Jose's five-point preview - Liverpool

Jose Mourinho previews the huge game against Premier League leaders Liverpool at home tomorrow (5.30pm).

1 - Team news - some good news...

We all know the bad news on Harry Kane (hamstring, requires surgery, out until April) and Moussa Sissoko (knee, had surgery, out until April) but there was good news with Hugo Lloris and Ben Davies closing in on their returns from injury...

Jose: “There is not one, single Tottenham supporter who is happy with what has happened to Harry Kane and Moussa, but we have to be positive and again, we believe that before the end of the month both Ben Davies and Hugo Lloris are going to be back. My first feeling when I arrived was to try to play in a certain way, the way we started against West Ham (23 November, 3-0 up by 50 minutes) and Ben was important in that way, so it’s good for him to be back, he will give us more options. We’ve had a period with no Ben, no Danny Rose and we’ve had to adapt with Jan Vertonghen in there. It’s important to have as many options as we can.”

2 - This week

We’ve just finished a run of five games in 15 days with Sunday’s FA Cup draw at Middlesbrough. This week has been a clear week - has Jose been able to get some work done at Hotspur Way?

Jose: “We had my second week of work out of the eight weeks I’m here! Six weeks were without working, just playing, resting, playing. This was the second week and we had a good week. Of course, it’s a pity we’ve lost important players and not for a short period of time, but we have to give the best option for the boys to be prepared and I think their work during the week was very good. I’m happy with how they committed to the work. The spirit is good.”

3 - Liverpool

The Reds are 13 points clear with a game in hand, unbeaten in the Premier League since last January. Jose has won titles, he’s been there - what does he make of Liverpool’s form?

Jose: “I think they are champions. I’ve been in similar situations and you don’t want to say it, you don’t want to celebrate, you want to keep it closed, but you know when you are champions, and I had situations where by October, November, I knew that I was going to be champion, and they know that. Before I joined the Club, I was doing some punditry and I said that three or four months ago. The team is so strong at this moment, I don’t want to say so much better, but better and more consistent than other fantastic teams that we have in the Premier League. It is about being good and consistent and they found that incredible combination. So yes, they are the best team, they are the new champions and we have to respect that. But everybody also has to respect the nature of football and the nature of football cannot stop us to think we can win. Are we going to win? I don’t know. But nobody can stop us from thinking that we can, and nobody can stop us going to the game with that ambition.”

4 - Unpredictability

Jurgen Klopp said in his press conference that Liverpool needed to be ‘unpredictable’ at the new stadium - how did Jose interpret that?

Jose: “I think he has so much in his hands that he can be what he wants. He can play with Firmino as a nine or a 10, can play with Salah and Mane wide or as strikers with Firmino dropping back. He can play with Shaqiri and decide to change a lot of things. He can play Origi. He has so many things he can do so, yes, he can be unpredictable. It's harder for people who play against them because he has that potential of unpredictability.”

5 - Belief

Jose said in his press conference ‘if you are not confident, it’s better to stay at home’ - a point we put to him again during his Spurs TV interview...

Jose: “We know we’re missing some important players. We know at this moment everything is going amazingly well for Liverpool. We know, especially people who have been in that position, that sometimes you are in a situation that even when you miss a shot, you score a goal. They are in this phenomenal moment. But we believe in us. We believe in our work. We believe that missing important players opens an opportunity for other people. We have to stick with our principles, to motivate ourselves and as I was saying, in that press conference room, probably there are two people who believe we are going to win, but we believe. In our dressing room, we believe. So, let’s go to the game with this spirit.”