Southampton vs. Liverpool: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info
Two of the sharpest minds in English football meet once again on Wednesday night, as Ronald Koeman's Southampton welcome Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool to the St. Mary's Stadium, with both sides hoping to seal a place in the League Cup semi-finals with a win.
This clash marks the Reds' 11th outing since Klopp took over at the beginning of October, but it is already the second time that the German will prepare his side to take on the Saints.
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October's Premier League meeting saw Southampton hold Liverpool to a 1-1 draw at Anfield, with Sadio Mane's late equaliser cancelling out a fine header from Christian Benteke in a contest that saw the Reds fail to capitalise on a number of great opportunities, ultimately regretting their wasteful output in attack.
But with a route to the League Cup final and a first shot at silverware on offer on Wednesday night, both sides will be fired up and seeking a crucial victory this time out.
Can Klopp's Reds go one better and finally vanquish Southampton, or will Koeman's well-organised Saints advance beyond their northern opposition?
Date: Wednesday, 2 December, 2015
Time: 7:45 p.m. GMT / 2:45 p.m. ET
Venue: St. Mary's Stadium, Southampton, England
TV Info: Sky Sports 1 (UK) / beIN Sports USA (U.S.)
Live Stream: Sky Go (UK) / beIN SPORTS CONNECT (U.S.)
Form Lines (Last 5 Games)
Southampton: W-W-W-L-L
Liverpool: W-L-W-W-W
Team News
Koeman will be without three long-term absentees for the game, with Fraser Forster (knee), Florin Gardos (knee) and Jay Rodriguez (ankle) still recovering from injuries that have kept them out of action for much of the season.
The Dutchman will also be forced to negotiate around a knee injury for captain Jose Fonte, as he told reporters in his pre-match press conference, relayed by the club's official website:
"Jose is not fit for tomorrow.
He still has the cut above his knee with the stitches and we are hopeful that he can play this Saturday, but tomorrow is too early.
There are no other updates about injuries—the same team, the same squad probably for tomorrow's game.
"
This is likely to see Steven Caulker replace him at the heart of the defence, after the on-loan centre-back took his place in Saturday's 3-1 defeat to Manchester City, giving Koeman another stable option alongside Virgil van Dijk.
Graziano Pelle could return after sitting out of the Saints' Etihad Stadium clash through suspension, and he may come in for Shane Long in attack—though the Irishman's goal in that game will provide Koeman with a welcome selection headache.
Overall, Koeman can select from a largely full-strength squad, putting Southampton in a strong position.
Meanwhile, Klopp will be considering whether to giving the returning Jordan Henderson and Daniel Sturridge more valuable game time as they ramp up their recovery from foot and knee injuries respectively.
The pair came on as substitutes' in Sunday's 1-0 win at home to Swansea City, and Klopp suggested in Tuesday afternoon's press conference that both would feature at St. Mary's providing they train without issues, as reported by This is Anfield.
"We cannot think about starting," he explained, "but if nothing happens from now then they will join us and they will be in the squad."
Klopp also suggested that Philippe Coutinho—who has missed the Reds' last two outings with a hamstring problem—could play a part on Wednesday, saying "it would be close, possible, but we have to check."
This leaves only Mamadou Sakho, Danny Ings, Joe Gomez and Jon Flanagan on the treatment table, though the inclusion of Jose Enrique, Jordan Rossiter, Pedro Chirivella, Cameron Brannagan and Jerome Sinclair in Monday night's 3-2 under-21s loss away to Manchester United suggests that the quintet won't appear.
Predicted Lineups
With Koeman suggesting that he would field "the same team," and "the same squad probably" from their loss away to City, the 52-year-old's team selection is fairly predictable—possibly playing into the hands of Klopp and his analytical assistants Zeljko Buvac and Peter Krawietz.
This means that Southampton could operate with a back line of Maarten Stekelenburg, Maya Yoshida, Caulker, Van Dijk and Ryan Bertrand, with two of Victor Wanyama, Jordy Clasie and Oriol Romeu shielding at the base of the midfield.
If Koeman does persevere with his selection from Saturday, this would mean a three-man attacking midfield of Mane, James Ward-Prowse and Steven Davis will support Long in attack.
But with Dusan Tadic returning from injury to play a cameo role against City and Pelle desperate to return to the starting lineup, Koeman could be tempted to revert to his first-choice attacking line—perhaps with Long shifting into a wide role.
Klopp is likely to give backup goalkeeper Adam Bogdan the chance to impress between the sticks in the League Cup, as has been tradition for the Reds this season, but he will likely field a familiar selection in front of the Hungarian.
Nathaniel Clyne, Martin Skrtel, Dejan Lovren and Alberto Moreno could continue as Klopp's favoured back four—though Kolo Toure provides a welcome option as cover at centre-back—while Lucas Leiva is a shoo-in to retain his role as Liverpool's holding midfielder.
With Henderson likely to take up a place on the substitutes' bench, James Milner could continue in midfield, while Joe Allen represents a useful alternate to Emre Can.
In attack, as Sturridge and Coutinho sit in reserve, Klopp could look to Roberto Firmino as his starting centre-forward, after Benteke underperformed in Sunday's win at Anfield. The Brazilian will likely be supported by two of Jordon Ibe, Adam Lallana, Divock Origi and Joao Carlos Teixeira.
Likely Southampton XI: Stekelenburg; Yoshida, Caulker, Van Dijk, Bertrand; Wanyama, Romeu; Long, Tadic, Mane; Pelle.
Likely Liverpool XI: Bogdan; Clyne, Skrtel, Lovren, Moreno; Milner, Lucas, Allen; Lallana, Ibe, Firmino.
Players to Watch
Sadio Mane
Mane had an interesting 90 minutes on Merseyside in October.
Though his 86th-minute strike gave Southampton a crucial point away from home, his two late yellow cards saw him head to the showers before his buoyant team-mates.
Set to take up his place on the left side of attack on Wednesday night, Mane will be out to damage Liverpool's defence once again. With his pace, skill and movement, the Senegalese player will give right-back Clyne a troubled evening.
Adam Bogdan
Bogdan will be out to impress his manager at St. Mary's, in what is a rare first-team outing for the 28-year-old.
"This competition has given me some fantastic memories already, and hopefully that will continue," he told Neil Jones of the Liverpool Echo this week.
“I want to play, absolutely. I wouldn’t come here just to sit around and just to be happy that I am here. I wouldn't be here long with that attitude! I want to get into the team and to play as many games as possible."
Bogdan produced an exceptional performance in Liverpool's penalty-shootout victory over Bournemouth in the previous round of the League Cup. If he comes up with more of the same on Wednesday night, he will hope to come into Klopp's thinking for the Premier League.
Key Battle
Steven Caulker vs. Roberto Firmino
Caulker has struggled for game time since his loan move from Queens Park Rangers in July, making just one start in the Premier League so far this season, as Fonte and Van Dijk formed a rock-solid partnership in defence.
The 23-year-old could be targeted as a potential weakness by Klopp, and it is up to Caulker to prove his credentials in light of Fonte's injury.
Unfortunately for Caulker, he could be lining up against an attack-happy Firmino who—if he leads the line on Wednesday—will be looking to emulate the devastating performance that inspired Liverpool's 4-1 win away to City in November.
Firmino's movement, tenacity and guile will put Caulker's defensive prowess to the test, and whoever wins out could go on to decide the outcome of this St. Mary's contest.
Odds
Southampton win: 17/10
Liverpool win: 15/8
Draw: 12/5
Odds via Oddschecker and correct at time of writing.
Statistics via WhoScored.com.
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