Barclays Premier League
Venue: White Hart Lane Date: Sunday, 16 August Kick-off: 1600 BST
Coverage: Full commentary on BBC London 94.9 FM, DAB & online; BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 Live, local radio, highlights on MOTD2 and live on Sky Sports 1
TEAM NEWS
**Tottenham’s Jonathan Woodgate is recovering from groin surgery while fellow centre-back Michael Dawson is out with an Achilles injury.**Sebastien Bassong could make his debut following an £8m move from Newcastle.
Steven Gerrard is doubtful for Liverpool with a groin injury but both Jamie Carragher (ankle) and Martin Skrtel (hamstring) should feature.
New signing Alberto Aquilani is unlikely to play before September as he recovers from an ankle problem.
Tottenham
Suspended: None **Doubtful: **Jenas (calf)
Injured: Bale (knee), Dawson (Achilles), Woodgate (groin)
Liverpool
Suspended: None
Doubtful: Carragher (ankle), Gerrard (groin), Skrtel (hamstring)
Injured: Agger (back), Aquilani (ankle), Aurelio (knee), El Zhar (knee)
MATCH PREVIEW
Liverpool face an early test of their title credentials with a trip to White Hart Lane, where Tottenham are unbeaten in the Premier League since last November.
"*“Tottenham is not an easy place to go but these are games we must be winning if this is to finally be our year *”
Liverpool striker Fernando Torres
The Reds suffered only two league defeats last season, the first a 2-1 reverse at Spurs that lifted Harry Redknapp’s side off the bottom of the table.
Though Liverpool gained revenge on the final day, the damage had already been done, with a first league title since 1990 eluding the Reds despite 10 wins from their last 11 games.
606: DEBATE
Have your say on Sunday’s match
Nine years after leaving White Hart Lane without a first team appearance to his name, Peter Crouch could make his Tottenham debut following his move from Portsmouth.
Like team-mate Robbie Keane, he will be hoping to prove a point to Rafael Benitez after being deemed surplus to requirements during a spell at Anfield.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• Last season’s 2-1 defeat is Liverpool’s only loss in their last 10 league games against Tottenham.
• Spurs also beat the Reds in the fourth round of the League Cup on 12 November 2008.
Tottenham
• Spurs are chasing a seventh successive home league win. They are unbeaten in their last 11 top flight games at White Hart Lane. Everton were the last side to take maximum points at Spurs, winning 1-0 on 30 November 2008.
• Spurs made their worst start to a top flight season last year. When Harry Redknapp took over at White Hart Lane at the end of October, Spurs were bottom of the table with two points from eight games. They picked up 49 points from the remaining 30 matches to finish eighth.
• Tottenham’s last hat-trick against the Reds was scored by Jimmy Greaves, who scored four at White Hart Lane in a 7-2 win in 1963.
Liverpool
• The Reds have won 10 and drawn one of their last 11 league games.
• Liverpool’s tally of 77 league goals last season was their best since 1990/91.
• A win would make Liverpool the first team to reach 5,000 points in the top flight of English football.
• Jamie Carragher has scored only three Premier League goals since making his debut 11 years ago. He has also scored three own goals against Tottenham (two at White Hart Lane).
LEADING GOALSCORERS LAST SEASON
**Tottenham **
Darren Bent: 17 goals (12 league), Roman Pavlyuchenko: 14 goals (5 league)
Liverpool
Steven Gerrard: 24 goals (16 league), Fernando Torres: 17 goals (14 league)
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Phil Dowd
Assistant referees: Mike Mullarkey, Simon Beck
Fourth official: Stuart Attwell
LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS
**Tottenham **(L1-3 v Liverpool, a): Gomes, Hutton, Corluka, King, Assou-Ekotto, Modric, Zokora, Jenas (Bentley 40), Bale (Bent 78), Defoe (Pavlyuchenko 70), Keane.
**Liverpool **(W3-1 v Tottenham, h): Reina, Carragher, Agger, Skrtel, Aurelio, Mascherano, Alonso, Kuyt (Riera 66), Gerrard (Hyypia 84), Benayoun, Torres (Ngog 78).
MOST RECENT MEETING
Liverpool 3-1 Tottenham, 24 May 2009](http://www.paklinks.com/sport2/low/football/eng_prem/8048312.stm)
Liverpool scorers: Torres 31, Hutton 64 og, Benayoun 81
Tottenham scorer: Keane 77