Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool prepare for 'massive game' against Spurs

Reds languishing in ninth place after successive defeats in Premier League

Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez celebrates after scoring the only goal of the Premier League game against West Ham United at Anfield on Wednesday, October 20, 2022. AFP

Liverpool defender Joe Gomez attempts to clear the ball. AP

Liverpool attacker Mohamed Salah shoots for goal. AP

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson saves Jarrod Bowen's penalty in first half. EPA

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. AFP

Darwin Nunez heads home for Liverpool. AFP

West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski collects the ball with Liverpool attacker Mohamed Salah watching closely. Reuters

West Ham's Jarrod Bowen. EPA

West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski cannot stop Darwin Nunez scoring for Liverpool. PA

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker saves a penalty from West Ham's Jarrod Bowen. PA

West Ham's Tomas Soucek, with hands on knees, after missing an opportunity to score. AP

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah has a shot on goal. PA

Jurgen Klopp has urged Liverpool to be ready for a "massive" showdown with Tottenham on Sunday as his struggling side battle to save their season.

The Reds are languishing in ninth place in the Premier League after a wretched run that includes successive defeats against struggling Leeds and Nottingham Forest in their past two top-flight matches.

Liverpool are eight points adrift of the top four and 10 behind third-placed Tottenham ahead of this weekend's vital clash in north London.

Klopp knows another loss would be a huge blow to the team's hopes of qualifying for next season's Champions League.

"Massive game and difficult as well, Spurs away," Klopp said on Friday. "I didn't count the points distance between us and them but we have to go for it.

"We know it is difficult, we all know Tottenham is a side that is well-organised, defending an extremely high level and counter-attacking is a massive thing.

"Spurs is in a good moment, turned their last two games around in the last minute and the last one was an extremely big one in the Champions League so they are confident and strong."

Liverpool 1-2 Leeds ratings

Meanwhile, Tottenham manager Antonio Conte said that without the challenge of Liverpool, Pep Guardiola's City could have dominated the Premier League like Juventus did in Serie A when they won nine consecutive league titles between 2012 and 2020, a run started by the Spurs manager.

Conte said: "Without Liverpool, I think maybe Manchester City could do in the same way like Juventus was in Italy, so for this reason they have to be proud to reach this level.

"I think they improved a lot in these years during the transfer market with the big, big signings and this is a positive thing I'm telling to Liverpool because you can have money to spend, but if you waste your money, you don't sign good players, you can have whatever money you want, but you have to spend it in the best possible way.

"I think that Liverpool did this in this period, otherwise I think it was really, really difficult to become the first rival for Manchester City. For this reason, they signed really, really important players. They spent money, but, I repeat, I'm talking in a positive way because for sure Klopp has changed Liverpool."