Tottenham v Liverpool: Premier League – live

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Have yourself a very Merseyside Christmas: a tip of the Santa Claus hat to photographer John Patrick Fletcher, who has certainly got into the Christmas spirit ahead of kick-off at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium … Photograph: John Patrick Fletcher/Action Plus/Shutterstock

Liverpool: Curtis Jones has revealed Mo Salah apologised to the Liverpool squad for the fallout from his interview criticising the club and Arne Slot before hightailing it to Morocco for Afcon. Andy Hunter reports …

Tottenham Hotspur: Thomas Frank has asked for time and patience from Tottenham fans who are increasingly frustrated by his team’s stodgy performances. Whether or not he is given either could well hinge on the performance of his team in tonight’s match, whatever the result. David Hytner reports …

Thomas Frank greets his Tottenham Hotspur players immediately after the drubbing they suffered at the hands of Nottingham Forest last weekend. Photograph: Visionhaus/Getty Images

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ahead of kick-off. Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images/Reuters

Today’s match officials

• Referee: John Brooks

• Assistants: Simon Bennett and James Mainwaring

• Fourth official: Anthony Taylor

• VAR: Stuart Attwell

• Assistant VAR: Adam Nunn

John Brooks is in charge of maintaining the very best of order in today’s match between Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool. Photograph: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Tottenham Ho-Ho-Hotspur: a Father Christmas hat on the pitch at Spurs. Photograph: John Patrick Fletcher/Action Plus/Shutterstock

Those teams: Hugo Ekitike starts up front for Liverpool, with Alexander Isak consigned to the bench for the third Premier League match in a row. Dominik Szoboszlai is fit enough to take his place in Liverpool’s midfield, while Conor Bradley returns from suspension to take his place at right-back. As expected, Jeremie Frimpong is among the substitutes.

Somewhat surprisingly, Thomas Frank makes just one change from the side that started against Nottingham Forest last weekend. Lucas Bergvall comes into midfield to facilitate Randal Kolo Muani’s move up front in place of Richarlison.

Connor Bradley is back from a spell on the naughty step to line up at right-back for Liverpool this evening. Photograph: Mickael Chavet/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock

Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool line-ups

Tottenham: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Gray, Bentancur, Bergvall; Kudus, Kolo Muani, Simons.

Subs: Kinsky, Dragusin, Danso, Palhinha, Richalison, Tel, Johnson, Odobert, Davies.

Liverpool: Alisson; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Jones; Szoboszlai, Ekitike, Wirtz.

Subs: Mamardashvili, Isak, Chiesa, Robertson, Frimpong, Nyoni, Ramsay, Ngumoha, Lucky.

Early team news

James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Dominic Solanke, Radu Dragusin and Koto Takai remain sidelined for Tottenham, while Pape Mater Sarr and Yves Bissouma are away at Afcon.

As previously mentioned, Mo Salah is also away in Morocco with Egypt, while Dominik Szoboszlai, who along with Pedro Porro is one booking away from getting Christmas off, will undergo a late fitness test on the ankle injury that forced him off the pitch during Liverpool’s win over Brighton last weekend.

Joe Gomez has been ruled out with a hamstring injury, while Wataru Endo, Cody Gakpo and Giovanni Leoni are also unavailable. Conor Bradley is back from suspension and Jeremie Frimpong has been passed fit and will be in the squad after two months out.

Jeremie Frimpong has not played for Liverpool since picking up an injury in Liverpool’s Champions League win over Eintracht Frankfurt in October. Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA

Premier League: Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is the venue for today’s late-afternoon skirmish between two sides currently engaged in a spirited race to see who can look more profoundly confused by the concept of defending.

Spurs come into this one fresh from a 3-0 shellacking at the hands of Nottingham Forest, a performance that could scarcely have been more listless and ramped up the pressure on Thomas Frank. They are, of course, missing half a squad to injury and Afcon, with long-term absentees James Maddison and Dominic Solanke still inhabiting the treatment room, while Yves Bissouma (Mali) and Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal) enjoy the balmy warmth of West Africa—a luxury not afforded to Spurs fans currently shivering in North London.

Liverpool, meanwhile, arrive as defending champions in name only, their title defence having hit an iceberg somewhere around mid-October. While they are unbeaten in five in all competitinos, Arne Slot is still dealing with the fallout of the Salah-gate, but with the Egyptian King also away at Afcon, Liverpool’s Dutch head coach can at least focus on whether Hugo Ekitike can continue his one-man mission to prove that Alexander Isak is little more than a very expensive decoy.

The last time these two met, Liverpool won 5-1, but given both teams’ recent penchant for slapstick comedy at the back, we could be in for anything from a 0-0 snoozefest to a 12-goal thriller that leaves the tactical analysts needing a lie-down in a darkened room. Kick-off is at 5.30pm (GMT) but stay tuned in the meantime for team news and build-up.