The next stop on Tottenham Hotspur's title challenge takes them to Anfield this weekend as they face Liverpool in their first match after the international break.

The visitors go into the game just five points off leaders Leicester City, while Liverpool will not have given up hope of reaching the top four this season.

Liverpool

Securing Champions League football for next season remains the ultimate goal for Liverpool this term, but their chances look significantly bleaker now than they did just a couple of weeks ago.

Fresh from the high of knocking their biggest rivals Manchester United out of the Europa League, the Reds were handed what was widely regarded as the toughest draw available - a quarter-final against Borussia Dortmund.

The first leg of that takes place next Thursday as Jurgen Klopp returns to the Westfalenstadion for the first time since ending his hugely successful spell at the club, and the German could be forgiven for having one eye on that match.

However well he knows the club and its players, it promises to be a difficult assignment for Liverpool, and if they are in any doubt then they just need ask this weekend's opponents, who were thrashed 5-1 on aggregate by the Bundesliga outfit in the last round.

Tottenham themselves can certainly not be overlooked this weekend, though, and if qualifying for the Champions League via the Europa League is difficult with the draw, doing so via the Premier League would surely be out of the question should Liverpool lose on Saturday.

It could have been a lot better for the Reds had they not suffered a second-half collapse at the hands of Southampton in their last match before the international break. Leading 2-0 going into the final 30 minutes, the Saints fought back to win 3-2, having already missed a penalty earlier in the half.

The nature of the defeat means that the break probably came at a good time for the Reds, but it still leaves them seven points behind the top four with the season now entering the final stages.

Liverpool do still have the advantage of at least one game in hand over the majority of teams around them in the table, though, which makes their ninth-place standing somewhat misleading.

That will only be the case if Liverpool take advantage of those games in hand, though, and coming against Merseyside rivals Everton and reigning Premier League champions Chelsea, that is not guaranteed.

Both of those games come at Anfield, where Liverpool will this weekend look to win back-to-back league home games for the first time this season. No fewer than 11 teams have picked up more points in front of their own fans than the Reds this season, although it should also be noted that only the top two and Manchester United have lost fewer.

Recent form: LDWWWL
Recent form (all competitions): LWWWDL

Tottenham

It may be the home straight of the Premier League season, but Spurs will be hoping for a few more twists and turns to come.

They certainly need them. Five points is the gap to leaders Leicester, and with the Foxes showing few signs of wavering, Tottenham must take every opportunity to test their nerve.

This weekend is one such chance, with Leicester not playing until Sunday, when they host Southampton. That could see Spurs close the gap to just two points, although a Premier League win at Anfield is something that only three visiting clubs have managed this season.

Saturday's match marks the start of a difficult run-in for Tottenham, with their next six matches all coming against teams in the top 11 of the table before a final-day trip to Newcastle United, who could well still be fighting for their lives.

Compare that to Leicester, who take on four teams in the top 11, and Arsenal, who still have six bottom-half sides to play, and the respective run-ins are a mark in the negative column for Tottenham's title tilt.

Having said that, Spurs have already shown that they are capable of beating any Premier League team on their day and go into this weekend's match having won eight and lost just one of their last 10 league outings.

The latest of those saw them dispatch of Bournemouth with a 3-0 victory at White Hart Lane - a performance that had the opposition gushing with praise.

A number of their players continued their fine form throughout the international break too - not least their English contingent. Danny Rose made his international debut and is now considered the favourite for England's Euro 2016 left-back spot, Dele Alli was voted man of the match against world champions Germany - a game that also saw Harry Kane and Eric Dier both score, and Kyle Walker registered an assist against Netherlands.

All are expected to play a role in France this summer, but the important domestic matters at hand will have their full attention for now.

Only Leicester have amassed more away points than Spurs this season, with Mauricio Pochettino's side having lost just once on their travels since the opening day of the campaign.

Should they continue that run at Anfield this weekend then it would be a big step towards a first league title since Bill Nicholson's legendary double-winning side of 1961.

Recent form: WWLDWW
Recent form (all competitions): LDLWLW

Team News

Philippe Coutinho reacts after Manchester City win the League Cup on February 28, 2016

The international break is dreaded by most club managers, and Klopp could be without Philippe Coutinho this weekend after the Brazilian only returned from a 6,300-mile round trip on Thursday having sat on the bench for the entirety of his country's 2-2 draw with Paraguay.

Coutinho is one of a number of players to be assessed by the club, including Alberto Moreno, Roberto Firmino (both hamstring), Divock Origi (quadriceps) and Christian Benteke (knee).

Lucas Leiva is still a week or so away from making his return, while long-term absentees Danny Ings and Joe Gomez will not feature again this season.

Captain Jordan Henderson is expected to return to the side having been an unused substitute against Southampton, while the likes of James Milner and Martin Skrtel will also be hoping for a recall.

Spurs have been boosted by the news that Toby Alderweireld will be fit to face the Reds following a stomach bug, but the match comes too soon for his compatriot and centre-back partner Jan Vertonghen.

Nabil Bentaleb and Clinton N'Jie also remain sidelined, and Erik Lamela will undergo a late fitness test on a muscular injury.

Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Mignolet; Flanagan, Lovren, Sakho, Moreno; Milner, Henderson, Can; Lallana, Coutinho, Sturridge

Tottenham possible starting lineup:
Lloris; Walker, Alderweireld, Wimmer, Rose; Dembele, Dier, Lamela, Eriksen, Alli; Kane

Head To Head

This match has provided goals galore in recent seasons, usually going the way of Liverpool. The Reds have scored 18 times in a six-match unbeaten streak against Spurs which includes five wins.

The exception to that - and indeed the recent trend of goals - came at White Hart Lane earlier this season when the two sides played out a 0-0 draw in Klopp's first match as Liverpool manager.

Tottenham have not beaten Liverpool at Anfield since 2011, when Rafael van der Vaart and Luka Modric scored the goals in a 2-0 victory.

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We say: Liverpool 2-2 Tottenham

This is a huge match for both sides, and providing both are on form then it should be an entertaining spectacle. Klopp's Liverpool tend to raise their games for the big occasions, but Spurs are a well-balanced, dangerous outfit who should at least be able to match the hosts. We can see goals, but we can't separate the two teams.