Liverpool look to take another step towards the Premier League title as they welcome Southampton to Anfield.
Liverpool can extend their title lead to 22 points with victory, whereas Southampton look to leapfrog Sheffield United into eighth with victory here.
Team news
Embed from Getty ImagesDivock Origi is a doubt for Liverpool after suffering cramp during their midweek win at West Ham.
Adam Lallana (illness), Xherdan Shaqiri (calf) and James Milner (muscle) are also expected to be in contention to start.
Nathaniel Clyne and Sadio Mane remain absent through respective knee and muscle injuries.
Southampton could welcome Yan Valery back from a viral infection which had sidelined him since Christmas.
Jannik Vestergaard (concussion) and Shane Long (knee) are also expected to feature but Stuart Armstrong and Cedric Soares are sidelined with respective hip and knee injuries.
Form
Liverpool enter this match on a 15 league match winning run, in which they conceded just twice in their last five home games of which both came against Everton in early December.
Southampton have lost just one of their last seven league games (W5, D1, L1) whilst scoring at least twice in each of their last four away trips (W4).
Stat Attack
- Liverpool are unbeaten in their last seven league meetings against Southampton (W5, D2).
- Southampton have conceded three goals in each of their last two trips to Anfield.
- Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has scored three goals in two previous home appearances against Southampton.
- Southampton are yet to score a Premier League penalty against Liverpool, having missed their only such attempt whereas Liverpool has scored once from two penalty kicks.
- Liverpool are yet to receive a red card against Southampton in 41 previous Premier League meetings.
Prediction
Liverpool look absolutely unstoppable but Southampton have found some solid form lately, although they can’t afford to switch off defensively at any point in this game otherwise Liverpool will punish them.
I therefore am expecting midfield to be a key area for Southampton because if they can vary their passage and put the Reds under pressure, I think that they can create issues with unexpected passes here.
Liverpool however are a strong all-round team so this is a tough one to call given the Saints’ impressive away form in the last month, which makes me think that we are in for a surprise score draw.
Prediction: Liverpool 2-2 Southampton
Result: Liverpool 4-0 Southampton