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Premier League title contenders Liverpool will welcome top-four aspirants Tottenham Hotspur to Anfield on Saturday night (May 7).
While Liverpool find themselves a point behind league leaders Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur sit a couple of points adrift of fourth-placed Arsenal. Neither team can afford to slip up, not with the finish line just on the horizon.
Both Jurgen Klopp and Antonio Conte have an abundance of talented footballers at their disposal, which sets the stage perfectly for mouth-watering individual battles.
Today, we will take a quick look at five of them that could tip the scales one way or the other.
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Now, without further ado, let’s get to it.
#5 Fabinho vs Rodrigo Bentancur
Neither Fabinho nor Rodrigo Bentancur score high when it comes to flamboyance and gravitas. Yet, without them, their respective teams look lop-sided and struggle to play with their usual finesse.
Having scored the opening goal in Tuesday’s (May 3) Champions League semi-final second leg victory (3-2) over Villarreal, Fabinho might be the more confident player.
However, there is no reason to count Bentancur out just yet. The January signing has slotted seamlessly into Antonio Conte’s system and is already becoming a fan favorite at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
He also performed admirably in Spurs’ recent success over Leicester City and will look to extend his purple patch on Saturday.
On paper, both players operate as the base of their respective midfields. They intercept, roll possession over and look for ways to start a counter attack.
Over the course of the game at Anfield, they are certain to cross paths multiple times, and we will see who comes out top.
#4 Sadio Mane vs Eric Dier
Given the importance of the game and Diogo Jota’s disappointing Champions League outing against Villarreal, Klopp could give Sadio Mane a central role.
The Senegalese forward has thrived in that role in recent weeks, using his pace and stamina to always stay a step ahead of his rivals. This weekend, however, he could cross paths with Eric Dier, who has stopped plenty of in-form attackers in his career before.
Dier sniffs out danger effortlessly, does not toil around when in possession, and is excellent in the air. Courtesy of his aerial prowess and ability to intercept, Liverpool could have a hard time overloading the area with crosses.
The two players are also not afraid to push and shove, making the battle all the more exciting.
#3 Heung-min Son vs Trent Alexander-Arnold
Tottenham's Heung-min Son is one of the most underrated forwards in the world. The South Korean international is elegant on the ball, has an abundance of pace, and loves to create goalscoring opportunities.
Not only does he feed his teammates with inviting deliveries into the box, but he also has a penchant for scoring fine goals. Son has bagged 19 goals in the Premier League this season, making him the second-highest goalscorer in the division behind Mohamed Salah (22).
Fresh off a man of the match display (two goals, one assist) against Leicester City, Son will fancy himself to do the damage again this weekend. His intentions, however, are unlikely to sit well with Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The right-back is widely known for his attacking qualities (12 assists in the Premier League this season) but he is also a pretty dependable defender.
On Saturday, the Englishman will not only need to create chances but must also find a way to be rock-solid at the back as well.
#2 Mohamed Salah vs Ryan Sessegnon
Premier League’s leading scorer and assist-provider, Mohamed Salah, hardly needs an introduction. The Egypt international has been in blistering form since August and will look to end the season the way he started it - with a bang.
Salah, who has 22 league goals and 13 assists to his name this season, has registered two assists and two goals in the last four matches. If afforded space, the former Chelsea man could turn the game on its head in the blink of an eye.
Left wing-back Ryan Sessegnon is set to be the man responsible for keeping the 29-year-old quiet. The 21-year-old Englishman does not have much experience under his belt, but he has shown plenty of positivity under Conte.
Whether he manages to outsmart and isolate the Liverpool No. 11 remains to be seen.
#1 Harry Kane vs Virgil van Dijk
Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk and Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane are two towering headline-makers in the Premier League.
While one is known to bring the world to a halt with his defensive acumen, the other is hailed as one of the world’s best strikers. The tussle between the duo on Saturday could very well bring the footballing world to a standstill.
Presumably rattled by his botched transfer to Manchester City (as per The Athletic), Harry Kane had a slow start to the season. Under Conte, however, he has gotten a second wind and looks firmly committed to the cause.
The England skipper has scored 13 goals in 33 Premier League games this season, which is not as bad as many make it out to be.
Additionally, the Spurs striker has a fine track record against Liverpool, with him scoring seven times in 14 appearances versus the Reds so far.
Virgil van Dijk will be aware of the challenge at hand against Tottenham Hotspur, but he does not have any reason to be wary of it.
Over the course of the campaign, he has produced numerous rock-solid performances, emerging as the best defender in the league.
Another such display on Saturday could go a long way in ensuring maximum points for the Reds, keeping their title charge alive.
