Mar 09, 2013 03:16 AM EST
Liverpool vs Tottenham: Preview, Predictions, Team News, Injuries and Expected Lineups of English Premier League Game

Luis Suarez vs Gareth Bale will be the battle on everybody's mind when Liverpool host Tottenham in their English Premier League game Sunday.

Spurs are on an outstanding run at the moment and are looking like the favorites for the third spot in the Premier League. That is largely thanks to the brilliance of Bale, who has been in player of the year form.

Tottenham are currently in third on 54 points from 28 games, two clear of fourth-placed Chelsea and a sizeable seven ahead of North London rivals Arsenal, whom they beat 2-1 last Sunday.

A win over Liverpool at Anfield, who really have nothing to play for apart from a possible fifth place and a Europa League position, can take Spurs ten points clear of Arsenal and five ahead of Chelsea, albeit having played an extra game.

Arsenal do not play this weekend owing to the fact that Everton are scheduled to meet Wigan in the F.A. Cup quarterfinals, while Chelsea travel to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United in another last-eight tie.

While there might not be much to gain for Liverpool, Suarez will be keen to keep his run of form going and show the Premier League that he is worthy of the player of the year award at the end of the season.

The Uruguayan is coming off a brilliant hat-trick against Wigan last weekend and Liverpool also have the advantage of having had a full week's rest, while Spurs will be playing their second game in three days.

"It was a brilliant performance last week and we're just focusing on the next game, which will be a fantastic game against Tottenham," Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said.

"The tipping point now is that it's going more for us than against us. We've played a lot of really good games this season and maybe weren't as cohesively good then as we are now.

"We've played 28 games -- after 14 games we were 12th in the league. If you take the points total from the following 14, we'd be third.

"It's going how I thought it would go, which would be improvement as the players became accustomed to how we work.

"Because of the great attitude of the players -- they've really embraced the work -- they're getting the rewards. At this moment in time, the level is very high and we want to continue with that."

Going by the form of the two players, the likelihood of both Suarez and Bale getting on the scoresheet is pretty high; which player has the bigger impact though will be the deciding factor in the final result.

Team News and injuries: Liverpool will welcome back Daniel Sturridge who has missed the last couple of games through injury. Martin Skrtel has also been passed fit, but is likely to find himself only on the bench.

Spurs might have to do without winger Aaron Lennon, who is a doubt with a hamstring injury he picked up during the win over Inter Milan. Moussa Dembele, though, is expected to be available along with Emmanuel Adebayor. Tom Huddlestone and Clint Dempsey are doubts while Sandro and Younnes Kaboul remain sidelined.

Expected lineups: Liverpool: Reina; Johnson, Carragher, Agger, Enrique; Lucas, Allen, Gerrard; Downing, Sturridge, Suarez.

Tottenham: Lloris; Walker, Dawson, Vertonghen, Assou-Ekotto; Dembele, Parker; Holtby, Bale, Sigurdsson; Defoe.

Prediction: 2-2

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