Tottenham vs Liverpool Half-Time Report

Liverpool made the trip down to the capital today to face Tottenham Hotspur, where the half-time score is currently 1-0 to the Reds, with Spurs suffering two crucial injuries.

The home side announced Dutchman Rafael van der Vaart had recovered sufficiently from an ankle injury and would begin the match, however the influential midfielder lasted just 11 minutes before hobbling off, being replaced by Jermain Defoe. It was the substitute that perhaps had the best Spurs chance after half an hour, a shot from six yards was blocked by Liverpool stalwart Jamie Carragher.

Spurs lost their second player to injury ten minutes before half-time, as Kaboul was replaced by Bassong to partner Gallas in a weakened defence. Elsewhere in the Spurs team, Wilson Palacios started instead of Jermaine Jenas in the starting line-up.

Harry Redknapp will be hoping for evidence to back up his statement that his Tottenham side are Premier League title contenders; a convincing 2-1 victory over the Merseyside club could do just that, and a price of 15/2 may be worth looking into, especially after their 2nd half performance against rivals Arsenal last week.

With Steven Gerrard still a few weeks away from returning, Liverpool were hoping that Joe Cole would pass a late fitness test and make the first 11, but a slight ankle injury suffered yesterday in a training session means he isn’t risked.

Instead, the Reds make just one change; Lucas is back from his one game suspension, and replaces Poulsen. David Ngog and Fernando Torres both start in attack.

Even after Skrtel's first-half goal, on paper a Liverpool away win looks unlikely. As a manager, Hodgson has recorded just nine victories from his past 70 away matches in top flight English football, a statistic that stretches over all three of his English managerial reigns. However, knowing that a win by more than a single goal would propel them above their opponents in the Premier League, he will be warning his men at half time to not be complacent; a Liverpool 2-0 away win is available at an interesting 5/1.

THFC: Gomes, Hutton, Kaboul (Bassong 36), Gallas, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Palacios, Modric, Bale, Van der Vaart (Defoe 12), Crouch.

Substitutions: Cudicini, Pavlyuchenko, Kranjcar, Corluka, Sandro.

LFC: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Konchesky, Kuyt, Meireles, Lucas, Maxi, Torres, Ngog.

Substitutions: Jones, Aurelio, Jovanovic, Kyrgiakos, Babel, Poulsen, Shelvey.