It will be a difficult task, however, as the Reds have won just one of the last six meetings against Southampton, but they’ll gain confidence from the fact that this win came in the most recent clash, in which they triumphed by three goals to nil at Anfield in November.
Southampton are currently on a six match unbeaten run in all competitions, but have only kept a clean sheet in one of their last 17 Premier League games — against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Manager musings
Much of the pre-match questioning revolved around Liverpool’s ex-Southampton contingent returning to their old club, and particularly the most recent transfer involving the two sides; that of Virgil Van Dijk.
Jurgen Klopp
“It’s obviously quite special, but it was not in purpose,” said Klopp of his five former Southampton players, and joked that his side would not be able to field a team if they left their former-Saints contingent out of the side.
“I will for sure talk to Virgil about it,” he added.
“We are all human beings, we influenced by circumstances. It will not be a normal game for him.
“It was a special story [for Van Dijk at Southampton]. Most of the time really positive, and then the end not that positive, probably, or with a very positive ending if you want to see it like this.
“They have good centre halves: [Jack] Stephens, [Wesley] Hoedt, all these guys. They still have really good players there so for them it was perfect business, if you want.
“How football fans are, they want to disturb everything we try to do because they want to help their team, and probably they will whistle. Is it nice? I don’t think so. Will it have an influence? I don’t think so, we will see."
Mauricio Pellegrino
“We have to be grateful to him, but now we have to think Virgil is part of the past.
“He did well in our club and he left some profit to the club. Now, we have to be focused on our game and on what we have to do.
“It is difficult, because there is no true [feeling] about one situation – one person can be grateful with him, and another person can boo. Every single person has an opinion about everybody, and we have to respect that, but I think our fans are really respectful with ex-players.
“I prefer our fans to be supportive of our players, to be behind us. Our players have to be focused to give our supporters a good attitude with good energy, with 100 percent on the pitch.”
Jurgen Klopp says they should be thanking Liverpool for all the money they gave them!
Team news
Adam Lallana is an option for the Liverpool squad but not the starting eleven, according to Klopp, who doesn’t want to rush the England international back from another injury.
Joe Gomez is up and running, but not with the first team in training yet. Ragnar Klavan and Alberto Moreno are back in first team training and available for selection.
Southampton have no new injury worries, with Manolo Gabbiadini back in the mix, but Charlie Austin remains sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Expected lineups
Southampton: McCarthy; Cedric, Stephens, Hoedt, Bertrand; Romeu, Lemina; Ward-Prowse, Tadic, Boufal; Carillo.
Liverpool: Karius; Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson; Can, Wijnaldum, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Salah, Firmino, Mane.
Prediction
Southampton have a good team on paper, especially from the midfield forward. They can cause problems with the set pieces and open play delivery of Ward-Prowse, as well as the trickery of Dusan Tadic and Sofiane Boufal.
But while Mario Lemina and Oriol Romeu will do their best to protect their back four, it’s likely that they will concede goals against Liverpool’s outstanding attack once the likes of Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino bypass this midfield block.
Southampton 1, Liverpool 3
