This is our first must win game of the season. Spurs have been struggling so far but look as if they're starting to find some form so it's incumbent on us to not let them get any momentum. After some, frankly, dire performances, we desperately need to bounce back and get a good victory and, hopefully, a good performance.
I'd like to see Mascherano dropped for this one. Don't get me wrong, Monster Masch is one of my favourite players - he always looks committed, he brings a great deal of stability to the mid-field and he's a natural winner - but he can't play well with Gerrard. He sits too deep, too near the back-line and forces Gerrard to do likewise which leaves a lot of space between the engine room and the forwards.
Who to bring in? It looks as if we're really missing Alonso right now, but I'd like to see Lucas given a chance. Tottenham have one of the weakest midfields in the Premier League (Jermaine Jenas anyone?) so this is probably the right game to give him his first real test. After Wednesday night I can't go near Sissoko with a bargepole.
In his predictions column, former Liverpool FC player Mark Lawrenson says he thinks it'll be an open game with Liverpool winning 2-1. I think it'll be a battle. A grind. Not one for the purists. There'll be a lot of niggly fouls in midfield and I can't seeing Torres or Berbatov getting much room to work their magic. 1-0 and I'll be happy.
My team would be:
Reina
Finnan
Carra
Hyypia
Arbeloa
Benayoun
Lucas
Pennant
Gerrard
Torres
Kuyt
BBC Preview (with all the stats)
Lawro's asinine predictions
View from a Spurs fan
Rafa wants reaction from players
Again, no love from the Canadian broadcasters - Setanta has Chelsea vs Bolton while, inexplicably, The Score has Fulham vs Portsmouth - so it looks as if I'll be listening via my e-season ticket.