Liverpool Aim for Carabao Cup Final Spot as Tottenham Seek Redemption | OneFootball

Tottenham vs Liverpool: Carabao Cup Clash to Shape Semi-Final Destiny

Tottenham and Liverpool are set to lock horns in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final, with both sides arriving at this encounter under contrasting circumstances. The stage is set at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London for what promises to be a fascinating contest on Wednesday, 8 January 2025, with kick-off scheduled for 8pm GMT.

Contrasting Form Guides Ahead of Semi-Final

Liverpool enter this fixture buoyed by their strong performances in both the Premier League and Champions League. Arne Slot’s side, currently sitting comfortably in the top four, managed to rotate heavily in their 2-1 quarter-final win over Southampton last month. They come into this clash following a dramatic 2-2 draw against Manchester United, where they showcased resilience in salvaging a point.

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Tottenham, on the other hand, have seen their early-season form dwindle. Ange Postecoglou’s side suffered a 2-1 defeat at home to Newcastle on Saturday and have struggled to find consistency in recent weeks. Despite dominating against Manchester United in the quarter-finals, Spurs only narrowly advanced with a dramatic 4-3 home victory. The pressure is mounting on Postecoglou to turn things around, and this semi-final offers a chance to galvanise their season.

Key Absences for Both Teams

Team news will play a significant role in shaping this encounter. Spurs are expected to be without several key first-team players. Destiny Udogie, Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Ben Davies, and Richarlison are all sidelined, while goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario remains a doubt. January signing Antonin Kinsky, fresh from his move from Slavia Prague, could be involved, with James Maddison and Pape Matar Sarr both suspended. Radu Dragusin’s illness adds further woes to an already depleted squad.

Liverpool have injury concerns of their own. Joe Gomez is ruled out, and Dominik Szoboszlai missed the United game due to illness. However, the Reds will be hopeful of the Hungarian’s return for this crucial tie. Liverpool’s recent 6-1 thrashing of Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will be fresh in their minds, and the visitors will be confident of asserting their dominance once again.

Viewing Information and Prediction

The semi-final will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League, and Sky Sports Ultra HDR, with coverage beginning at 7pm. For those preferring to stream, the game will be available on the Sky Go app for subscribers.

While Tottenham will look to make a statement on home soil, Liverpool’s superior depth and current form make them favourites to take a significant step towards another final appearance. Given the gulf in recent performances, a comfortable win for Liverpool could be on the cards. Prediction: Tottenham 1-3 Liverpool.