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The Reds will be keen to get back on track and ensure their chances for a place in the top four when they play Southampton at home this Saturday. Jurgen Klopp’s men are in a woeful run currently, having won only one game out of their last five fixtures in all competitions and face Ralph Hassenhuttl’s Saints, who have been struggling themselves in the league table of late.
Liverpool had an unexpected free weekend as their fixture at Old Trafford was postponed after hundreds of United fans stormed into the stadium to protest against their owners, the Glazer family – hours before the derby. The postponement saw Liverpool fall behind Chelsea (4th) by seven points, while West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur all claimed three crucial points last weekend. However, the much-needed break will unarguably encourage Jurgen Klopp and his team to push for a positive result against Southampton and the remaining games.
Although the disappointing draws against Leeds and Newcastle in their last two league outings had strained their chances for a top-four finish, the German coach can be optimistic about those possibilities once again, with the team’s six-game unbeaten run, is their best performance of 2021. Nonetheless, Liverpool have had problems against the smaller clubs – winning only two of the last eleven games against teams below the tenth spot. But a solid victory at Anfield this Saturday would bring back the Merseyside outfit into the top four race in an abrasive title defending campaign.
Saints fans would love to forget the 2020/21 season. The Hampshire club started the campaign on a high note with the ambition for a top-half finish, but after their victory against Liverpool in January, they lost thirteen out of their eighteen Premier League matches and gathered 11 points in the process.
Their misery didn’t end with these results as Hassenhuttl’s men conceded a record 40 goals in 2021, including a 9-0 demolition at Old Trafford in February. Hence it’s quite baffling how the former RB Leipzig gaffer managed to distance themselves from the bottom three even after some disturbing results. Their 1-1 draw against Leicester City last week, and other favourable results left them at fifteenth in the table and heading to the final five games. The Saints only need three points to secure their Premier League status for the 10th successive season.
Key Players
Barely missing out for the Reds since his arrival in 2017, Mohammed Salah is his club’s leading goalscorer once again this season. Salah has netted 29 times in 46 appearances in all competitions and has been carrying Liverpool’s hopes of a top-four finish all by himself.
In a season hampered by serious injuries, the 28-year-old often saved the day on numerous occasions. With the transfer window quickly approaching, Liverpool would have to search for a back-up to their superstar imminently.
Nathaniel Phillips: has been a revelation for Klopp this season. Over the past four months, the 24-year-old has gone from a Championship-level centre-back to one of Liverpool’s most trusted and is a key member for their late resurgence in the league, which has kept them in the hunt for Champions League football. The Bolton academy graduate averages 4.3 clearances and 1.3 interceptions per 90 minutes and has defied all expectations while helping the club through the troubled time in the Klopp era.
James Ward-Prowse: The England international played his 84th consecutive match for Hasenhuttl in Southampton’s draw with Leicester City last weekend and has become the Saint’s heartbeat over the past few seasons. While his teammates have suffered from a string of injuries this year, Ward-Prowse kept himself in shape and played a full 90 minutes in his 33 league appearances so far this season. The English midfielder has racked up 6 assists and 8 goals and maintains 86% passing accuracy with 1.4 key passes per match. Nicknamed as ‘the machine’ by his colleagues, the 26-year-old’s dedication and professionalism will only get better from here.
Jannik Vestergaard: has clocked 25 appearances in the Premier League for the Saints this season, scoring three times. The Danish defender stood out among the rest in Southampton’s dismal defensive efforts through the entirety of the campaign, with his average output of 4 clearances and 1.7 tackles each game. Heavily linked with a move to Tottenham this summer and his contract expiring next year, the former Monchengladbach centre-back will be eyeing a move to a big club sooner rather than later.
Prediction
The Reds have claimed just six points from the last 30 available in the Premier League at home this season and have allowed the opposition to score at least once in each of their last eight league fixtures. Therefore, Klopp’s men cannot afford any more slip-ups if they are to qualify for the Champions League. Liverpool will be once again without their defensive stalwarts, while Fabinho and Nat Phillips are expected to return after recovery.
Like Liverpool, Southampton’s defence have also breached numerous times this campaign. But if they are to salvage something from Saturday’s clash, their attacking threats – comprising the likes of Che Adams and Nathan Redmond, will have to rise to the occasion in Danny Ings’s absence.
The Reds are unbeaten in their last six home league fixtures against the Saints, and an easy victory is expected of them should their defence and midfield be at their best for the entire game.
