The second of two EFL Cup semi-final first-legs takes place on Wednesday, with Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool meeting to decide who’ll face the winner of Arsenal and Newcastle in Wembley to lift the Carabao Cup.
With this tie being played out over two legs, my Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool predictions have the hosts finding a goal, but the visitors collecting the win.
Read on for my EFL Cup picks for Wednesday, January 8 with kickoff at 3:00 p.m. ET on Paramount Plus.
Tottenham vs Liverpool picks and predictions
My best bet:
Liverpool moneyline + both teams to score (+135 at TonyBet)
My analysis
The second of this week’s two Carabao Cup games takes place on Wednesday and it’s one primed to see plenty of goals. Spurs host Liverpool in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and spectators can be certain that this will be an entertaining game. The visitors have scored more goals than anybody else in the Premier League this season, with 47 goals in 19 games. Spurs, despite sitting 12th in the league table, are the second-highest-scoring team, with 42 goals.
The fact Spurs are down in the bottom half of the table, despite scoring the second-most goals in the league, should give you an indication of our best bet on Wednesday, which is for Liverpool to win and both teams to score.
Both teams to score is always a strong bet to make with Spurs, especially on home soil. There has only been one of Spurs’ home league games this season that didn’t see the visiting team score and that was the very first one, a win over a poor Everton team. In fact, Spurs have been so bad defensively this season that they’ve had just four clean sheets through their first 20 games.
Liverpool’s attackers will be eager to face a defense that has been consistently breached, thanks to both a lack of quality and some naïve tactics from their manager, Ange Postecoglou. The Liverpool front three of Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, and Luis Diaz have been tearing teams apart this season and while there is a risk of some rotation, that is probably minimal. This is a semi-final and a trophy in Arne Slot’s first season would qualify it as a great success, even if the Premier League is more important and also within their grasp. You’d have to think he takes this game seriously and we see minimal changes, although it wouldn’t be a shock if Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota did get minutes.
Slot’s team has shown real class all season and has the quality to win this with ease. Postecoglou is under real pressure to keep his job as Tottenham manager right now and he’s not helped by an injury list that keeps getting bigger and is exasperated by James Maddison being suspended for this game.
Spurs have attacking talent and on home soil, they generally score, and they should on Wednesday, but it’s unlikely to be enough, and Liverpool’s quality will give them the win. Don’t forget that these two teams met at this same Stadium just before Christmas and Liverpool won a thrilling game 6-3.
Tottenham vs Liverpool same-game parlay (SGP)
Liverpool moneyline
Both teams to score — Yes
Liverpool team total Over 2.5 goals
Mohamed Salah anytime goal
First up, we’re adding Liverpool to score Over 2.5 goals. They’re the top scorers in the Premier League and have scored 16 goals in their past four games, including six when these teams met just before Christmas. They are stacked with attacking talents and will trouble a Spurs’ backline riddled with injuries.
The final leg of this SGP is for Mohamed Salah to score. Liverpool’s talisman has scored 18 league goals already this campaign and has scored in four straight games. He’s at risk of being rested but given his importance to the team, you should see him at some point, even if he doesn’t start.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Tottenham vs Liverpool odds
 Tottenham |
 Liverpool |
|
|---|---|---|
| +350 | Moneyline | -164 |
| +359 | Draw | +359 |
| Over 2.5 (-345) | Total | Under 2.5 (+250) |
Odds courtesy of TonyBet.
Tottenham vs Liverpool opening odds
- Moneyline: Tottenham +350 | Liverpool -164
- Draw: +359
- Over/Under: Over 2.5 (-345) | Under 2.5 (+250)
Tottenham vs Liverpool side and Over/Under analysis
- Spurs have lost three of their past six games, drawing one and winning another, across all competitions.
- Liverpool are unbeaten in 24 games in all competitions.
- Liverpool have won four of the past five meetings between the teams.
- Over 2.5 goals has landed in 77.8% of Liverpool’s away games in the league this season.
Tottenham vs Liverpool game info
| Location: | Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, UK |
| Date: | Wednesday, 1-8-2025 |
| Time: | 3:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | Paramount+ |
| Weather: | Wet with rain/snow mixture. |
Tottenham vs Liverpool key injuries
Tottenham: Micky van de Ven (DEF (Out), Richarlison STR (Out), Guglielmo Vicario GK (Out), Ben Davies DEF (Out), Cristian Romero CB (Out), Wilson Odobert FWR (Out), Destiny Udogie LB (Out), Pape Sarr CM (Out), James Maddison CAM (Out), Radu Dragusin CB (Questionable), Fraser Forster GK (Questionable), Mikey Moore FWR (Questionable).
Liverpool: Joe Gomez CB (Out), Dominik Szoboszlai CM (Questionable).
Not intended for use in MA.
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