fit enough to play the entire match.

“Destiny and Lucas will be on the bench tomorrow. One part of the game, not too much because they have just started training with us, but it's good to see them,” said Tudor.

However, one player who will face a late assessment is Gallagher. The England midfielder – who joined in January from Atletico in a deal worth £35m – has been suffering from a “virus”, with Tudor adding that the staff “are going to see tomorrow if he is able to go on the bench”.

The returns of Bergvall and Udogie are a welcome boost as they ease one of the worst injury crises in the Premier League, with Spurs still without Yves Bissouma, James Maddison, Mohammed Kudus, Rodrigo Bentancur, Dejan Kulusevski and Wilson Odobert as they welcome Atletico.

Tudor’s side will look to pull off one of the most remarkable comebacks in competition history as they host the Spanish side, with Spurs trailing by three goals ahead of kick-off after last week’s disaster in Madrid.

Micky van de Ven has launched a robust defence of his commitment to Tottenham Hotspur, vehemently dismissing reports that players are indifferent to the club’s precarious situation as "nonsense".

Spurs are currently embroiled in a Premier League relegation battle and slipped to a club-record sixth consecutive loss when they were beaten 5-2 by Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie last week.

While a spirited 1-1 draw at Liverpool on Sunday offered a glimmer of hope, Van de Ven, who himself faced criticism following a red card against Crystal Palace earlier this month, was quick to refute claims that some players have "checked out" of the survival fight.

"The only thing I can say is it’s not true," Van de Ven stated ahead of Wednesday’s second leg against Atletico.

"It would be strange if a player was in the dressing room now and saying, ‘I’m going to leave either way, or I don’t focus about the situation because everything that’s going to happen, it doesn’t affect me’, so I think it’s just nonsense."

The defender expressed frustration over the origin of such rumours, highlighting their detrimental impact on fan perception.

"The other day when we read something about one guy that said to everyone that he’s probably going to leave and doesn’t care about the situation they’re in, and then someone reads this and we’re just like, how does this come out? People are just making things up.

“It’s just frustrating for us as well because it brings so much more trouble as well, because the fans are starting to believe this."

Van de Ven insisted that everyone involved with the club is deeply invested in turning their fortunes around.

"Trust me all the people involved on the pitch, the staff, the players, everyone, they care so much about the situation we’re in right now.

“We just want to turn things around and that’s the most important, that’s the main focus for everyone."

Acknowledging his own recent form, he added: "I just want to stay fit and turn things around. Obviously, the last games from my side hasn’t been the best and I know that as well.

“It’s just most important that I keep showing to everyone that I always give 100 per cent to this club. I will always do as long as I play. For me, the most important is that we turn things around right now."

Jamie Carragher has questioned whether Arne Slot remains the right man to lead Liverpool following their “awful performance” in Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield.

The reigning champions squandered an opportunity to move up to fourth in the Premier League table after Dominik Szobsoszlai’s first-half free-kick was cancelled out by Richarlison’s late equaliser.

It was the third late equaliser Liverpool have allowed this season, in addition to five injury-time winners conceded, as relegation-threatened Spurs avoided defeat for the first time in six matches. Home supporters booed at full-time, a reaction that the head coach said was “completely normal.”

Liverpool’s latest dropped points mean they are now 21 behind leaders Arsenal with eight league games remaining and on Wednesday they host Galatasaray in the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie having lost the first meeting 1-0 in Istanbul.

Carragher was not pointing the blame solely at Slot’s feet, however, with the former defender suggesting last summer’s transfer business – when six new players arrived at a cost of more than £400m - has meant an imbalanced squad containing too many players possessing similar skillsets and few capable of doing the dirty work required late in close games.

"Awful performance, considering the opposition,” Carragher said on Sky Sports. "That’s not trying to be disrespectful to Tottenham, but they have been the worst team in the Premier League for the last couple of months.

"Exactly who you want to be playing, playing at home as well, the incentive of the other results this weekend - then to put in a performance like that. But it’s been like that all season and the big question on everyone’s lips is, ‘Is that down to the manager or the make-up of the squad?’

"Could a new manager revitalise these players and bring that energy and intensity back into this team? I’m not sure. I think a lot of it goes back to what happened in the summer, the profile of the players coming in.

“There are just too many players wanting to play when the ball’s at their feet. They don’t want to dig in when the opposition have got the ball and make it difficult. That’s why it’s so easy to play against this Liverpool team."

Roy Keane, meanwhile, described them as “bad champions” while calling on both decision-makers and players to “have a good look in the mirror” before Wednesday’s potentially season-defining game against Galatasaray.

"There’s definitely something missing at Liverpool, obviously. They are way off it,” the former Manchester United captain said. "There’s definitely tension in the stadium. There’s something amiss, whether it be players, issues with the manager, recruitment hasn’t panned out how they hoped.

"Liverpool have got to have a good look in the mirror. They’ve been bad champions. They’re now 21 points behind Arsenal. What a drop-off that is. That is so bad."

Literally and figuratively, Igor Tudor is no longer pointless. The Tottenham manager lost his unwanted 100 per cent record, got his first result to savour and, just perhaps, brought the first signs of a revival that may save a beleaguered club. Spurs’ club-record run of defeats is over, halted at six after their first draw in six weeks. For Liverpool, an inability to beat a club seemingly in crisis could come at a cost. They are stumbling when they could have strolled back towards the Champions League.

Their scorer feels they could be sleepwalking into a rather lesser competition. “We have to wake up because if we carry on like this, we should be happy with the Conference League,” said Dominik Szoboszlai. “In the last minute, again, I don't know how many times this season already.” That was one theme. Another was that Liverpool have failed to beat four of the bottom six at home this season. They were thwarted at the last by a familiar foe. For the fifth time in his career, Richarlison scored at Anfield.

Liverpool led for 72 minutes but Tottenham’s best performance under Tudor meant this was no smash-and-grab raid. “We can say it was deserved,” said the Croatian. “They showed fight.” His side had seven shots on target, a spirit and a resourcefulness that meant they scarcely looked a team in freefall. At the fifth time of asking, Tudor, the supposed relegation firefighter, appeared a man putting out a blaze, rather than adding fuel to the flames. “This is something really big,” said Tudor.

After the embarrassment against Atletico Madrid, there was also a shift in the narrative. This time, Tudor did approach his goalkeeper when his involvement ended. He had been at fault for a goal, too, but there had been an appreciative tap. There was no early substitution, but it was no career-defining mistake. The recalled Guglielmo Vicario probably should have saved Szoboszlai’s free kick; but Tudor did not panic and, later, there were redemptive saves from Cody Gakpo, tipping his drive on to the near post, and Mohamed Salah, turning a half-volley wide, that kept Tottenham in the game. If Vicario’s initial inability to deal with Szoboszlai’s shot underlined why goalkeeper has been a problem position for Spurs this season, the Italian had coped well after being summoned in the Metropolitano. After the 18th minute, he excelled. “Vicario was good today,” said Tudor.

Antonin Kinsky, meanwhile, watched on from the bench, one of two goalkeepers there; had Vicario got injured, it would have been instructive if Tudor turned to him. Instead, he did make an influential substitution. It felt an indictment of Spurs’ summer business that, shorn of 13 players, the only two senior outfield players who did not start were Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani. Tudor brought both on and the France forward outmuscled Virgil van Dijk to square for Richarlison to finish.

The goal had been coming: for Tottenham in general and the Brazilian in particular. He had come close three times earlier; twice with headers, with Alisson saving the latter, and once with a shot his Brazil teammate saved after he had wriggled away from Van Dijk, claiming the Liverpool captain fouled him. The former Everton forward can take pleasure from annoying Liverpool; but until he struck, only goal difference was keeping Tottenham out of the drop zone. As Liverpool missed the chance to go fourth, there was an importance at either end of the table.

“Of course it is damaging,” said Slot; that damage extended to the relationship with the supporters who booed at the end. “I think it's understandable for fans to be frustrated,” Slot said. Liverpool’s latest underwhelming performance suggested his decisions backfired. He could have been forgiven for assuming that Spurs’ plight was such that they were very beatable and starting with Hugo Ekitike and Ibrahima Konate in reserve suggested they were being rested for a rematch with Galatasaray, though there was a greater case to say Salah, out of sorts in Istanbul on Tuesday, was dropped.

Yet while Gakpo hit the post and Rio Ngumoha sparkled on his first Premier League start, Liverpool’s front three comprised a winger operating as a striker, a teenager and a full-back, in Jeremie Frimpong. Liverpool had too little creativity, too little firepower, too poor decision-making. Indeed, the teams who finished third and fourth in the Champions League group stage lost the ball with alarming regularity.

But, not for the first time, Liverpool could be grateful for the increasingly remarkable Szoboszlai. Now only David Beckham and Laurent Robert have scored more free kicks in a Premier League campaign. This was not as superlative as the specials against Arsenal and Manchester City, not hit with the same velocity or finding the top corner. Vicario got his hand to it, but tipped it in.

Yet Liverpool could not get a second. Once again, they conceded late on. “Every time it happens in the last minute it is an enormous frustration,” said Slot. For Tottenham, frustration was replaced by jubilation. Just a fifth point in 12 games got Tudor off the mark and means he will not leave with nothing to show for his time in London. “I was never thinking one second about my future,” said Tudor. “Future is just imagination, future don't exist.” But the manager who seemed to have no future now looks likelier to survive at least another week.

Liverpool take on Tottenham in the Premier League this afternoon, with the hosts hoping to climb into the top five as the visitors look to try and stave off the threat of relegation.

Arne Slot’s side begin the day in sixth, level on points with Chelsea in the battle for top five, and while some of their recent performances – including in the losses to Wolves and Galatasaray – aren’t filling fans with hope, it is still all to play for after the Blues lost to Newcastle yesterday.

At the other end of the table, things are threatening to unravel at Spurs, with the remarkable 5-2 loss to Atletico in midweek the latest episode in a scarcely believable saga that could end in relegation.

Igor Tudor’s side sat just one point above the drop zone at the beginning of the weekend, but with club reportedly looking at targets to replace the Croatian, it could all get so much worse before it gets better in north London.

Igor Tudor is hoping for a drastic change in fortunes to save his and Tottenham’s skin as the relegation-threatened giants travel to Liverpool.

Both sides return to domestic action off the back of Champions League disappointment, with the Reds succumbing to a 1-0 defeat to Galatasaray in their last-16 first leg, while Spurs were once again embarrassed in a 5-2 thrashing by Atletico Madrid.

Liverpool will see the visit of a Spurs side devoid of inspiration as the perfect chance to get back to winning ways, while Tudor will know the walls are already closing in on his interim tenure.

Defeat at Anfield could see Tottenham, winless in 2026, finally drop into the drop zone, having gone into the weekend a mere point ahead of Nottingham Forest and West Ham below them.

Here’s everything you need to know.

When is Liverpool vs Tottenham?

Liverpool’s meeting with Tottenham kicks off at 4:30pm GMT on Sunday 15 March at Anfield.

How can I watch it?

Fans in the UK can watch the clash on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, with coverage starting at 4pm GMT. The match can also be streamed on Sky Go. If you’re not a Sky customer, you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription.

Team news

Alisson could return for Liverpool after missing the defeat at Galatasaray through injury, while Arne Slot also added that Federico Chiesa could also return to contention following illness. Slot also provided an update on Alexander Isak, who is still managing his rehabilitation and is hopeful of a return in the coming weeks.

Tottenham’s injury list remains extensive, not helped by Micky van de Ven’s silly red card against Crystal Palace which sees him suspended for this clash. Cristian Romero and Palhinha’s availability is up in the air after a clash of heads against Atleti, forcing both off the pitch. Destiny Udogie is also a doubt with a thigh problem, while Guglielmo Vicario will surely return to the starting XI after Antonin Kinsky’s disaster in Madrid.

Predicted line-ups

Liverpool XI: Alisson; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekitike.

Liverpool vs Spurs betting tips

Things don’t get any easier for Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, when they travel to Anfield to take on Liverpool, desperate for a win to ease their relegation fears (4:30pm, Sky Sports Main Event).

Spurs are just one point and two places outside the relegation zone at the time of writing, but their situation could be a lot more perilous by the time they kick off against the reigning Premier League champions.

Things have gone from bad to worse since Igor Tudor replaced Thomas Frank, with the Croatian having lost all four of his games in charge.

He was brought in because of his reputation for getting an immediate response, but if anything, Spurs are worse now than they were under Frank.

They have conceded 14 goals in those four games and scored five, in the defeats to Arsenal, Fulham, Crystal Palace and Atletico Madrid last time out.

Many felt he wouldn’t survive the aftermath of that defeat in Spain, which saw him make a surprise change in goal, giving Antonin Kinsky his first start since October, only to replace him after 17 minutes with Spurs already 3-0 down.

His side are now 15/8 with the football betting sites to be relegated, and 39/5 to get a win at Anfield, which would be their first in 15 years!

Liverpool vs Tottenham betting preview: More woe for Spurs

It’s not been a good season for Liverpool with their title defence falling flat. This season started ok but a run of nine defeats in 12 games between the end of September and November put pay to their chances of retaining the title.

They now sit 19 points behind Arsenal in sixth place, but know the only thing that matters this season is to ensure they qualify for next season’s Champions League, especially after their recent spending.

Arne Slot bought in eight new players in the summer for fees of over £400m, but it’s fair to say they’ve not settled as he would have hoped. Alexander Isak has made just 16 appearances, scoring three times before breaking his leg against Spurs in the reverse fixture.

Jeremie Frimpong has had an injury-interrupted start to life at Anfield, while fellow fullback Milos Kerkez has struggled to find the form he showed at Bournemouth last season.

The big bright sparks have been Hugo Ekitike, who has scored 16 goals in his first season, and Florian Wirtz, who is finally showing why the Reds were willing to spend £116m to bring him in from Bayer Leverkusen.

They go into the game with four wins in their last six in the League, but they were beaten last time out against the bottom side Wolves, going down 2-1.

They did follow that up with a 3-1 win over the same side in the FA Cup just three days later, but were beaten away at Galatasaray in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Mario Lemina scored the only goal of the game in Turkey, although Liverpool will be confident of overturning the deficit at Anfield on Wednesday.

Spurs were in action that same night, losing heavily to Atletico Madrid to extend their losing run to six straight defeats in all competitions.

Tudor’s side have conceded three or more goals seven times so far this season, including three of their last four, while Liverpool have scored three or more 12 times; their problem has often been at the other end of the pitch.

The Reds have conceded 39 goals in the league so far, which is only two fewer than in the whole of the last campaign, and betting sites are offering 7/4 on both teams to score and Liverpool to win.

Liverpool vs Spurs prediction 1: Liverpool to score over 2.5 goals - 11/10 BetMGM

Can Salah punish Spurs again?

Mo Salah’s form has been hit and miss for Liverpool this season, but he has struggled in the main to reach the form and incredible numbers from last season.

He has 16 for the season, but seven of those have come for his country, including four in the Africa Cup of Nations.

After scoring two in his last three games, he will be hoping he can get back to some sort of form against a team where his record is exceptional.

The forward has scored 16 goals against Spurs, with 12 of those coming in the Premier League, including three in his last three appearances against them.

He also has five assists in his 24 appearances against Tottenham, which is why the best price you can get on a goal or assist on betting apps is just 13/20 .

Liverpool vs Spurs prediction 2: Salah to score at any time - 7/4 BetVictor

Liverpool vs Spurs team news

Liverpool vs Spurs predicted lineups

Liverpool: Allison; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekitike

Spurs: Vicario; Danso, Romero, Dragusin; Porro, Gallagher, Gray, Spence; Kolo Muani, Solanke, Tel.

When having a bet, it’s vital to practice responsible gambling.

Sports betting can be addictive, so bettors should take precautions to keep themselves safe when using gambling sites.

Every licensed UK betting site should offer safer gambling tools, such as deposit limits, time outs, self-assessment questionnaires and self-exclusion options.

These are free tools to help punters stay in control and they are available at various gambling sites, including the best bingo sites, casino sites, casino apps, slot sites and poker sites.

These operators may offer punters betting sign-up offers or a casino bonus from time to time, but it’s important to treat these rewards with caution.

Always remember that sports betting is meant to be fun. It should never be viewed as a guaranteed way to make money.

If you ever feel like you need help or advice on gambling addiction, don’t hesitate to contact one of the charities or organisations below.

We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

Alisson Becker could return for Liverpool against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League this weekend after missing the Champions League trip through injury.

The Brazil shot-stopper was missing in the 1-0 defeat to Galatasaray, with Arne Slot’s side left with a last 16 deficit before next week’s return leg at Anfield.

Giorgi Mamardashvili deputised for Alisson, but Arne Slot has provided an update on his No 1’s condition and the chances of facing relegation-threatened Spurs.

“He felt something when he passed the ball in one of his muscles but after we checked it, it was minor,” Slot said.

“So it didn't take long, but games follow up so fast he had to miss Galatasaray, but hopefully he is ready to play Sunday.

“If not then definitely Galatasaray on Wednesday.”

While Slot added that Federico Chiesa could feature on Sunday, too.

“Chiesa, I expect he feels better; he is able to train with us today, Slot confirmed.

While Alexander Isak is still managing his rehabilitation with the Sweden striker hopeful of a return in the coming weeks.

“[Isak] is with the rehab team still not with the team yet,” Slot added.

The Dutch coach also expects a different Spurs test, despite their struggles, including a midweek thrashing at the hands of Atletico Madrid.

“You have to look at how those other games went, playing style, managers,” Slot said. “Ange was there last two times, known for different style than we mainly see in the Premier League now.

“So yeah, games are more open, as PSG v Chelsea was, two teams want to attack and press and that is not so common anymore that two teams want that style against each other. I expect a different Spurs setup than a year ago."