Liverpool vs. Southampton: Saints face tough task against unbeaten Reds

Tomorrow afternoon Southampton travel to Anfield to face a Liverpool side who have won every game of the season so far.

With the additions of Alison and Naby Keita with Fabinho soon to follow, Jurgen Klopp’s side have been ruthless this campaign and that includes in midweek as they beat PSG 3-2 in their first Champion’s League group stage game.

The Saints meanwhile dropped two points on Monday after James Ward-Prowse was adjudged to have committed a foul in the box in the 90th minute, with Glenn Murray converting the resulting spot kick to make it 2-2.

Southampton are still a respectable 13th from their first six games but their hardest fixtures are ahead of them, starting no less with the game against the Reds tomorrow afternoon. The Saints aren’t helped by the fact that star man Danny Ings is ineligible, whilst Manolo Gabbiadini is also a doubt through injury.

Why Liverpool will win

At the end of the day as painful as it is for Southampton fans, Liverpool are looking unstoppable this season – their summer arrivals have already bedded in nicely and Virgil van Dijk is looking like one of Europe’s best defenders at the back.

Ultimately they will go into the match as odds-on favourites, with their lethal front-line of Firmino, Mane and Salah all cleared fit to play.

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With their midfield additions they are finally a perfectly balanced side and will challenge City all the way for the title for this year – they will be a really tough team to breakdown this weekend.

Why Southampton will win

The Saints will need to play on their underdog status and go into this game with a strict gameplan that will likely involve snatch-and-grab football with plenty of counter attacks.

The lack of Danny Ings means we could see Hughes bring in a five-man defence of midfield with just the one striker in order to remain rigid at the back against an onslaught on Liverpool attacks – one good pass on the breakaway and the Saints could snatch something.

Furthermore with their striking options limited Southampton could hand a cameo role to Sam Gallagher – Liverpool are unlikely to know an awful amount about the 23-year-old and thus he could surprise a few.

Predicted Line-ups

Liverpool

Goalkeeper: Alisson

Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Andy Robertson

Midfield: Jordan Henderson, Gini Wijnaldum, Naby Keita

Forwards: Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino

Southampton

Goalkeeper: Alex McCarthy

Defenders: Cedric Soares, Wesley Hoedt, Jannik Vestergaard, Maya Yoshida, Ryan Bertrand

Midfield: Mohamed Elyounoussi, Mario Lemina, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Nathan Redmond

Forward: Shane Long

Prediction

Liverpool 3-1 Southampton