Tottenham stuttered to another shaky Premier League result this weekend, which left some of their supporters here in the Tavern feeling a little underwhelmed.
They stuttered to a 0-0 bore-draw away at Bournemouth who, to be fair to them, were more than worth their fair share of the point and probably could have won the whole game.
But the spoils were shared and for Spurs, it’s a third successive draw after failing to beat both Bayer Leverkusen and West Brom in recent weeks.
However, this week, attention turns back to the EFL Cup, where Spurs travel to Premier League title rivals Liverpool. Liverpool picked up another decent win against West Brom this weekend but despite their good form, we think Spurs have enough in the tank to come away from Anfield with this victory.
So with that in mind, here’s our Tottenham XI we think will dominate Liverpool in the EFL Cup on Tuesday…
GK: Michel Vorm
With Hugo Lloris definitely the first-team goalkeeper going forward, the cup competitions might be an excellent place to give former Swansea City man Michel Vorm a shot between the sticks.
He’s got enough quality and will relish the chance of a bit of first-team action.
RB: Kieran Trippier
Trippier shone in Spurs’ away draw at Leverkusen last week and he more than deserves another shot in the first-team for the game against Liverpool on Tuesday.
He was their best player out in Germany and he’ll be hoping more good performances could lead to some more first-team action in the league.
CB: Kevin Wimmer
Wimmer had a seriously comfortable game last time out in the EFL Cup, as his side cruised to a 5-0 victory over Gillingham.
And with Toby Alderweireld out injured, he’s more than likely going to slot back into the team once again.
CB: Jan Vertonghen
It’s good to keep some consistency going for these cup matches and when it comes to the Spurs first-team, there are few more reliable than Jan Vertonghen.
The Belgian international has been a big player at Spurs for over four years now and will relish the chance of getting Spurs into the next round, at Liverpool’s expense.
LB: Ben Davies
Similar to the likes of Wimmer, Trippier and Vorm, Ben Davies is a player who is more than good enough to play in the Premier League but thanks to the quality Spurs have in their ranks, he often has to settle for a place on the bench.
But the game against Liverpool gives Pochettino an excellent chance to give some of his stronger fringe players a break, and Davies should very much be in contention for this one.
CDM: Tom Carroll
Young Tom Carroll has everything it takes to make it at the top level and if given the chance to start this game, we’re sure he’d make the most of the opportunity.
He’s been at Spurs his whole career and really broke through last season. He’ll be hoping to continue to impress the manager, starting at Anfield on Tuesday.
CDM: Victor Wanyama
Whilst normally a first-team starter, former Southampton midfielder Victor Wanyama offers fantastic defensive protection and should be utilised in this cup game.
It’s a match Spurs will want to win and his quality could prove decisive, whilst also offering young Tom Carroll a solid partner in front of the defence.
RM: Georges-Kévin N’Koudou
Pacy winger Georges N’Koudou was a summer signing from French giants Marseille and he will be ready to go if called upon for the game against Liverpool.
He’s a direct, forward-thinking wide man who loves to get at defenders and if Alberto Moreno was given the start at left-back for the Reds, N’Koudou might fancy his chances against a man who hasn’t been at his best so far this season.
CAM: Moussa Sissoko
League or Cup, Moussa Sissoko is always going to bring pace, power and physicality to your forward line.
With Dele Alli very much the man of the moment in the first team, the former Newcastle man will use this opportunity to show manager Mauricio Pochettino what he can really offer this Spurs side going forward.
RM: Erik Lamela
Erik Lamela is a really important player in this Spurs set-up these days, despite not having the easiest start to life in English football.
But with that spell now behind him, he’s got some really quality colleagues to work off and he’ll relish the chance to knock Liverpool out of the cup, on their own patch too.
ST: Vincent Janssen
A slight worry for Spurs is the three successive draws and yet more time going by without Vincent Janssen getting on the scoresheet.
With Harry Kane out, the former AZ Alkmaar man really needs to find some form and quick. Spurs are relying on him for goals and if he can’t provide, he won’t be at the club for too long at all.
