STAR PREVIEW Tues: Southampton v Liverpool

Liverpool will be looking to close the gap on Manchester City to just one point at the top of the Premier League table when they make the trip to St Mary’s Stadium to take on Southampton on Tuesday evening.

Southampton are ending this season in desperately poor form; winning just one of their last 10 Premier League matches and scoring only seven goals in those games.

They are safe from relegation for another season with one of Everton, Leeds or Burnley joining Watford and Norwich City in the Championship next season. That may mean, however, that the Saints players are ‘on the beach’ as they have very little to play for in this fixture.

They will need to produce a big performance, though, if they are to stand any chance of coming away from this match with a result considering the remarkable form that Liverpool are in.

Southampton v Liverpool
Premier League
19:45 Sky Sports Main Event / Sky Sports Premier League / Sky Sports Ultra HD

HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD
(Maximum 10 matches)
NOV 2021 PREMIER LEAGUE Liverpool 4-0 Southampton
MAY 2021 PREMIER LEAGUE Liverpool 2-0 Southampton
JAN 2021 PREMIER LEAGUE Southampton 1-0 Liverpool
FEB 2020 PREMIER LEAGUE Liverpool 4-0 Southampton
AUG 2019 PREMIER LEAGUE Southampton 1-2 Liverpool
APR 2019 PREMIER LEAGUE Southampton 1-3 Liverpool
SEP 2018 PREMIER LEAGUE Liverpool 3-0 Southampton
FEB 2018 PREMIER LEAGUE Southampton 0-2 Liverpool
NOV 2017 PREMIER LEAGUE Liverpool 3-0 Southampton
MAY 2017 PREMIER LEAGUE Liverpool 0-0 Southampton

Liverpool will be heading into this fixture on cloud-nine after defeating Chelsea on penalties in the FA Cup final on Saturday, but Jurgen Klopp has suggested that he be forced to shuffle the pack due to injuries and fatigue.

After a tense and cagey battle, just like the EFL Cup final in February, it went all the way to penalties with Mason Mount missing the decisive kick for Chelsea and full-back Kostas Tsimikas converting the winning penalty to send the Liverpool fans wild.

Klopp was clearly dismayed and frustrated at the timing of this fixture against Southampton so soon after that energy-sapping final and that may force the Reds boss into changes.

Mohamed Salah and Virgil Van Dijk have already been ruled out through injuries they sustained in Saturday’s cup final which is likely to present opportunities to Diogo Jota and Joel Matip to play from the start.

Joe Gomez, Roberto Firmino and Curtis Jones – who have found themselves on the periphery at times this season – may also be called into the side.

However, we’re still backing Liverpool to get the job done against a Southampton side that really just want this season to end so the summer re-build can begin. We’re backing Liverpool to win and over 2.5 goals with Diogo Jota scoring anytime.

JOE CITRONE

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