The Merseysiders face a stern test of the new year in the form of Ralph Hasenhuttl’s Southampton on Monday evening, hoping to break a two-game winless run across Premier League football.
Liverpool FC were joined at the top of the league table by Manchester United, with Ole Gunnar Solsjaer’s side moving level on points with their top-flight foes after their 2-1 win over Aston Villa.
A series of draws over the last couple of weeks, West Brom stealing a point from their visit to Anfield and Klopp’s men enduring a frustrating outing at St. James’ Park just days later on meant that the Anfield giants dropped valuable points in successive games when going against bottom-half opponents.
Visiting St Mary’s would prove to be far from an easy task for the defending champions in spite of the Saints not having won any of their last four outings in league action.
Positioned ninth in the PL standings does, however, gives evidence of the attractive brand of football employed by Hasenhuttl’s’s men since the turn of the season, with former Red Danny Ings leading the frontline for the Hampshire-based outfit to great effect.
Manchester United’s upsurge in domestic form has come at the worst possible time for Liverpool FC as a recent dip in displays have left Klopp’s side hoping to turn the tide back in their favour when they line up at St Mary’s on Monday.
Having netted just a sole goal across their last two games, Liverpool FC have to sort out their worries on the attacking front when facing an impressive looking Saints backline.
Klopp’s men were a shadow of their former self upon their trip to Newcastle earlier this week, with Mohammad Salah being held responsible for missing a couple of sitters as the Merseysiders fought hard till the end to snatch a win but to no avail.
Liverpool FC play hosts to Manchester United on the 17th of this month, and prior to that, Klopp’s men need to bounce back from recent disappointments in order to stake a strong claim for their second successive league title ahead of their arch-rivals.
WHEN & WHERE?
First up in 2021, a trip to @SouthamptonFC 👊 #SOULIV pic.twitter.com/RUtEDJsERR
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 1, 2021
Date: Monday 4 January
Time: 7:30 PM GMT
Venue: St Mary’s
TEAM NEWS
Joel Matip is in line to be absent for the upcoming fixture as well after having missed out on Liverpool FC’s goalless stalemate against Steve Bruce’s Newcastle United on Wednesday.
The Cameroonian’s international’s latest injury setback means that Klopp would be forced to turn to either Nat Phillips or Rhys Williams as probable options to partner Fabinho in central defence.
Thiago Alcantara’s much-anticipated return to the field was witnessed during the St. James’ Park outing for the Merseysiders and the Spaniard is certain to be handed a start by Klopp for the Southampton clash.
Naby Keita and Kostas Tsimikas are tipped to remain long-term injury absentees for Liverpool FC but Xherdan Shaqiri is banked upon to be on the bench following his first outing in seven weeks during the midweek game in Newcastle.
KEY BATTLE
Danny Ings vs Fabinho
Facing his former club teammate Ings, Fabinho is once again expected to lead a Virgil van Dijk-less backline for the Champions of England come Monday at St Mary’s.
Ings’s attacking returns for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side have diminished substantially post his return from injury but the English international remains pivotal to the hosts’ chances of handing a major upset to Klopp’s men.
The former Burnley man did not hit the ground running in the Liverpool FC colours owing to persistent injury niggles, however, for the Saints, Ings has emerged as one of the most clinical finishers in top-flight football across the country, giving Klopp and Co. much to think about when they square up against their one-time employee.
MATCH PREDICTION
Liverpool FC will go all out in order to secure all three points from their trip to St Mary’s, and should they fail to do so, Klopp’s side face the daunting prospects of lagging behind in the title race.
Southampton’s form of late has not been the most encouraging, to say the least, and we predict the Merseyside Reds to return to Anfield with a 4-1 win in their favour.
