My headline pick for this third-round tie is Liverpool to win at 3/4 with Midnite, and the reasoning is about the opponent rather than the form line.Roberto De Zerbi does not set his teams up to sit in, which gives Liverpool the space they have looked most dangerous in this season.Every selection below is my own view, carries a price checked at a UK-licensed bookmaker at 2 PM, and comes with a stated reason rather than a run of recent results.My top Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur betting tips at a glancePrices checked at 2 PM. The detail behind each pick is in the tips section further down.SelectionOddsWhyLiverpool to win3/4 (Midnite)De Zerbi’s side will not sit in the way Fulham didLiverpool to win the first half to nil8/5 (Betway)Spurs’ frontline has offered almost nothing so farAlexander Isak anytime scorer6/5 (SBK)Sharper than last season and likely to lead the lineLiverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur match previewTwo Premier League heavyweights, one third-round exit. Neither side arrives in good shape. Liverpool have won one of their first four league fixtures and were held to a goalless draw by Fulham at the weekend. Tottenham’s start has been worse still, two points from a possible 12 after their own 0-0, this one against Everton.That makes the EFL Cup more useful to both than it might normally be. It is a route to silverware and, more immediately, a chance to build some confidence before the last round of league fixtures ahead of the extended international break. Neither Andoni Iraola nor De Zerbi has an obvious reason to treat this lightly.Team formLiverpool are unbeaten in five, though three of those were draws, and the Fulham stalemate followed a 2-1 Champions League win over Atletico Madrid. There are clear gaps in the squad under Iraola, with questions over both the defence and the midfield, and Florian Wirtz still short of the level his fee implies. Tottenham’s numbers are the more alarming set.Their five goals in five all came in one night against Charlton in the previous round; in the Premier League they have not scored at all, four matches and more than 400 minutes without a goal. De Zerbi is not under pressure yet, but the flat display against Everton did nothing to ease it.TeamLast 5Goals forGoals againstBTTSLiverpoolD D W W D853/5Tottenham HotspurL W L D D561/5All competitions, oldest result first.Head-to-head recordLiverpool have dominated this fixture recently, winning four of the last six meetings with one draw and a single Spurs win. Tottenham have come out on top just once in the last seven across all competitions, and Liverpool knocked them out at the EFL Cup semi-final stage in 2024/25.DateCompetitionFixtureResult15 Mar 2026Premier LeagueLiverpool vs Tottenham1-120 Dec 2025Premier LeagueTottenham vs Liverpool1-227 Apr 2025Premier LeagueLiverpool vs Tottenham5-16 Feb 2025EFL Cup semi-final, 2nd legLiverpool vs Tottenham4-0Team news and predicted line-upsRotation is the main question on both sides. Wirtz is the most likely Liverpool player to drop out given how little he has influenced games so far, which strengthens the case for Isak leading the line rather than sharing the load. Confirmed XIs land roughly an hour before kick-off.Liverpool (predicted): Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Munoz, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; IsakTottenham Hotspur (predicted): Kinsky; Gray, Van Hecke, Senesi, Robertson; Gray, Gallagher; Savinho, Maddison, Tel; MarmoushLiverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur match predictionLiverpool 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur. The head-to-head record points one way, home advantage points the same way, and the tactical matchup is the clincher. Fulham frustrated Liverpool by defending deep and in numbers; De Zerbi will not do that. Against a Spurs side low on confidence and creating little, Liverpool should find the openings that were not there at the weekend. The 3/4 match price implies a 57% chance of a home win, which looks a shade generous given the gap in form between the two.Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur betting tipsReds to bounce backLiverpool to win, 3/4 with Midnite. The 0-0 with Fulham is the wrong reference point for this one. Fulham had been open in their opening fixtures and chose to dig in at Anfield; De Zerbi is an attack-minded coach whose teams commit bodies forward. Liverpool have looked at their most threatening this season when given space to play in, and this is a game that should offer it. Spurs are also low on confidence, and the venue is a further factor in Liverpool’s favour.Spurs struggling in attackLiverpool to win the first half to nil, 8/5 with Betway. Liverpool have not been convincing defensively, but this selection is less about them than about what Tottenham are offering at the other end. Their frontline has posed very little threat to opposition backlines so far, and they were flat from the first whistle against Everton.I expect Liverpool to reach half-time with the sheet clean, and I like their chances of scoring inside the opening 45 too. It is the higher-risk of my three picks, since it needs both halves of the bet to land, but 8/5 is a fair price for it.Isak on targetAlexander Isak anytime scorer, 6/5 with SBK. Wirtz is still struggling to influence games and looks the likeliest to be rotated out here, which points to Isak carrying the central threat rather than sharing it.He is not back to his best, but he has looked sharper this season than last, and the openings should be there against a Spurs defence that will be asked to hold a higher line than Fulham’s. The selection depends on him starting, so it is worth waiting for confirmed team news before backing it.Where and when to watch in the UKDate: Tuesday 15 SeptemberKick-off: 8pmVenue: Anfield, LiverpoolWhere to watch: ITV4 and ITVX, Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports FootballKey statsTottenham have won one of their last seven meetings with Liverpool in all competitionsLiverpool have won four of the last six between the sides, with one drawLiverpool knocked Tottenham out at the EFL Cup semi-final stage in 2024/25Tottenham have taken two points from a possible 12 in the Premier League this seasonBoth sides drew 0-0 at the weekend, Liverpool with Fulham and Tottenham with EvertonFAQWho is the referee for the fixture?RefereeAndrew MadleyAssistant Referee 1Wade SmithAssistant Referee 2Richard WestVARThere is no VARWhere will the fixture take place?At Anfield, capacity 61,276. Liverpool have won four of the last six meetings with Tottenham, and knocked them out of this competition at the semi-final stage in 2024/25.What is the weather forecast for the kick-off?The weather forecast for the 8:00 p.m. BST kick-off is 16°C (61°F) with a 35% chance of light rain showers.About the authorGreg LeaGreg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootballCommercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 18+. 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