Ahead of the pair's meeting at Anfield on Saturday, Tim Ellis picks out a handful of memorable clashes between the Reds and Spurs...
1. Liverpool 1-1 Tottenham, Mar 1973
Liverpool’s 'goalbound shots or headers were turned round the posts, flicked over the crossbar, deflected, diverted, smothered, or blocked,' reported the Guardian
Even Bill Shankly was lost for words when Liverpool dropped what look like being a crucial point in their three-way fight for the title with Arsenal and Leeds.
Pat Jennings saved two penalties, one from Kevin Keegan and one from Tommy Smith with just four minutes left, and remembers the match well: “It was the morning of the Grand National and Tommy Smith said I was so lucky, if I’d been riding a horse in the National I would probably have won.”
Alan Gilzean had given Spurs a shock lead, before Keegan equalised 20 minutes from the end with a mishit shot. "Liverpool’s goalbound shots or headers were turned round the posts, flicked over the crossbar, deflected, diverted, smothered, or blocked," reported the Guardian.
2. Liverpool 7-0 Tottenham, Sep 1978
The seventh goal was one for the purists, an end-to-end move of superlative speed and accuracy with Terry McDermott finishing things off
Or Liverpool 7-0 Sputs as the BBC Grandstand teleprinter had it. Tottenham snapped up two Argentines called Osvaldo Ardiles and Ricky Villa in the close season, but had failed to clock up a single win upon arriving at Anfield in September 1978.
Liverpool's performance was mesmeric as Kenny Dalglish and David Johnson each helped themselves to a brace, Ray Kennedy netted once and Phil Neal from a retaken penalty. The seventh goal was one for the purists, an end-to-end move of superlative speed and accuracy with Terry McDermott finishing things off at the far post. "That must be the best goal Anfield has ever seen," said Bob Paisley.
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The Reds won the league by a mile, scoring 85 and conceding just 16.
3. Liverpool 3-1 Tottenham, Mar 1982
Spurs hadn't conceded a goal in reaching the League (Milk) Cup final at Wembley, where Steve Archibald gave them an early lead after prodding the ball past Bruce Grobbelaar.
The Glaswegian had a gilt-edged chance to finish things off late on in the second half but didn't take it, leaving the path clear for Ronnie Whelan, Liverpool's 'Milky Bar Kid', to equalise and make himself a hero. Whelan repeated the trick in extra time against a tiring Tottenham side that featured former Reds hero Ray Clemence in goal, with Ian Rush finishing the job in the 119th minute.
4. Liverpool 0-1 Tottenham, Mar 1985
Liverpool were in a mini mid-80s slump after Graeme Souness’s departure to Sampdoria, with Rush unusually profligate upfront
Tottenham had last won at Anfield in 1912 as they arrived on Merseyside looking to continue their title charge in front of the TV cameras. Liverpool were in a mini mid-'80s slump after Graeme Souness’s departure to Sampdoria, with Rush unusually profligate up front and Clemence forced to pull off a number of superb saves to keep Spurs at bay.
Micky Hazard’s introduction from the bench turned out to be significant: it was his snapshot that Grobbelaar pushed into the path of Garth Crooks, who tucked home to give Tottenham all three points. Tottenham soon faded, though, with Everton winning the league by 13 points.
This FA Cup sixth-round tie was memorable for so many reasons, including Liverpool fans' standing ovation for Spurs at the final whistle.
Robbie Fowler’s header gave the home side the advantage, but Teddy Sheringham equalised with a magnificent curling shot from just outside the area. Tottenham then struck the killer blow with 90 seconds remaining, Sheringham's clever flick freeing Jurgen "the German" Klinsmann, who stroked the ball into the corner past David “Armani” James.
Spurs made the mistake of celebrating as if they'd won the Cup; Klinsmann also scored in the semi-final, but Gerry Francis’ charges were hammered 4-1 by eventual winners Everton.
6. Tottenham 1-1 Liverpool, Dec 2004
Zak Whitbread, Darren Potter and David Raven somehow repelling a full-strength Tottenham side containing Frederic Kanoute. Jermain Defoe, Michael Carrick and Robbie Keane
In his first season in charge at Anfield, Rafa Benitez steered his side to the Carling Cup final after giving a number of academy kids a run-out in the quarter-finals at White Hart Lane. There, the likes of Zak Whitbread, Darren Potter and David Raven somehow repelled a full-strength Tottenham side containing Frederic Kanoute, Jermain Defoe, Michael Carrick and Robbie Keane.
Defoe finally made the breakthrough in extra time but Kanoute’s eccentricities cost Spurs, the striker throwing up a hand to concede the penalty that Florent Sinama-Pongolle converted in the 117th minute – a feat he repeated with the winning kick in the shootout. "I have seen it on television and it's even more unbelievable,” Tottenham boss Martin Jol said of Kanoute's intervention afterwards.
7. Tottenham 4-0 Liverpool, Sep 2011
Emmanuel Adebayor scored twice on his home debut as Liverpool wilted under Harry Redknapp’s side's assault. Gareth Bale and Luka Modric, who opened the scoring with a 25-yarder, tormented Martin Skrtel and Sebastian Coates all afternoon, with the former was eventually sent off for clattering into Bale for the umpteenth time.
Tottenham went on to finish fourth despite a terrible run of four wins in their last 13 games, but sixth-placed Chelsea somehow beat Bayern Munich in the Champions League final to claim the last automatic qualification spot for the following year's edition.
8. Tottenham 0-5 Liverpool, Dec 2013
Paulinho saw red for taking out Suarez, who notched his second in the 84th minute, with Brendan Rodgers congratulating his players for a complete performance
Liverpool signalled their title intent with this mid-December demolition job. Luis Suarez was captain for the day and started the charge when he expertly steered the ball past Hugo Lloris to give the Reds the lead, with Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling and Jon Flanagan also getting on the scoresheet.
Paulinho saw red for taking out Suarez, who notched his second in the 84th minute, with Brendan Rodgers congratulating his players for a complete performance. Andre Villas-Boas was given the boot hours after the game, his Spurs side having already been hit for six by Manchester City three weeks earlier.
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Liverpool were on a Rodgers-led revival that would see them take 33 points from a possible 39, while Tottenham were showing the first signs of a harder edge under Mauricio Pochettino.
The Merseysiders took the lead when Lloris let Lazar Markovic’s speculative effort through his body, but Harry Kane equalised to continue his hot streak. The hosts pressed on, with Daniel Sturridge backheeling against the post, before Steven Gerrard cooly converted a penalty after Danny Rose felled Sturridge.
Spurs wouldn't go away, though, and Mousa Dembele bundled in an equaliser from a Christian Eriksen free-kick. But Mario Balotelli finally broke his Premier League duck for the Reds with seven minutes to go. The Italian didn't celebrate his winner, however, instead disappearing down the tunnel at the end of the game and only posting a smile on Instagram later.
The Reds’ pursuit of fourth place was brought to a shuddering halt by Manchester United the following month, leaving Rodgers' empire on the brink of collapse.
