Liverpool travels to St. Mary’s Stadium this Sunday to face off against the bottom-of-the-table side, Southampton, in a Premier League match. The league leaders are well on a high after posting an emphatic 2-0 win over Aston Villa. On the other hand, Southampton seeks redemption after falling short to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Match Preview
This is a season where Liverpool, under manager Arne Slot, has shown no signs of slowing down. With the 15th win in 17 matches, the Reds went into the international break five points clear of reigning champions Manchester City. This season saw Liverpool at the top of the Premier League and Champions League standings with much thanks to Slot’s tactical abilities.
Slot is at the cusp of a historic milestone, which will make him the first Liverpool manager to secure 10 Premier League wins in his first 12 games. Adding to their impressive form, Liverpool has scored multiple goals in six of their last seven away games, making them a formidable opponent for Southampton.
In complete contrast, Southampton have stayed stuck to the bottom of the Premier League table. After their euphoric first win of the season against Everton, the Saints were brought back to reality with a 2-0 defeat to Wolves. Despite recent struggles, Southampton has shown resilience at home, scoring in each of their last four matches at St. Mary’s.
The Saints traditionally perform well against league toppers, including an upset 1-0 victory over Liverpool back in January 2021. Since then, though, they have lost six on the trot to the Reds.
Team News
Liverpool
Star man Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alisson Becker also remain out with injury. The hamstring issue sustained by Alexander-Arnold and Alisson’s continued absence recovering from a similar issue ensure Liverpool have a reorganized rear guard. However, Virgil van Dijk has been declared fit to play while Harvey Elliott finally is back training fully and could return this weekend.
Predicted lineup
Kelleher; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Salah, Jones, Gakpo; Nunez
Southampton
Southampton has their fair share of injuries, as Aaron Ramsdale and Jan Bednarek are expected to be ruled out. The long-term absentees also include Gavin Bazunu and Ross Stewart. Manager Russell Martin is expected to resort to Alex McCarthy between the sticks and, in defense, may rely on Yukinari Sugawara in a central defensive role.
Predicted Lineup:
McCarthy; Walker-Peters, Sugawara, Stephens, Harwood-Bellis, Manning; Armstrong, Downes, Aribo, Fernandes; Archer
Prediction
The expected outcome is that Liverpool’s firepower and tactical discipline will pay off against Southampton, whose defensive frailties could be laid bare.
Prediction: Southampton 0-3 Liverpool
It was an intriguing battle as the title-chasing Liverpool met Southampton, who were struggling to stay off the bottom of the league.
