Liverpool vs Southampton
Date: 18/11/17
K.O: 15.00pm
Venue: Anfield
Liverpool welcome Southampton to Anfield on Saturday in a vital clash for both Jurgen Klopp and Mauricio Pellegrino.
Team News:
The main worry for Liverpool will be the absence of Sadio Mane, having just returned from injury the Senegalese star withdrew from his national team squad before the match against South Africa, there is fear he may have aggravated his hamstring injury. Nathaniel Clyne too is out of action but has been for a long time.
On a positive side, Henderson should be fit to play after being withdrawn from the England squad as a precaution, and there is a chance that Adam Lallana could be in line to make his first appearance of the season as he recovers from a thigh injury.
Embed from Getty ImagesFor Southampton, hopefully the old midfield partnership of Mario Lemina and Orio Romeu will be back in the starting line up as the former recovers from an ankle injury. Yet its likely that Wesley Hoedt will be unable to start after picking up a knee injury whilst on international duty with the Dutch national team, meaning that Van Dijk is likely to be partnered with Yoshida at centre back.
Preview:
Liverpool have failed to beat Southampton in their last five games after putting sixth past them two years back, and to make matters worse they have only scored two goals in that time period.
Yet this could be the match where that all changes, Southampton have been consistently inconsistent this season with three wings, four draws and four defeats in their opening eleven with nine goals in that time. Liverpool on the other hand are on a fairly decent run on form and are looking to win three games in a row in the league for the first time in a year.
Salah looks rather menacing having either scored or assisted 9 goals in his first 11 games so far and the fear that he would be unable to perform without his forward partner Sadio Mane has been obverted as since the latter has been injured the former has played out of skin. He may have to again as Mane picked up a little hamstring injury whilst on international duty with Senegal but Salah can cope.
Embed from Getty ImagesSouthampton are a miserly team though, scoring few but also conceding few, only eleven in as many games, so expect this one to be low scoring. Liverpool may have all the flair and talent in the last third but with Lemina expected to be back to partner Romeu this game could well be a dull one.
Prediction:
One imagines this will be a tight, aggressive, low scoring affair, for me Clive the score will be Liverpool 1-1 Southampton.
Written by Olly Norman.
