Debut for Balotelli as Reds take on Spurs

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers handed maverick striker Mario Balotelli his debut at Tottenham.

Just 19 months after leaving Manchester City to join AC Milan, the 24-year-old this week completed his shock move to Anfield and was thrust straight into the starting line-up at White Hart Lane.

Balotelli’s inclusion was one of three changes from Monday’s 3-1 loss at Manchester City, with Mamadou Sakho and Javier Manquillo coming into the Liverpool defence.

Adam Lallana travelled to north London after recovering from injury but was not named in the Liverpool squad, while Tottenham named the same side that thrashed QPR 4-0 last weekend.

Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Dier, Kaboul, Vertonghen, Rose, Bentaleb, Capoue, Lamela, Eriksen, Chadli, Adebayor. Subs: Chiriches, Holtby, Townsend, Kane, Dembele, Friedel, Davies.

Liverpool: Mignolet, Manquillo, Sakho, Lovren, Moreno, Gerrard, Henderson, Allen, Sterling, Balotelli, Sturridge. Subs: Brad Jones, Jose Enrique, Toure, Lambert, Coutinho, Can, Markovic.

Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)