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Liverpool vs. Southampton: Opposition threat – 22/09/18

By Harry Tizard

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 18: Liverpool line up prior to the Group C match of the UEFA Champions League between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield on September 18, 2018 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 18: Liverpool line up prior to the Group C match of the UEFA Champions League between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield on September 18, 2018 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /
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LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 18: Liverpool line up prior to the Group C match of the UEFA Champions League between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield on September 18, 2018 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 18: Liverpool line up prior to the Group C match of the UEFA Champions League between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield on September 18, 2018 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /

Anfield awaits the Saints  this weekend as they aim to end Liverpool’s unbeaten  start to the campaign.

The home side would have gained great spirit having seen offLigue 1 champions PSG in their opening group game of the Champions League on Tuesday night – even more so with their winner coming in stoppage time. Roberto Firmino’s last-gasp goal means that Liverpool have won all six of their opening games in all competitions this season.

The Saints meanwhile also come into the game off the back of their last match ending in a point-settling added time goal. Sadly for Southampton, the goal was not in their favour. Glenn Murray scored what seems to be his annual goal at St. Mary’s, dispatching his 91st minute penalty down the middle of the goal in front of the travelling fans as the Seagulls came back from two goals behind to share the points for a second league game in a row.

Whilst the Merseyside club have taken maximum points from their five games this season, the Saints slow start to the season have seen them languish in the lower-half of the table with just five points from the same amount of mathces.

Combined with this, Southampton had a chance to ease into the season and get off to a good start, with all their previous fixtures this season coming up against teams who are sitting in 10th and below. It could be considered that they have wasted that chance – having only picked up a single win in the middle of two draws, and now face three of the ‘big six’ in their next six games.

News that many Saints fans forget is that top scorer Danny Ings is ineligible to play this Saturday due to Liverpool being his parent club, meaning that it is likely that either Gabbiadini or Austin will come in – with Gallagher taking their spot on the bench.

The odds are stacked against the Saints to bring even one point back to the south coast – let alone three. Liverpool have made Anfield a fortress in recent times – not losing a league fixture at home since April 23rd 2017, when Crystal Palace came away with all three points. With Southampton looking to end that formidable run, who will Jurgen Klopp being looking at to make sure there will be no upset?