LIVERPOOL’S recent form has been described as a “disaster” by Harry Redknapp but they will still effectively hand the title to Chelsea by holding Tottenham to a draw.
Even so, the BT Sport pundit feels that, player-for-player, Tottenham have the best team in the Premier League this season and would be up there themselves were it not for injuries to key players.
By contrast, the most Liverpool can hope for this season is sixth according to former Spurs manager Redknapp, who holds manager Jurgen Klopp responsible for his decision to tinker with his team for the FA Cup clash with Plymouth at the start of January.
A collapse in form sees them head into today’s clash at Anfield having beaten only League Two Plymouth – at the second attempt – in 2017.
Although, Redknapp still feels the Kop will lift the Merseysiders to a share of the points.
“Liverpool need a win, don’t they?” he said. “They’ve had a disaster at Liverpool. Getting knocked out of the two cups in a week, getting beaten at home by Swansea, getting beaten at home by everybody!. They need a result badly this week.
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“But I think it’ll be a draw.
“Chelsea , now, are in pole position and a draw at Anfield would mean they will win the league. Then Tottenham or Manchester City will come second this year.
“Then it’s a scrap for the other spot between Arsenal and Manchester United. It is a toss-up, but I’ve a feeling Arsenal will sneak it. I think Liverpool will probably finish sixth.”
Tottenham will again be without Jan Vertonghen and Danny Rose for the game, the latest in a string of injuries to key players that have left Tottenham trailing Chelsea by nine points going into this weekend’s games.
Toby Alderweireld and Harry Kane have also missed sizeable slices of the season but if Tottenham are at full strength Redknapp believes they are a match for anybody - including Chelsea.
“When they’ve got their best 11 out I think it’s the best team in the Premier League,” he said. “I wouldn’t swap their starting XI for Chelsea’s. If I put them both down I’d weigh it heavy in Tottenham’s favour.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m not sticking up for Tottenham because I was there. They’re great, Chelsea.
“But I wouldn’t swap the centre-halves at Spurs for Chelsea’s defenders. Not the two Belgian boys, Alderweireld and Vertonghen. Then the two full-backs at Tottenham, Kyle Walker and Danny Rose, I’d have all day long. They’re a strong outfit.
“That said, Chelsea have done excellently since he changed the system. Playing with wingbacks it’s given them a lifeline and they’ve got a couple of outstanding players – Eden Hazard and Diego Costa have been fantastic this year.
“But at the same time, Tottenham’s had the injuries to key players. Losing Alderweireld for a long spell was a massive blow to them. I thought he was as good as anybody and when he was playing – they looked so strong. Then Harry Kane was missing, Danny Rose is out now. Vertonghen’s out again. I just think they’ve had injuries that have not helped them.”
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But while Mauricio Pochettino’s star continues to rise, Redknapp wonders whether Klopp is suffering something of a reality check.
“I liked Klopp when he came in, like everyone else,” said Redknapp. “But that is football, though, isn’t it? When you’re winning, you’re the cleverest man in the world – you’re the best manager. Soon as you lose a few games, that’s how it is, isn’t it? That’s football.”
Recent weeks have seen Klopp beginning to feel the strain. Things spilled over most memorably in the match against Chelsea when he confronted fourth official Neil Swarbrick in over-exuberant fashion when Diego Costa fluffed a penalty which Klopp felt Chelsea had never deserved in the first place.
Swarbrick was reported by Klopp to have said “I like your passion” but Redknapp is long enough in the tooth to know that all managers have that same intensity. Being able to control it is what sets the very best managers apart.
“I just like the way he comes over,” said Redknapp when asked to explain Pochettino’s qualities. “If you look at the record of other managers, I never see him getting involved with other managers or blaming referees for everything that goes wrong. He gets on with it and I think he is a class act.”
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