Liverpool should have far too much for Spurs’ leaky defence

Tottenham v Liverpool

Liverpool face another test of their title credentials on Sunday when they travel to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to take on Ange Postecoglu’s Spurs. Arne Slot’s Reds are two points clear at the top of the table, with a game in hand on second-placed Chelsea.

They have drawn their last two matches, away to Newcastle and Fulham. But these are also arguably decent points. St James’ Park is always a tough place to visit while Liverpool had to deal with Andy Robertson being sent off early in twice coming back to draw 2-2 with Fulham.

Still, the Reds could do with getting back on the winning trail as they take on Spurs, who have been a model of inconsistency this season.

Consecutive defeats to Bournemouth and Chelsea had their fans fearing the worst when Spurs visited Southampton last weekend. Instead they were 5-0 up by half time.

Spurs are capable of tearing teams apart on their best days, but they are also desperately fragile in defence, and Liverpool have to be heavy favourites for this one, with a potent attack spearheaded by the irrepressible Mohammed Salah.

Prediction: Tottenham 2 Liverpool 4

Aston Villa v Manchester City

Manchester City’s quite staggering collapse this season shows no sign of slowing down, as they travel to Villa Park on Saturday to take on Aston Villa in the English Premier League.

Pep Guardiola’s side’s meltdown at home to Manchester United on Sunday was just the latest in a series of shock results that have left City nine points off league leaders Liverpool in fifth place.

Unai Emery’s Villa will overtake City if they can beat them on Saturday. Villa beat City in this corresponding fixture last season, Leon Bailey getting the only goal of the game. Emery’s side are not at the level they were last year, and lost their last league game at Nottingham Forest. But then again City are in such awful form, it is hard to see beyond another Villa win.

Prediction: Aston Villa 3 Manchester City 1

Magesi FC v Carling All Stars XI

One of Magesi FC’s rewards for their remarkable triumph in this season’s Carling Black Label Knockout is that they now get to play a Carling All Stars Team at Orlando Stadium on Saturday.

Clinton Larsen’s side, who stunned Orlando Pirates in the last 16 and Mamelodi Sundowns in the final, will take on a side comprising players from the Betway Premiership and the DStv Diski Challenge (DDC).

The players were voted for by the fans, who also selected Jose Riveiro to coach the All Stars team.

Established top flight stars like Orlando Pirates’ Relebohile Mofokeng and Sipho Chaine, Mamelodi Sundowns’ Bathusi Aubaas and Kaizer Chiefs’ Ashley Du Preez will line up alongside DDC players like Pirates’ Jabulani Mokone and Chiefs’ Aden McCarthy.

In exhibition matches like this, it is always hard to pick a winner. But the All Stars did beat Stellenbosch in the first of these games last season. And they may well pick up a narrow win again.

Prediction – Magesi 1 All Stars 2