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Jose Mourinho's historic run-ins with Liverpool: Can Tottenham land first blow to title charge?

Watch Tottenham vs Liverpool live on Sky Sports Premier League from 5pm on Saturday; kick-off 5.30pm. Match highlights available shortly after full-time on Sky Sports website and app

Steven Gerrard and John Flanagan try to retrieve the ball from Jose Mourinho
Image: Jose Mourinho has had some memorable battles with Liverpool down the years

From Luis Garcia's ghost goal to Steven Gerrard's slip, Sky Sports provides a potted history of Jose Mourinho's most memorable encounters against Liverpool.

Given the circumstances, Liverpool is the last team Mourinho would want to take on next.

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Last week, he called the Reds the best team in the world in this moment, and highlighted the benefits of Liverpool letting Jurgen Klopp have eight transfer windows to put down his philosophies, his training methods, his fingerprints.

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Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp believes Tottenham head coach Jose Mourinho is still a world-class manager and respects his winning mentality

Mourinho was a picture of smugness after his Manchester United team kept Liverpool scoreless at Anfield with 35 per cent possession in October 2016, while his patched-up Chelsea team beat Liverpool in April 2014 in a result that ruined the Reds bid to win the Premier League title.

How he would love to be the manager to end Liverpool's unbeaten record this season, however unlikely that seems. Sky Sports looks back at 10 battles over the years.

Mourinho's record against Liverpool/Klopp

Against Liverpool Jose Mourinho Against Klopp
28 Games played 10
12 Won 2
9 Drawn 4
7 Lost 4
30 Goals for 11
24 Goals Against 16

Jose's first taste of red

Frank Lampard battles with Xabi Alonso during Mourinho's first Liverpool encounter
Image: Frank Lampard with Xabi Alonso in Mourinho's first Liverpool battle

Premier League, Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool - October 3, 2004

Mourinho's quest to stall Liverpool's seemingly unstoppable march towards the Premier League title is the highlight of this weekend's top-flight games - but it was a far different story in autumn 2004.

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Joe Cole emerged from the substitutes' bench to keep Chelsea in touch with leaders Arsenal in Mourinho's first encounter with Liverpool.

Cole replaced Didier Drogba late in the first half and on 64 minutes, it was his header that beat Chris Kirkland from Frank Lampard's in-swinging free kick.

A first piece of silverware

Didier Drogba and Mateja Kezman were both on target during Chelsea's win
Image: Didier Drogba and Mateja Kezman were both on target during Chelsea's win

League Cup final, Chelsea 3-2 Liverpool - February 27, 2005

Didier Drogba and Mateja Kezman scored in extra time as Chelsea lifted the League Cup trophy in a thrilling final at Cardiff's formerly-named Millennium Stadium.

John Arne Riise scored after just 45 seconds but Chelsea equalised on 79 minutes through an own goal by Steven Gerrard and the Blues sealed the win in extra time.

Mourinho was sent off for putting his finger to his lips to hush the Liverpool fans, but the Special One had his first medal on these shores in his back pocket.

'Ghost goal' gives Liverpool revenge

Luis Garcia's strike proved the only goal across the two legs of the Champions League semi-final
Image: Luis Garcia's scored the only goal across the Champions League semi-final

Champions League semi-final, second leg Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea (agg: 1-0) - May 3, 2005

Liverpool reached their first European Cup final in 20 years with the tie's crucial moment coming four minutes into the second leg.

Milan Baros beat Petr Cech to a loose ball and Luis Garcia tapped in, despite Chelsea claiming it did not cross the line.

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Our selection of the Greatest Premier League Goals between Liverpool and Tottenham including strikes from Erik Edman and Mohamed Salah

Speaking on the game last year, Mourinho told BeIn Sports: "Anfield is a magic place to play, it is a beautiful place to play. They can even score goals that the players don't score, like it happened in 2005.

"It wasn't Garcia that scored the goal, it was the crowd that scored the goal, but now it isn't possible with VAR and goal-line technology."

Chelsea's hopes of domestic double ended

 Luis Garcia was the scourge of Chelsea again in the 2006 FA Cup semi-finals
Image: Luis Garcia was the scourge of Chelsea again in the 2006 FA Cup semi-finals

FA Cup semi-final, Chelsea 1-2 Liverpool - April 22, 2006

For the second successive season, Rafael Benitez got the better of Mourinho in the semi-final of a major competition.

Didier Drogba missed two gilt-edged chances for Chelsea before John Arne Riise's free kick put the Reds ahead. Luis Garcia doubled their advantage eight minutes into the second half.

Drogba would finally beat Pepe Reina to reduce the arrears, but after Joe Cole blazed over a golden opportunity to take the tie into extra time, Liverpool booked their place in the final.

More Champions League heartache

Pep Reina keeps out Geremi's penalty as Chelsea were knocked out of Europe
Image: Pep Reina keeps out Geremi's penalty as Chelsea were knocked out of Europe

Champions League semi-final, second leg, Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea (agg: 1-1, Liverpool won 4-1 on pens), May 1, 2007

The Champions League remained the only major trophy that had eluded Mourinho at Chelsea and his team suffered a second elimination at the hands of Liverpool at the semi-final stage in May 2007.

The 4-1 shootout loss would prove significant, coming in the middle of a breakdown in relationship with Roman Abramovich over the club's transfer strategy.

The Chelsea owner, frustrated in his desire for European glory, would sack Mourinho four months later with Chelsea lying in fifth place.

Mourinho's Anfield revenge

Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard reacts after slipping against Chelsea in 2014
Image: Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard reacts after slipping against Chelsea in 2014

Premier League, Liverpool 0-2 Chelsea - April 27, 2014

Unshaven and dressed in tracksuit and gilet, Mourinho derailed Liverpool's Premier League title tilt with a team full of reserves.

In the previous January, he had criticised West Ham using "19th Century" tactics, but the Portuguese brought to Merseyside his own unique brand of defensive football as Chelsea slowed the game at every opportunity.

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Jose Mourinho thinks his Tottenham team can upset Liverpool this weekend - but he admits that not many other people agree!

Mourinho made seven changes, with the Champions League once more the club's primary objective, but they were given a helping hand as Steven Gerrard's slip allowed Demba Ba to open the scoring.

Willian then made sure of the win after a pass from fellow substitute Fernando Torres for a breakaway goal in injury time.

"There was probably two buses parked today, rather than one," Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers reflected after suffering a hammer blow to their hopes of landing a first Premier League title.

Another step to cup success

Branislav Ivanovic rises to head Chelsea in front against Liverpool in January 2015
Image: Branislav Ivanovic rises to head Chelsea in front against Liverpool in January 2015

League Cup semi-final, second leg, Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool, January 27, 2015

Branislav Ivanovic's extra-time goal was enough to secure Chelsea's place in the Capital One Cup final as they beat Liverpool 1-0 on the night and 2-1 on aggregate.

Chelsea were lucky to keep their full complement of players on the pitch after Diego Costa appeared to stamp on Emre Can in the first half.

However, referee Michael Oliver was unmoved just as he was when Mourinho's side thought they should have had a penalty after Martin Skrtel's challenge on Costa midway through the first half.

Liverpool inflict damaging defeat

Jurgen Klopp, manager of Liverpool and Jose Mourinho Manager of Chelsea shake hands after the Barclays Premier League match
Image: Klopp and Mourinho shakes hands after facing off during his Chelsea days

Premier League, Chelsea 1-3 Liverpool, October 2015

Liverpool piled the pressure on Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho as Jurgen Klopp secured a hugely impressive first Premier League win since taking charge at Anfield.

Two goals from Philippe Coutinho and a late strike from Christian Benteke cancelled out Ramires' opening goal as Liverpool won their first game in the Premier League under the German.

The defeat consigned Chelsea to their worst start to a league season since 1978/79 with Mourinho losing nine of his last 17 games in all competitions compared to just four defeats in 54 games the previous season.

Jose squeezes Klopp out of second

Marcus Rashford scored twice as Manchester United beat Liverpool in March 2018
Image: Marcus Rashford scored twice as Manchester United beat Liverpool in March 2018

Premier League, Manchester United 2-1 Liverpool, March 10, 2018

Mourinho went on record to say that finishing in second place with Manchester United was among his greatest achievements as a manager, and that 'success' in 2018 was aided by a 2-1 victory over Klopp's side in March.

Marcus Rashford scored twice to inspire Manchester United to a crucial victory over rivals Liverpool at Old Trafford - a first since January 2016.

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Did Jose Mourinho's analysis of Man Utd's draw with Liverpool in October on Sky Sports reveal how he might set his Tottenham team up against the Premier League leaders on Saturday?

Mourinho's men extended their unbeaten league run against Liverpool to eight games and opened up a five-point lead over Klopp's side in the race for second.

"Is it a perfect result? Yes," crowed Mourinho afterwards. "Three points is very important. I wouldn't go so far as saying it was a perfect performance. In the first half, the game gave us the opportunity to be direct, fast and score goals, more than we did."

Klopp brings curtain down on Jose

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho (centre) in the dugout during the Premier League match at Anfield, Liverpool. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday December 16, 2018. See PA story SOCCER Liverpool. Photo credit should read: Peter Byrne/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.
Image: Mourinho in the dugout during his final game as United boss at Anfield

Premier League, Liverpool 3-1 Manchester United - December 16, 2018

Xherdan Shaqiri came off the bench and scored twice as Liverpool returned to the top of the Premier League with a 3-1 win over Manchester United at Anfield.

Liverpool hammered their old foes, producing 36 attempts on goal - the most by any team in the Premier League that season. United were left languishing in sixth, 19 points off the leaders and closer in terms of points to the relegation zone.

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Harry Kane scored twice at Wembley to give Tottenham a 4-1 win over Liverpool in 2017 as Mauricio Pochettino's side moved up to second in the Premier League

Speaking after the loss, Gary Neville said: "I'm in shock. Liverpool were streets ahead of United, absolutely streets ahead. United were awful today. They haven't got anyone in midfield that can pass a ball. Not one of them.

"They were hanging in there for a bit but the only real team who were going to win the game was Liverpool. It's not good enough." Two days later, Mourinho was sacked.

How to follow Tottenham vs Liverpool

Spurs vs Liverpool

Tottenham vs Liverpool is live on Saturday Night Football from 5pm; kick-off 5.30pm. Sky Sports customers can watch in-game clips in the live match blog on the Sky Sports website and app.

Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel shortly after the final whistle.

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