Liverpool v Tottenham

Barclays Premier League
Venue: Anfield Date: Sunday, 15 May Kick-off: 1600 BST
Coverage: Watch highlights on Match of the Day 2; commentary on 5 live sports extra and BBC Radio Merseyside; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles

TEAM NEWS

Liverpool striker Andy Carroll has returned to training after a knee injury and could be on the bench.

Midfielder Raul Meireles was forced off at Fulham with a minor hamstring problem but is expected to be fit.

Tottenham defender William Gallas is out with a hamstring problem, and could be replaced by Ledley King.

Goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes is sidelined by a back injury, while Wilson Palacios is unlikely to feature after being stretchered off at Manchester City.

Liverpool

Doubtful: Carroll (knee), Meireles (hamstring)

Injured: Agger & Jovanovic (both knee), Aurelio & Kelly (both hamstring), Gerrard (groin)

Tottenham

Doubtful: Palacios (unspecified)

Injured: Assou-Ekotto & Gallas (both hamstring), Bale & Huddlestone (both ankle), Gomes (back), Hutton (knee), Jenas (thigh), Khumalo (foot), Woodgate (calf)

MATCH PREVIEW

The Anfield feel-good factor lured Liverpool owner John W Henry and chairman Tom Werner onto a flight to Merseyside in order to conclude discussions over a permanent deal for Kenny Dalglish, who signed a three-year deal on Thursday.

Liverpool will finish above Spurs in fifth should they win

The only question is what took them so long? From the moment that Kenny marched, with beaming smile, into the embrace of the Kop for his first home game against Everton, it’s been clear that his return was to be much more than an exercise in nostalgia.

Dalglish once starred in a thumping 7-0 win for Liverpool over Tottenham, who amazingly went from March 1912 to March 1985 without ever managing to leave Anfield with a win. I mention this because I’m sure the man who scored Spurs’ long-awaited winner on that sunny, spring afternoon would want me to – at least once. But enough about Garth Crooks.

A haul of just nine points from their last 10 Premier League games has seen Harry Redknapp’s men miss out on the Champions League. Perhaps they have been victims of their own European success? Perhaps there were too many long trips, too many herculean efforts and energy-sapping emotional roller coaster rides along the way? Perhaps it was just too much to expect a side learning the ropes in the Champions League to keep their eye on the daily bread of the league? Or perhaps it was just the dodgy keeper?

Whilst Tottenham have been labouring, Liverpool have bagged 20 points over the same 10-game period, and the Reds will finish above Spurs in fifth should they win again.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Liverpool have won 63 of 135 league games against Tottenham, who have recorded 38 victories.

• The Reds are unbeaten in 16 league games against Spurs at Anfield and have only lost one of their 23 home matches in this fixture since 1986 (W16, D6, L1).

• Spurs last earned all three points at Anfield in August 1993, when Teddy Sheringham scored twice in a 2-1 victory. Tottenham’s last away win against Liverpool in any competition was a 3-1 League Cup success in November 1998.

Liverpool

• The Reds have won 10 of their last 14 league games (W10, D2, L2).

• They have netted 13 goals in their last three games – seven of them scored by Maxi Rodriguez.

• Dirk Kuyt has scored nine goals in Liverpool’s last eight games.

Tottenham

• Spurs have won seven of 21 Premier League games (W7, D10, L4) since beating Liverpool on 28 November.

• Harry Redknapp’s side have claimed nine points from their last 10 matches.

• Tottenham have scored 12 Premier League goals from outside the penalty area this season, more than any other side in the division (according to Opta).

LEADING GOALSCORERS

Liverpool

Kuyt: 15 goals (13 league); Carroll: 13 goals* (13 league)

*Carroll scored 11 goals (11 league) for Newcastle.

Tottenham

Van der Vaart: 14 goals (12 league);
Pavlyuchenko: 12 goals (8 league)

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Howard Webb

Assistant referees: Darren Cann & Mick McDonough

Fourth official: Phil Dowd

LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS

Liverpool (W5-2 v Fulham, a): Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Flanagan, Maxi (Cole 82), Spearing, Lucas, Meireles (Shelvey 48), Suarez, Kuyt. Subs not used: Gulacsi, Kyrgiakos, Wilson, Poulsen, Robinson.

Tottenham (L0-1 v Man City, a): Cudicini, Corluka, Dawson, Gallas (Kaboul 88), Rose, Lennon, Palacios (Pienaar 32), Sandro, Modric, Van der Vaart, Crouch (Defoe 78). Subs not used: Pletikosa, Pavlyuchenko, Bassong, Kranjcar.