Top meets bottom in the Premier League as Liverpool face Southampton at Anfield.
Victory will move Liverpool 16 points clear at the summit of second-placed Arsenal, whilst Southampton will remain bottom regardless of the result.
Team News
Cody Gakpo is a doubt for Liverpool after he sat out their Champions League win at PSG in midweek with an ankle injury.
Conor Bradley (muscle) and Joe Gomez (hamstring) remain absent.
Southampton could welcome Lesley Ugochukwu back after he missed their 4-0 loss at Chelsea due to ineligibility rules concerning loan signings facing their parent club.
Kyle Walker-Peters (knock), Jan Bednarek (fatigue) and Adam Lallana (hamstring) are doubts but James Bree (hamstring) is ruled out.
Juan Larios (fitness), Ryan Fraser (knock) and Ross Stewart (calf) remain ruled out.
When is Kick-Off?
Liverpool host Southampton at Anfield on Saturday 8 March at 3pm GMT, untelevised live in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Liverpool are unbeaten in their last six league meetings against Southampton (W5, D1).
- Southampton are winless in their last nine league visits to Liverpool at Anfield (D2, L7).
- Both Liverpool and Southampton scored in five of their last six meetings in all competitions, except for a 3-0 win to Liverpool at home in last season’s FA Cup at fifth-round stage.
- Dominik Szoboszlai has scored in Liverpool’s last two league matches (W2).
- Paul Onuachu has scored in two of Southampton’s last three away matches.
Prediction
Having stuttered to a late winner at PSG in a largely uninspiring attacking performance amidst excellent defending, Liverpool are lucky that they’re only facing a poor Southampton team rather than a top-ten side as they can afford to rotate and save their key players for the second leg against PSG.
Southampton were totally outclassed at Chelsea with little attacking quality and sloppy defensive errors so a huge improvement is needed here, although you have to feel that their focus is already upon preparing for next season back in the Championship.
Although there will likely be rotation within Liverpool’s line-up, they shouldn’t have much trouble here unlike in the reverse fixture this season.
Prediction: Liverpool 2-0 Southampton
Result: Liverpool 3-1 Southampton
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