Q&AThe view from Tottenham: 'Expectations have been raised under Antonio Conte'

The Reds travel to the capital as they return to Premier League action aiming to follow up their 2-0 Champions League triumph over Napoli in midweek.

To find out about Tottenham's form, danger men and much more, we spoke to London Evening Standard chief football writer Dan Kilpatrick...

Firstly, what have you made of Tottenham's start to the season?

It's hard to complain really. They're through to the Champions League knockouts as group winners and should be well placed in the top four when the season pauses. Performances have not matched results but that's understandable given the schedule. Fans will expect them to be more coherent in the second half of the season, but so far, so good.

How important was the midweek win over Marseille and passage into the last 16 of the Champions League?

Very. Crashing out of a relatively kind Champions League group would have altered perceptions of the season so far, and even coloured how fans view Antonio Conte's year in charge. As it is, a big win should give them a lift for the final week and they now have a big knockout game to look forward to in spring.

Who have been Spurs' standout performers so far this season?

The midfield two, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Rodrigo Bentancur. They've been the most consistent performers and are increasingly delivering in the final third too – as the late winners against Bournemouth and Marseille this past week have shown. Harry Kane has been very effective too, without being at his dominant best.

Which of Tottenham's summer signings should Liverpool fans be looking out for on Sunday?

Yves Bissouma and Ivan Perisic both had arguably their best game for the club in Marseille midweek and the former is likely to start in midfield. Bissouma hasn't really got going yet but he should help Spurs be stronger in possession and provide a platform for Bentancur and Hojbjerg to get forward and support a depleted attack.

Antonio Conte recently celebrated a year in charge. How do you assess his 12 months at the club?

Overall, he has done a very good job. He has raised expectations to the extent that it is easy to forget the mess they were in when he joined. It was less than a year ago, for example, that Spurs failed to get out of their Europa Conference League group. Supporters would like to see them play more on the front foot but given the schedule, prioritising results over performances is understandable and the squad is a few more key tweaks away from being strong.

How do you expect Spurs will approach the game? Does Conte have a preferred formation?

Spurs will approach it as they often do: sit back, invite Liverpool to come on and aim to exploit the space behind in transition. It worked well in both of last season's fixtures. With Heung-min Son and Richarlison likely to be out injured, Conte will probably play 3-5-2, although Perisic could operate in a front three if needed. Cristian Romero is also out and will be a big miss in the back three.

Finally, what's your score prediction?

I'll go with 1-1. Given the proximity to the World Cup, I think it could be stodgy and both managers may be happy to share the spoils.