Liverpool – Tottenham Preview: In-form Reds aiming for eighth consecutive Premier League win

Liverpool head to Tottenham on Sunday with Brendan Rodgers insisting the pressure is not getting to his side as they continue to fight Chelsea and Manchester City for the title.

Tottenham head coach Tim Sherwood has questioned whether the Reds have the belief to win the title for the first time since 1990 but Rodgers is remaining calm.

He told reporters: “In terms of management this will have been my fifth season but I’ve been stood on the touchline for 20-odd years and this year I have been able to put into practise what I have been working on for many years.

“Although there is still a lot for me to learn, it is not as if I am new to it.

“Other squads have much greater depth and maybe better individuals than us but we are showing we are developing and we are looking to put something in place not just for one season.

“If there is any pressure it is on other teams.”

A 2-1 victory over Sunderland on Wednesday stretched Liverpool’s winning run to seven Premier League matches, and they begin the weekend just a point behind leaders Chelsea with seven games remaining.

Suarez scored twice when Rodgers’ side ran riot at White Hart Lane, winning 5-0, back in December, while Sturridge’s goal on Wednesday ensured the duo became the first Liverpool strike pairing to each score 20 goals in a season since Ian St John and Roger Hunt 50 years ago.

Liverpool’s thrashing of Spurs cost Andre Villas-Boas his job – and Sherwood can ill-afford a repeat on Sunday.

Sherwood was charged with the task of replacing Villas-Boas after the Portuguese was shown the door but he has come under pressure after his side crashed out of the Europa League to Benfica while also producing inconsistent Premier League form that looks set to extend their wait for a return to the Champions League by at least another 12 months.

A spirited fightback against Southampton last weekend raised morale, as Tottenham came back from 2-0 down to secure a thrilling 3-2 win courtesy of Gylfi Sigurdsson’s stoppage-time strike.

That victory went some way to easing the pressure on Sherwood, who has had to fend off questions about his future amid reports linking the likes of Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal with the White Hart Lane hotseat.

Tottenham have lost their last two top-flight games on the road without scoring a goal and really need to put that right this weekend if they are to have any hope of making up the seven-point gap on fourth-placed Arsenal.

The visitors again have a doubt over striker Emmanuel Adebayor (heel), with Kyle Walker (pelvis) and Erik Lamela (back) remaining sidelined, but Mousa Dembele (knock) Vlad Chiriches (back) and Michael Dawson (hamstring) could return.

Jose Enrique (knee) is Liverpool’s only absentee, but captain Steven Gerrard remains one yellow card away from a two-match ban.

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