Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has warned Liverpool that his side are over their recent slump ahead of the Premier League meeting at Anfield on Sunday.
It will be the first meeting between Spurs and Liverpool since their confrontation in the Uefa Champions League final in Madrid in June, since which Jurgen Klopp's team have pushed on from their victory to take control of the early Premier League running.
Pochettino has admitted that defeat has weighed heavily on his players and has bled into their miserable early season form that suggests June's final was a high-water mark.
"It means a lot for the club to reach the final of the Champions League but for the players or the coaching staff we felt empty after the game," Pochettino said ahead of the trip to Merseyside.
"Now we have full energy and we have recovered from that situation and now it's the moment to build again our confidence and trust and start to show our real talent and potential."
A return of just three Premier League wins this season and a run that included the humiliating 7-2 defeat to Bayern Munich, a 3-0 loss at Brighton & Hove Albion, and a fortunate home draw with bottom club Watford meant Tuesday's meeting with Red Star Belgrade was always going to be significant.
The eventual 5-0 victory provided a much-needed lift, and a fourth win in 13 games in all competitions allowed Pochettino to talk of a renewed confidence within a squad whose unity has been questioned.
After five years in charge, the Argentine's ability to motivate his squad has come under scrutiny but the togetherness shown before and after the Red Star win will be needed if they are to end the nine-game unbeaten start that has allowed Liverpool to open up a five-point lead on Leicester City and three over Manchester City with one fewer game played.
Spurs' performance midweek recalled their vibrant displays of last season with Harry Kane and Son Heung-min both scoring twice, albeit against a much weaker defence than the one they will face on Sunday.
It was also achieved without Christian Eriksen - out of contract at the end of this season, along with Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld - who remained an unused substitute and is unlikely to return to the starting line-up this weekend.
"It was not that they forget how to play football, that Harry Kane doesn't know anymore - he showed in that game (against Red Star) how good he can be," said Klopp on Friday.
"They are a top side in the Premier League and they will be a top side in the whole season in the Premier League -- and we have to respect that and play the best football we can play against them."
Tottenham can draw inspiration from how Manchester United became the first team to take points off Liverpool last weekend, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side successfully negating the attacking threat of Klopp's side in a 1-1 draw.
Pochettino's side will need to be similarly resolute to avoid a repeat of the defensive lapses that have been a feature of their campaign so far against a team that have won all four of their home games, scoring 12 times.
A positive result at Anfield would provide evidence that the hangover from last season's European exertions is finally lifting and that a void is finally being filled.
What is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.
While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."
LAST-16 FIXTURES
Sunday, January 20
3pm: Jordan v Vietnam at Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
6pm: Thailand v China at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
9pm: Iran v Oman at Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Monday, January 21
3pm: Japan v Saudi Arabia at Sharjah Stadium
6pm: Australia v Uzbekistan at Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
9pm: UAE v Kyrgyzstan at Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Tuesday, January 22
5pm: South Korea v Bahrain at Rashid Stadium, Dubai
8pm: Qatar v Iraq at Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Squad
Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas)
Petrarch: Everywhere a Wanderer
Christopher Celenza,
Reaktion Books
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 400hp
Torque: 560Nm
Price: Dh234,000 - Dh329,000
On sale: now
INDIA V SOUTH AFRICA
First Test: October 2-6, at Visakhapatnam
Second Test: October 10-14, at Maharashtra
Third Test: October 19-23, at Ranchi
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 611bhp
Torque: 620Nm
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Price: upon application
On sale: now
Student Of The Year 2
Director: Punit Malhotra
Stars: Tiger Shroff, Tara Sutaria, Ananya Pandey, Aditya Seal
1.5 stars
