Tottenham vs. Liverpool: Who has the edge at each position?

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - APRIL 02: Jurgen Klopp, manager of Liverpool and Mauricio Pochettino Manager of Tottenham Hotspur look on during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on April 2, 2016 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) /

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Left Sided Centre Back

Expect to see Liverpool trot new signing Joel Matip out for this important fixture. The former Schalke defender is the club’s best hope to stabilize their porous defense. Klopp and company need him to be really effective from the opening whistle to keep Spurs at bay.

Pochettino will almost certainly start Jan Vertonghen in his left centre back position. The Belgian international had a rough opening match against Everton, but was excellent against Crystal Palace. He’ll need to be at his best to contain Liverpool’s dynamic attack.

I applauded Liverpool when they inked Matip to a pre-contract and still believe he has star potential in the Premier League. That doesn’t mean he’s ready to be a star yet.

Still, I think Liverpool deserve a very slight edge here. Matip is young and more dynamic than Vertonghen. He’ll need every bit of that energy to cope with a suffocating Tottenham high press. Look for him to make Liverpool’s back four look much better on Saturday.

Edge: Liverpool

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