Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers will be without two of his summer signings when they play Southampton in their opening game of the Premier League season.

Both Adam Lallana, who left the Saints to move to Anfield, and Lazar Markovic are sidelined through injury, with Daniel Agger and Jon Flanagan also missing for the Merseyside outfit.

Rickie Lambert, who has also joined from Southampton, is expected to be on the substitutes' bench for the match with his former club.

Southampton boss Ronald Koeman has been forced to rebuild Southampton's squad after more than half-a-dozen players departed during the summer.

New arrivals Fraser Forster, Ryan Bertrand, Dusan Tadic and Shane Long could all make their first appearances for their new side but Morgan Schneiderlin is likely to miss out as he continues to express his desire to leave the club.

The Saints were victorious in this fixture last season but goalscorer Dejan Lovren will be in the opposing lineup on this occasion.

Recent form

Liverpool: DWLW

Southampton: WWWL

Possible starting lineups

Liverpool: Mignolet; Johnson, Skrtel, Lovren, Enrique, Can, Henderson, Gerrard; Sterling, Coutinho, Sturridge

Southampton: Forster; Clyne, Gardos, Fonte, Bertrand; Wanyama, Ward-Prowse, Taider; Tadic, Long, Pelle

Sports Mole says: 3-1