Separated by 19 places and 24 points in the Premier League table, Southampton and Liverpool cross paths in Sunday's Premier League showdown at St Mary's Stadium.
The league-leading Reds are aiming for an unprecedented 10th win in their first 12 Premier League matches under new management, as Arne Slot continues to smash Merseyside managerial records left, right and centre.
In contrast, Russell Martin's men cannot climb out of the relegation zone no matter how they perform on Sunday, and the Saints' record from previous encounters with Liverpool also makes for rather grim reading.
Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at the head-to-head record and previous meetings between the two sides.
Head-to-head record
Previous meetings: 119
Southampton wins: 31
Draws: 26
Liverpool wins: 62
Between 1902 and 1926, the first seven meetings between Southampton and Liverpool took place exclusively in the FA Cup, but the two clubs have since built up a healthy page of head-to-head history in the Premier League and First Division.
From 119 previous battles in all tournaments, the Reds have come up trumps on 62 occasions, while Southampton have prevailed 31 times, and another 26 contests have seen both sides shake hands on a point apiece.
The more recent showdowns in the 21st century have almost always seen the Merseyside giants come out on the correct end of the scoreline, though, as Liverpool have won 11 of their last 13 battles with Southampton in all tournaments, drawing one and losing one in that sequence.
The only aberrations for Liverpool in that streak were a 1-0 loss in January 2021 during their dismal winter period, and an engrossing 4-4 draw at St Mary's on the final weekend of the 2022-23 campaign, their most recent Premier League battle.
Liverpool and Southampton did cross paths on one occasion in the 2023-24 campaign, though, as Jurgen Klopp masterminded a 3-0 FA Cup fifth-round victory with an incredibly young squad, as Lewis Koumas opened the scoring before a Jayden Danns brace.
That comfortable win marked a seventh home victory on the bounce for Liverpool against Southampton, who last avoided defeat at Anfield in a 0-0 draw in May 2017, a few months after their last success on the Reds' turf in that season's EFL Cup semi-finals.
With a staggering 13 goals against Southampton, Liverpool legend Ian Rush is comfortably the highest-scoring player in matches between the Reds and the Saints, while Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler struck eight each versus the South Coast side.
Previous meetings
Feb 28, 2024: Liverpool 3-0 Southampton (FA Cup Fifth Round)
May 28, 2023: Southampton 4-4 Liverpool (Premier League)
Nov 12, 2022: Liverpool 3-1 Southampton (Premier League)
May 17, 2022: Southampton 1-2 Liverpool (Premier League)
Nov 27, 2021: Liverpool 4-0 Southampton (Premier League)
May 08, 2021: Liverpool 2-0 Southampton (Premier League)
Jan 04, 2021: Southampton 1-0 Liverpool (Premier League)
Feb 01, 2020: Liverpool 4-0 Southampton (Premier League)
Aug 17, 2019: Southampton 1-2 Liverpool (Premier League)
Apr 05, 2019: Southampton 1-3 Liverpool (Premier League)
Sep 22, 2018: Liverpool 3-0 Southampton (Premier League)
Feb 11, 2018: Southampton 0-2 Liverpool (Premier League)
Nov 18, 2017: Liverpool 3-0 Southampton (Premier League)
May 07, 2017: Liverpool 0-0 Southampton (Premier League)
Jan 25, 2017: Liverpool 0-1 Southampton (League Cup Semi-Finals)
Jan 11, 2017: Southampton 1-0 Liverpool (League Cup Semi-Finals)
Nov 19, 2016: Southampton 0-0 Liverpool (Premier League)
Mar 20, 2016: Southampton 3-2 Liverpool (Premier League)
Dec 02, 2015: Southampton 1-6 Liverpool (League Cup Quarter-Finals)
Oct 25, 2015: Liverpool 1-1 Southampton (Premier League)
Last 10 Premier League meetings
May 28, 2023: Southampton 4-4 Liverpool (Premier League)
Nov 12, 2022: Liverpool 3-1 Southampton (Premier League)
May 17, 2022: Southampton 1-2 Liverpool (Premier League)
Nov 27, 2021: Liverpool 4-0 Southampton (Premier League)
May 08, 2021: Liverpool 2-0 Southampton (Premier League)
Jan 04, 2021: Southampton 1-0 Liverpool (Premier League)
Feb 01, 2020: Liverpool 4-0 Southampton (Premier League)
Aug 17, 2019: Southampton 1-2 Liverpool (Premier League)
Apr 05, 2019: Southampton 1-3 Liverpool (Premier League)
Sep 22, 2018: Liverpool 3-0 Southampton (Premier League)
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