Match Pack: Liverpool vs Saints

Liverpool vs Southampton

Premier League

Anfield

Saturday 8 May, 20:15 BST

Referee: Kevin Friend

Assistants: Simon Beck, Adrian Holmes

Fourth official: Andy Madley

VAR: Andre Marriner

Assistant VAR: Andy Halliday

When Saints and Liverpool faced each other just four months ago things were looking very different for both sides in the Premier League table.

In the reverse fixture, Danny Ings’ superb second-minute goal secured Saints a victory over the then league leaders.

Liverpool now sit seventh, seven points off of the top four and four points off of European competition. A far cry from last year’s campaign.

It’s been a similar tale for Saints, who have fallen from sixth to fifteenth after that opening clash of 2021.

Victory at Anfield could secure Saints’ Premier League status this weekend, if other results go their way. Whereas Liverpool will be aiming for a strong finish to the season as they push towards European competition.

Liverpool will be without both Joe Gomez and Joel Matip on Saturday night’s meeting under the lights.

Both Jordan Henderson and Virgil Van Dijk have returned to training but it’s unlikely they will feature.

Danny Ings remains out for Southampton, though the boss remains hopeful he will return to training next week.

Ryan Bertrand is also out with a calf injury, whereas Takumi Minamino will be unable to feature against his loan club.

Both Michael Obafemi and Oriol Romeu have been long term absentees for Saints, but are both now back on the training ground with the team.

Saints successfully overturned Jannik Vestergaard’s red-card vs Leicester City this week, so he will also be available for selection.

FORM GUIDE

Liverpool:
Newcastle United (h) 1-1 (Salah)
Leeds United (a) 1-1 (Mané)
Real Madrid (h) 0-0
Aston Villa (h) 2-1 (Salah, Alexander-Arnold)
Real Madrid (a) 3-1 (Salah)

Southampton:
Leicester City (h) 1-1 (Ward-Prowse)
Tottenham Hotspur (a) 2=1 (Ings)
Leicester City (a) 1-0 FA Cup
West Brom (a) 3-0
Burnley (h) 3-2 (Armstrong, Ings, Redmond)

THE MANAGERS

Jurgen Klopp: "We need to prepare for their defending and midfield press. Play in the right spaces with their 4-4-2 they defend well, so we need to be cheeky and brave. There's no perfect thing in football, thank God. If you're calm you can use it and outplay the counterpress."

Ralph Hasenhüttl: “I think we changed our game massively and we will also do it in the summer break, finding more ways of being flexible. Tactically, we have made good steps this season but it is necessary as we must get better."

ONES TO WATCH

Fabinho: With Liverpool losing a whole host of players this season through injury, Fabinho has slipped somewhat under the radar to many.

But his ability to control the ball in the centre of the pitch has been crucial for Liverpool in recent weeks and will be a huge threat for Saints.

Kyle Walker-Peters: Walker-Peters was one of the standout performers for Saints in last week’s 1-1 draw with Leicester City.

With the likes of Mo Salah and Diogo Jota on the charge forward for Liverpool, Walker-Peters could prove vital for Saints on Saturday.

Mo Salah 29

Sadio Mané 13

Diogo Jota 12

Firmino, Alexander-Arnold 7

Sadio Mané 6

Andy Robertson 5

Danny Ings 11

James Ward-Prowse 9

Ché Adams 7

James Ward-Prowse 6

Stuart Armstrong 5

Ings, Adams 4

HEAD TO HEAD

Played: 111
Liverpool: 56
Draws: 24
Saints: 31

DID YOU KNOW?
- Southampton are looking to complete the league double over Liverpool for just the third time in their history, previously doing so in 1960-61 (Second Division) and 2003-04 (Premier League).
- Since leaving Liverpool, Southampton striker Danny Ings has scored in two different Premier League games against them – only Nicolas Anelka (4) has scored in more different Premier League games against the Reds having previously played for them in the competition.
- No Southampton player has been involved in more Premier League goals this season than James Ward-Prowse (14 – 8 goals, 6 assists). His eight goals are the most he’s ever scored in a top-flight campaign, while only in 2014-15 did he register as many assists (also 6).

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