Preview: Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur - prediction, team news, lineups

Andrew Robertson will return to Anfield to take on Liverpool as a Tottenham Hotspur player on Tuesday in the EFL Cup's third round.

The returning left-back will encounter a Reds team under pressure following a goalless stalemate with Fulham on Saturday, though Spurs are also under significant scrutiny following their own 0-0 draw with Everton on the weekend.

Match preview

Andoni Iraola's Liverpool will not look back fondly on their Premier League clash with Fulham, as while they maintained their unbeaten start to the season, they were alarmingly lacklustre in the final third.

Few opportunities of note were produced, and the likes of Florian Wirtz, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch disappointed again.

Midfield has been a problem area for the hosts for some time, and there are fears in the fanbase that the lack of a deep progressor and defensive anchor could cost them the chance of competing at the top of the table.

The Merseysiders have taken six points from 12 in the Premier League, and they are currently seventh, though they were excellent during their 2-1 win against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on September 9.

That European triumph was the only time they won any of their three games at Anfield this term, with the club scoring four goals and conceding three times at home so far.

Iraola will be expected to focus most of his attention on the league and Champions League, though the Reds' pedigree in the EFL Cup demands that the boss take the competition seriously in an attempt to win an 11th title and extend their record haul.

Tottenham Hotspur come into Tuesday's clash in dire form having lost two and drawn two of their four top-flight matches in 2026-27.

To make matters worse, the visitors are yet to find the back of the net in the league, meaning the current campaign represents their worst ever start to any season in regards to goals scored.

Head coach Roberto De Zerbi reportedly had a major say in the transfer window, but after the club spent almost £350m in one window, few would have expected the club to be 17th with just two points having played Brentford, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and Everton.

Spurs' record against Liverpool is poor considering they have only won two of their last 20 meetings with the Reds, losing 14 times.

However, their 2-1 win in 2023 was controversial given Liverpool were reduced to nine men and had a goal incorrectly ruled out for offside despite the presence of VAR, while Tottenham's EFL Cup success in January 2025 was ultimately meaningless as the Reds progressed from that semi-final tie.

The visitors have drawn one and lost one of their past two away clashes, though they did end 2025-26 with two victories from their final three matches on the road.

Liverpool form (all competitions):

Tottenham Hotspur EFL Cup form:

Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions):

Team News

Liverpool looked lethargic against Fulham, with many players unable to deal with Iraola's intense demands three times in one week, so expect significant changes on Tuesday.

Trey Nyoni will almost certainly come into midfield, and he may be partnered by Alexis Mac Allister, while Lewis Koumas could be used as a number 10.

Cody Gakpo is a candidate to lead the attacking line, while Wataru Endo is set to make his first appearance of the season, though he is likely to be used as a centre-back.

As for Spurs, De Zerbi could name a stronger lineup given he is already under pressure, so expect to see the likes of Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali in the XI.

The clash will be a special occasion for defender Robertson, who spent nine years at Anfield between 2017 and 2026 before leaving for free, and it would be surprising if he was left out.

Pedro Porro missed his team's game against Everton due to a muscle issue, and while his injury is not thought to be serious, fans will likely see Archie Gray continue at right-back.

Liverpool possible starting lineup:

Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Araujo, Endo, Tsimikas; Mac Allister, Nyoni; Ngumoha, Koumas, Munoz; Gakpo

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Kinsky; Gray, Van Hecke, Senesi, Robertson; Fernandes, Tonali; Kudus, Gallagher, Savio; Solanke