Liverpool vs Tottenham: EFL Cup preview and team news
By Joel Masibo, September 15, 2026Liverpool will welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Anfield on Tuesday evening, September 15, 2026, as the two Premier League giants meet in the third round of the EFL Cup.
The match will also give former Liverpool left-back Andrew Robertson the opportunity to return to his old home after completing his move to Tottenham during the summer.
Both sides head into the cup encounter looking to rediscover their best form after disappointing league results at the weekend. Liverpool were held to a goalless draw by Fulham, while Tottenham were also unable to score as they drew 0-0 with Everton.
Liverpool looking to bounce back
Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool remain unbeaten this season, but their recent performances have raised questions about their attacking efficiency.
The Reds struggled to create clear chances against Fulham and were unable to make their possession count in the final third. Florian Wirtz, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch were among those who failed to make a significant impact.
Liverpool have collected six points from their opening four Premier League matches, leaving them seventh in the early standings.
Their form at Anfield has also been mixed. Their only victory at home this season came against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, when they secured a 2-1 victory on September 9.
Despite their inconsistent domestic start, Liverpool will be expected to take the EFL Cup seriously. The club are the competition’s most successful side and will be seeking an 11th League Cup crown.
Iraola could, however, make several alterations to his starting XI with the Premier League and Champions League remaining the club’s major priorities.
Tottenham facing early-season pressure
Tottenham’s start under Roberto De Zerbi has been considerably more difficult.
Spurs have managed just two points from their opening four Premier League fixtures after suffering two defeats and recording two draws.
More concerning is their failure to score in any of those league matches. Their inability to find the net has made this their poorest start to a campaign in terms of goals scored.
Tottenham spent close to £350 million during the transfer window, with De Zerbi reportedly heavily involved in the recruitment process. Expectations were therefore high, making their current position of 17th even more disappointing.
Their record against Liverpool offers little encouragement either. Spurs have won just twice in their last 20 meetings with the Merseyside club, suffering 14 defeats during that period.
Their most recent victory over Liverpool in 2023 remains controversial because the Reds finished the match with nine players and had a goal ruled out for offside despite VAR being available.
Tottenham did defeat Liverpool in the EFL Cup in January 2025, but that result ultimately failed to prevent the Reds from advancing from the semi-final tie.
Spurs have also struggled on their travels recently, drawing one and losing one of their last two away fixtures. However, they ended last season strongly on the road, winning two of their final three away matches.
Expected team changes
Liverpool are expected to rotate their squad after their physically demanding run of fixtures.
Trey Nyoni is among those expected to benefit from the changes and could feature in midfield alongside Alexis Mac Allister. Lewis Koumas could operate in an advanced midfield role.
Cody Gakpo is likely to be given an opportunity in attack, while Wataru Endo could make his first appearance of the campaign. The Japan international may be deployed in central defence.
Tottenham could select a stronger side as De Zerbi looks to stop the team’s difficult run.
Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali are among those who could be handed starting roles.
Robertson is also expected to feature against his former club. The Scotland international spent nine years at Liverpool after joining the club in 2017 before departing as a free agent in 2026.
Pedro Porro missed the draw against Everton with a muscle problem. Although the injury is not considered serious, Archie Gray could continue at right-back.