After the woeful decision in the Manchester Derby last weekend, Tottenham and Liverpool will be looking for a break from VAR this evening.
Tottenham will be hoping to put their Premier League woes behind them and focus on causing an upset at Anfield this evening, as they look to progress to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.
They have a huge challenge in front of them, as the Lilywhites have not won any game at Anfield since 2011.
| Season | Competition | Matchday | Date | Result: LIV-TOT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25/26 | Premier League | 30 | 15/03/2026 | 1:1 |
| 24/25 | Premier League | 34 | 27/04/2025 | 5:1 |
| 24/25 | EFL Cup | Semi-Finals 2nd Leg | 07/02/2025 | 4:0 |
| 23/24 | Premier League | 36 | 05/05/2024 | 4:2 |
| 22/23 | Premier League | 34 | 30/04/2023 | 4:3 |
| 21/22 | Premier League | 36 | 08/05/2022 | 1:1 |
| 20/21 | Premier League | 13 | 17/12/2020 | 2:1 |
| 19/20 | Premier League | 10 | 27/10/2019 | 2:1 |
| 18/19 | Premier League | 32 | 31/03/2019 | 2:1 |
| 17/18 | Premier League | 26 | 04/02/2018 | 2:2 |
However, Andoni Iraola has confirmed that he will name a much-changed Liverpool side, which could level the playing field for the North Londoners.
| Opponent | Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goal difference | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | 94 | 8 | 26 | 60 | -104 | 8.5% |
| Manchester United | 99 | 17 | 15 | 67 | -92 | 17.2% |
| Arsenal | 99 | 20 | 26 | 53 | -62 | 20.2% |
| Chelsea | 89 | 23 | 19 | 47 | -38 | 25.8% |
| Manchester City | 85 | 24 | 19 | 42 | -54 | 28.2% |
VAR technology will not be in use for Liverpool v Tottenham
It has been confirmed that Video Assistant Referee technology will not be in use for this evening’s clash between Liverpool and Tottenham at Anfield, or any of the other third round matches.
For some supporters, this is a welcome chance to experience a game without the confusion and delays caused by VAR, and the controversy surrounding the use of the technology over recent years.
As per the precedent in the Carabao Cup, VAR will only be confirmed as active if all host venues in the particular round have VAR capabilities.
That means as long as there is a club outside the Premier League hosting any fixture in a round, the whole round will not have VAR.
Spurs missing two more key players for Liverpool clash
Tottenham have long-term absentees: Mykhailo Mudryk, Dejan Kulusevski, Wilson Odobert and Xavi Simons, who are all a while away from returning to action.
| Injured player | Injury | Potential Return |
| Wilson Odobert | Knee | November 2026 |
| Xavi Simons | Knee | 2027 |
| Mykhailo Mudryk | Ankle | November 2026 |
| Sandro Tonali | Knock | Unknown |
| Pedro Porro | Muscular | Unknown |
| Dejan Kulusevski | Fitness | Unknown |
De Zerbi has confirmed that Pedro Porro and Sandro Tonali will miss the clash against Liverpool, with the Italian midfielder suffering a knock.
We at Spurs Web expect a much-changed Tottenham side for this evening’s clash, with two players potentially set for their first starts for the club.