Part Two of Liverpool’s Anfield triple-header sees the Reds back in Premier League action with a fixture against Mark Hughes’ Southampton. Liverpool are looking to make it six wins out of six and continue their perfect start to the season.
Source: liverpoolfc.com
Southampton starred in an exciting Monday Night Football clash with Brighton this week, in which they played well to take a 2-0 lead but were left frustrated with a 2-2 draw after a late penalty from Glenn Murray. Southampton currently lie 13th in the table, four places higher than they finished last season. Their only win so far this campaign came away from home against Crystal Palace, notching a win by the same scoreline that Liverpool themselves defeated Palace by off 2-0. While there have been many transfers between these two clubs that have seen players join Liverpool from Southampton, the most recent one was the reverse, with Danny Ings moving on loan to St. Mary’s this summer.
Southampton haven’t scored against Liverpool in the last three meetings and were defeated on both occasions last term. Mohamed Salah scored three times against today’s opposition, with his opener in the 3-0 win at Anfield in November being a stunning curling strike. The most recent meeting between the two sides was in February, a 2-0 win for Liverpool with goals from Salah and Firmino. Before this though, Southampton had been a side that we had experienced some issues with, failing to win in six consecutive meetings with them, including a Carabao Cup semi final exit in 2017. These games have often been high drama, with moments such as Sadio Mane’s 90th minute equaliser against Liverpool and subsequent red card in 2015, Daniel Sturridge’s late winner on opening day in 2014, the Saints coming from 2 goals down to defeat Liverpool 3-2 in a horror showing in March 2016, James Milner missing a penalty in a 0-0 draw in May 2017, a 6-1 win for Liverpool in the quarter finals of the cup in Klopp’s first season, and Shane Long’s last minute winner at Anfield in the semi final of the same competition a season later. With all this considered, expect an exciting game on Saturday as there’s usually drama when these two teams meet. Liverpool’s home record recently has been exceptional, with no defeat since January in all competitions, but you have to go right back to April 2017 for the last time Liverpool lost in the league at Anfield. Defensively, the Reds have been superb at home of late, with no goals conceded since Michail Antonio scored for West Ham at the back end of February. Going nearly seven months without conceding a goal at home is some achievement. On another point, it’s not often that a Liverpool game isn’t televised and is allocated a Saturday 3pm slot. We have won five games in a row at this kick off time, and haven’t lost in our last eight – with seven of those being wins.
Moving onto the lineups, Klopp may opt to make some changes for this game with a very hectic period about to begin. Having said that, there is a chance to rotate on Wednesday against Chelsea and getting three points here is the priority. Alisson will definitely keep his place between the sticks, and I actually think the back four will remain the same, with Clyne, Matip and Moreno likely to play on Wednesday.
There is a strong case that Fabinho should start this game. A home match against mid table opposition sounds perfect for him to make his first start. I would like to see this happen, but I think Klopp will stick with Jordan Henderson, who was superb on Tuesday against PSG. Milner and Wijnaldum have both played every game so far this season, and so could do with a rest. I’d like to see Fabinho and Keita start with Henderson, but I think Klopp will want to keep two of his strongest midfield three, meaning that Wijnaldum is likely to start and Milner rested, after the latter’s energy-sapping performance against PSG.
Source: liverpoolfc.com
Mohamed Salah is having a little bit of a tough patch and Xherdan Shaqiri is knocking on the door to start, but I think he will have to wait for Wednesday, like Fabinho. Salah and Mane will likely start, but there is a difficult decision to be made up front. Daniel Sturridge did a great job on Tuesday and scored a good goal, but Roberto Firmino is one of Klopp’s favourite players and is arguably more likely to start. Klopp alluded to the idea of starting both of them, but I’m not sure a change of shape is ideal at this stage in the season, and Firmino out wide is never good. Sturridge, Shaqiri, Fabinho, Clyne, Matip, Moreno and Mignolet can all expect to start on Wednesday.
Southampton are likely to keep faith with a similar team to the one that were so dominant for most of the game against Brighton. Alex McCarthy has been a great addition to Southampton since joining and has firmly displaced Fraser Forster. I remember McCarthy having the best goalkeeping performance I’ve ever seen for Reading against us in 2013. Cedric Soares is a reliable right back, but is a little unspectacular. The partnership of Wesley Hoedt and Jannik Vestergaard has been good so far, though Liverpool should definitely look to exploit the latter’s significant lack of pace. Ryan Bertrand is the Saints captain and will start at left back. Bertrand is a player I’ve never understood the hype about – last season in particular he was poor, but is clearly a crucial part of this team. With the enforced absence of Danny Ings, I expect Hughes to revert to a 4-2-3-1 formation, adapting from the 4-4-2 that he has played so far. Mario Lemina and Oriol Romeu are both physical and disciplined players and will offer a lot in that sense – I remember Romeu absolutely bossing the match at Anfield in 2017. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg may start in a more advanced role after his terrific goal on Monday night, flanked by new signing from FC Basel Mohammed Elyounoussi and Nathan Redmond, who only seems to ever play well against us. Shane Long somehow continues to start for Southampton. I admire Long’s work rate but Gabbiadini’s quality in the final third is a million times greater.
With the exception of the West Ham win, Liverpool haven’t really got into top gear yet this season, despite winning every match. This may not be the game that the trend is broken, with Southampton likely to play a defensive line and offer little urgency in an attacking sense. As such, Liverpool need to take a similar approach to the game against Brighton – get a goal ideally in the first half and manage the game from there. I’m not interested in how handsome the scoreline and performance are in this game, as this is a tough test and the result is all that matters. Seven consecutive wins would be incredible, and that’s what we should be looking to achieve here. Finally, the atmosphere at Anfield was sensational on Tuesday and was influential in carrying the players over the line. The fans need to replicate that in this game, it’s crucial to get the crowd going and give the players a lift, especially if the team is struggling in the early stages. Something very special is happening at Liverpool right now, and for anyone going to their first game tomorrow, you’ve picked a good time to go! Be loud and proud and soak it in – Anfield is a special place to be at the moment and incredible memories are being made, so make sure to make your own while you’re there.
Predicted XIs
Liverpool: (4-3-3) Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Wijnaldum, Keita; Salah, Firmino, Mane
Subs: Mignolet, Clyne, Matip, Fabinho, Milner, Shaqiri, Sturridge
Southampton: (4-2-3-1) McCarthy; Cedric, Vestergaard, Hoedt, Bertrand; Lemina, Romeu; Elyounoussi, Hojbjerg, Redmond; Long
Subs: Gunn, Yoshida, Targett, Ward-Prowse, Davis, Gabbiadini, Austin
Score Prediction
Liverpool 1-0 Southampton
Daniel Daykin
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