Both Liverpool and Tottenham arrive off difficult European nights, but Michael Owen believes the pressure is far greater on a Spurs side battling for confidence and points.
Premier League Matchday 30 is here, and I want to focus on the game between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. Both teams lost in Europe mid-week and for very different reasons, both will be desperate to pick up all three points on Sunday.
Let’s look at the away team first, and if we’re completely honest, Tottenham are in total disarray at present with everything possible going wrong. They have a new manager who is just four games in but never mind getting a tune out of the players, he actually seems to have made them even more devoid of confidence than they were under Thomas Frank.
It was a very strange decision to get rid of Frank and then replace him with a manager that has never played or managed in the Premier League before. There were so many other short-term candidates like Tim Sherwood or Harry Redknapp who not only know the Premier League inside out but also have a real affinity with the club itself.
I’m sure they could and would have accepted a short-term role to try save Spurs’ season. After the debacle against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the powers that be press the panic button and look to make yet another managerial change.
Of course, there’s still time for Tottenham to get out of this situation but there is absolutely no doubt they’re in a real relegation scrap and unless they turn things around pretty darn quickly, they could find themselves relegated for the first time in 49 years! As for Liverpool, it’s the same old story really.
I was at Molineux the other day for their win against Wolves in the FA Cup fifth round. Liverpool won comfortably, and I must admit, they look much better with Andy Robertson at left back instead of Milos Kerkez.
I think Kerkez has had a tough start to his life at Liverpool and may well go on to be a great signing, but right now Robertson should be starting in the left back berth. Rio Ngumoha is another one who looks like he should be starting more often. He was certainly one of the stars of the show on Friday night and it remains to be seen what side Arne Slot picks for this game.
As much of a disappointment this season seems to be for Liverpool we shouldn’t forget that they are still in the FA Cup, albeit they’ve drawn Manchester City away in the quarter-finals which is very much less than ideal; they are still in the Champions league and of course they are still on course to finish the league in one of the Champions League qualification places.
So for the game itself, whilst Liverpool are very inconsistent, Tottenham are very poor, and therefore I fancy Liverpool to pick up all three points with a 3-1 victory.
Michael Owen’s Matchday 30 Picks
Burnley 0-2 Bournemouth
Sunderland 1-1 Brighton
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle United
Arsenal 1-0 Everton
West Ham United 2-3 Manchester City
Crystal Palace 1-1 Leeds United
Manchester United 2-1 Aston Villa
Nottingham Forest 1-1 Fulham
Liverpool 3-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Brentford 2-1 Wolves
