Tottenham vs. Liverpool: 5 players who could decide the outcome

#5: Joe Gomez

Joe Gomez has helped to toughen up Liverpool's defence thus far this season

When Liverpool spent around £75m to bring Virgil van Dijk aboard from Southampton last season, plenty of eyebrows were raised. But the Dutchman definitely shored up Liverpool’s defence even if it never looked impregnable. This season the Reds’ back line has looked even stronger – but it’s young England defender Joe Gomez who’s been earning the plaudits rather than his more expensive partner.

Gomez has been simply fantastic since returning from an ankle injury sustained last May, and it appears that he’s earned the full faith of manager Jurgen Klopp, as he’s displaced Dejan Lovren as van Dijk’s main partner and has played every minute of Liverpool’s 4 Premier League victories thus far this season. And of course, the Reds have the best defensive record in the league – conceding just 1 goal, which was caused by Alisson’s blunder against Leicester.

Liverpool may well have only come away with a point from that game with the Foxes had it not been for Gomez. It looked like Leicester midfielder James Maddison would slot home after waltzing through Liverpool’s defence, but Gomez appeared from nowhere with an incredible block to deny him a goal. It’s the type of defending that, if he reproduces it against Tottenham, could help to decide the game.