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MARTIN KEOWN'S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL PREVIEW: Liverpool's high press is a deadly weapon... Key for Tottenham is to beat it Jurgen Klopp's counter-pressing philosophy is what Tottenham need to beat Liverpool win the ball back high up the pitch and attack with ruthless speed   Virgil van Dijk clocked the fastest speed of any player in the Champions League  Mauricio Pochettino faces a tough decision over if he should start Harry Kane

By Martin Keown for the Daily Mail

Published: 22:31 BST, 31 May 2019 | Updated: 01:03 BST, 1 June 2019

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In September 2016, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said: 'No playmaker in the world can be as good as a good counter-pressing situation.'

That is his philosophy, and that is what Tottenham must try to beat. Liverpool like to win the ball back high up the pitch then attack at speed, using the bodies they leave in advanced positions.

We saw that against Barcelona at Anfield in the semi-final second leg. Trent Alexander-Arnold won possession on the right wing then less than six seconds later, Liverpool had a goal — as our graphic on the right shows.

Jurgen Klopp's counter-pressing philosophy is what Tottenham must beat on Saturday

Jurgen Klopp's counter-pressing philosophy is what Tottenham must beat on Saturday

En route to this final, Klopp's men averaged 2.59 passes in the space of 8.01 seconds when scoring, whereas the average for the competition is 3.91 passes per goal over 12.56 seconds.

FASTEST PLAYERS IN THE CL THIS SEASON 

21.43mph: Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool (v Barcelona)

21.37mph: Leroy Sane, Man City (v Hoffenheim)

21.25mph: Nemanja Radonjic, Red Star Belgrade (v Red Bull Salzburg) 

They suffocate their opponents. In midfield, Fabinho will mostly sit but whoever plays beside him will join the front three in their press.

In the Champions League this season, Ajax won possession 86 times in the final third — the most in Europe's elite competition. Behind them are

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