Liverpool vs Tottenham LIVE: Premier League team news, line-ups and more ahead of Premier League fixture

Jurgen Klopp insisted any tension with Mohamed Salah is over as the Liverpool manager dismissed their touchline bust-up at West Ham as “a non-story”.

He added: “If we wouldn’t know each other for that long I don’t know how we would deal with it but we know each other for that long and respect each other.”

Salah will enter the last year of his contract in the summer and Liverpool expect the Egyptian to stay, reports Richard Jolly.

While Klopp will not be involved in the decision, Klopp said: “Mo as a player is incredible and I don’t think I should speak about that.

“Other people will decide that, especially Mo, I don’t have any signs it will not be like that. I just try to prepare the basis for the future.”

Jurgen Klopp took a parting shot at TNT Sports by declaring that he will never watch the channel again in the future and told them to remove him from their list of subscribers.

The Liverpool manager joked that Amnesty International should get involved because he believes scheduling their games at 12.30pm on a Saturday is a crime and claimed his side have had the fastest turnaround of matches in the global game.

Klopp was long a critic of BT Sport – TNT’s predecessor – for regularly scheduling Liverpool in Saturday’s early kick-off slot and highlighted their recent run of fixtures, from a Thursday away game in Atalanta to a Sunday match at Fulham, a Wednesday night Merseyside derby and the first game on Saturday, when they drew 2-2 at West Ham to in effect end their title challenge.

The Premier League is heading for a classic title race, with Manchester City and Arsenal set for a thrilling battle as we enter the final weeks of the season.

But what was shaping up to be a three-way race for the title is now down to two challengers. Liverpool dropped points for the fourth time in five Premier League games as they were held to a 2-2 draw at West Ham, after a 2-0 defeat at Everton all but eliminated Jurgen Klopp’s from the title race.

It means Arsenal are the closest challengers to City’s crown and Mikel Arteta’s side took a big step to securing a first Premier League title in 20 years as they held on to claim a vital 3-2 win at Tottenham in a chaotic north London derby. A 3-0 win over Bournemouth maintained their winning run as the Gunners stayed top.

But the champions have another game in hand after Erling Haaland scored four in a 5-1 win against Wolves on Saturday, as Guardiola’s side aim to win a fourth league title in a row – a feat that has never been achieved in the history of English football, and the title is still in their hands.

So, with three weeks to go, which team has the best fixtures and who has the hardest run of games to end the season? Here’s where the title could be won and lost…

Can Tottenham qualify for the Champions League?

Aston Villa could be 10 points clear of Spurs in the race for the top-four, the final Champions League place with Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool already securing their spots.

That’s if Unai Emery’s side beat Brighton away from home this afternoon. It would give Villa 70 points from 36 games play. They then host Liverpool next Monday, before facing Crystal Palace away on the final day of the season.

After three defeats in a row to Newcastle, Arsenal and Chelsea, the maximum Spurs can get this season is 72 points – and that’s if they win their remaining games of the season.

After facing Liverpool at Anfield, Tottenham host Burnley and Manchester City and then travel to Sheffield United on the final day. Villa are in the driving seat, that’s for sure.

Even with a microphone in front of him, Ange Postecoglou was barely audible as the Tottenham manager slumped into the press conference room at Stamford Bridge and took responsibility for his side’s third defeat in a row. “I feel like we’ve lost a bit of belief and conviction in our football and that is on me to change that,” Postecoglou mumbled, head bowed. “We were nowhere near good enough.”

It was not unusual to see the Australian so despondent following a defeat. Rather, what felt significant from this 2-0 defeat at Chelsea, aside from how lacklustre Tottenham were, was how angry Postecoglou had been on the touchline. The Spurs boss seethed at his players and his frustrations boiled over during his round of post-match TV interviews when pressed on why his team were not responding to his instructions. “Come on, mate, we didn’t play well,” Postecoglou snapped. “What do you want, for me to write you a dossier on where it went wrong?”

Well, maybe. There’s certainly plenty to fill it with, given Tottenham’s current form and their propensity to concede goals from set pieces, with 22 now in the Premier League this season, the third-most behind Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest. Postecoglou’s post-match press conference lasted less than three minutes, during which he still found the time to question Tottenham’s mindset, attitude, the confidence of his midfield, and the effectiveness of his own messaging. In fairness, Postecoglou had warned that Spurs have “far more important issues” than defending set pieces and he did not hesitate to lay them out on the table.

Jurgen Klopp was standing in part of his legacy as his thoughts turned to another aspect of it. Now, the off-field decisions are being taken by others. “I just try to provide the basis for the future,” he said. Liverpool’s deluxe training ground is part of it. So is the team that he has reshaped in the last couple of years. There is an added element of uncertainty with his imminent departure, the possibility that his side will be broken up. But Klopp is confident that Liverpool 2.0 will not die, that the project will continue without its architect.

“The basis we created is really good and that was the job, I thought,” he said. “Liverpool 2.0 does not end with me. It’s just the new Liverpool. It’s just the start. They can make the next steps.” This season has been a leap forward. Qualification for the Champions League had long looked a formality but became a mathematical certainty on Thursday. “It is an achievement,” Klopp said. “Does it feel for everyone like that? Maybe not.”

Match preview by Richard Jolly

“I love the challenge,” says defiant Ange Postecoglou

Ange Postecoglou is relishing the challenge at Tottenham and remains unwavering in his belief that he can bring success to the club.

Spurs travel to Anfield on Sunday eager to avoid four consecutive defeats after a rocky period under the Australian.

Postecoglou was extremely animated during Thursday’s loss at Chelsea but reflected on the task at hand with a sense of calm and confidence before the trip to Liverpool.

“When things are running smoothly, it’s almost like ‘what the hell am I doing here?’ You want the challenge. That’s where we all get tested,” Postecoglou said.

“I love that aspect of it and I’ve had it in every job I’ve had. When I say I love it, it’s usually I love it when I come out the other side. Not when I’m going through it.

“At the same time, what a great challenge. It was always going to come and it will still come. I’m talking about success. Imagine the scrutiny and the pressure we’ll be under when we’re on the cusp of success at this club?

“Can you imagine the questioning that will come around then about the history of this club and how it falls at the final hurdle? You’ve got to embrace that. That’s always going to be there. Nothing’s going to run smoothly.

“I do, I love this challenge because this is why I do what I do. It’s up to me. Like I said after the Chelsea game, the responsibility lies with me.”

“Pressure is off” for Liverpool, Klopp admits

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp accepts the pressure is now off after dropping out of the title race and he wants his players to enjoy their final three games with him.

Klopp, who leaves at the end of the season, believes his side will not overtake rivals Arsenal or Manchester City in the Premier League.

“The pressure is off now,” he said. “That’s done. It would be really cool if we could play really good football again because obviously we were very tense in the last few weeks.

“For a while we obviously looked like we can go all the way. Or at least stay in the race for longer, which was definitely possible (but) for different reasons that didn’t work out.

“Probably third place in the league behind two teams who do really well and they go all the way, that’s how it looks right now.

“I know mathematically there’s still a chance; it is not over yet, I know that but it looks like it.”

Two out of form sides meet at Anfield in the Premier League as Liverpool host Tottenham on Sunday (4.30pm, Sky Sport Main Event).

The Reds’ title dream has collapsed over the last month, winning only one of their last five in the Premier League. Unless both Arsenal and Manchester City fall apart in their final few matches, Jurgen Klopp will bow out with just the EFL Cup to show for his efforts in his final campaign.

Tottenham’s hopes of reaching the Champions League have taken a huge hit with three defeats on the spin. The wheels have come off for Ange Postecoglou’s men at the worst time and they could be 10 points behind fourth-placed Villa by kick-off on Sunday.

Anything other than a win at Anfield would likely end their hopes of playing in Europe’s elite competition next season.

Football betting sites make Liverpool odds-on to win on Sunday and you can get a price of 5/1 for Spurs to snatch the three points on the road.

Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Konate, Robertson; Endo, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Salah, Gakpo, Diaz.

Tottenham XI: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Emerson; Bissouma, Bentancur; Johnson, Maddison, Son; Richarlison.