SM
Bayern vs. Augsburg: 13 hrs 48 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data
SL
Premier League | Gameweek 17
Jan 4, 2021 at 8pm UK
St Mary's Stadium
LL

Southampton
1 - 0
Liverpool

Ings (2')
Bertrand (90+3')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Alcantara (3'), Robertson (15'), Shaqiri (79')

Preview: Southampton vs. Liverpool - prediction, team news, lineups

:Headline: Preview: Southampton vs. Liverpool - prediction, team news, lineups:
Sports Mole previews Monday's Premier League clash between Southampton and Liverpool, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Sports Mole

Liverpool will be looking to move back out on their own at the top of the Premier League table when they visit Southampton in their opening match of 2021 on Monday night.

Both sides ended 2020 with disappointing goalless draws as the Saints were held at home by West Ham United and Liverpool were frustrated by Newcastle United.


Match preview

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has played down the importance of the league table at this stage of the season, but Manchester United moving level on points with the champions courtesy of their victory over Aston Villa on New Year's Day will surely only increase the desire to return to winning ways on Monday night.

The likes of Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Leicester City and even Everton have been tipped as possible title challengers already this season before falling away and Man United are the latest threat to Liverpool's crown, just a couple of weeks before the bitter rivals face off at Anfield in their next league game after this.

Klopp will know that his side cannot afford to look past a Southampton side that has impressed so far this season, though, particularly after their anti-climactic end to 2020.

Back-to-back draws against West Bromwich Albion and Newcastle, the latter seeing them fail to score for the first time this season, means that only goal difference is now keeping them on top of the pile heading into this match.

Any more dropped points could see that blip become a real concern, and Liverpool have only won their opening league game of the year once in the last eight attempts when that match has come away from home.

The reigning top-flight champions have only begun the New Year with a defeat twice in the last 31 years and, with still only one loss to their name this season, Liverpool will at least be confident of upholding that tradition.

However, on paper at least a trip to St Mary's looks like a tougher task than the recent games against West Brom and Newcastle, so Klopp will be demanding an improvement from his side.

Southampton are also in shaky form heading into this match, though, with a run of four games without a win seeing them slip from a place in the top four down towards mid-table.

A draw at Arsenal and narrow defeat to Manchester City is nothing to be ashamed of, but subsequent goalless draws against Fulham and West Ham will have been more disappointing for Ralph Hasenhuttl.

The Austrian - dubbed the 'Alpine Klopp', incidentally - was forced to watch the latter match from home as he self-isolated due to his wife testing positive for COVID-19, but he is free to return to the dugout for this match as he looks to lead his side back to winning, and indeed goalscoring, ways.

The Saints come into this match having recorded back-to-back 0-0 draws for the first time since October 2018, and they could record three in a row for the first time in their league history - although that looks unlikely against the division's highest scorers.

However, on their end of the bargain Southampton have now failed to score in their last three games, while they have also failed to register in six of their last eight matches against Liverpool, none of which they have won.

Liverpool have won each of the last six of those by an aggregate score of 17-2, but a small slice of history does beckon for Southampton if they can stop the rot on Monday night.

The Saints have won 10 league games against the reigning Premier League champions in the past, which includes beating all six clubs to have won the trophy when defending their title; victory over Liverpool would see them become the first team to beat all seven Premier League champions in the season following their title triumph.

All three of their home defeats this season have come against 'big six' teams, though, and Liverpool will be hoping for that trend to continue on Monday night.

Southampton Premier League form: WWDLDD

Liverpool Premier League form: WDWWDD
Liverpool form (all competitions): DDWWDD



Team News

Liverpool were able to finally welcome Thiago Alcantara back into the fold against Newcastle, and the Spain international could be set for only his second start of the season here.

Georginio Wijnaldum was rested last time out and so could return, while Xherdan Shaqiri also made his comeback as a late sub in that match as Liverpool's midfield injury worries begin to ease.

Naby Keita is still sidelined, though, and it is in defence where the main issues lie with Joel Matip joining Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Kostas Tsimikas on the treatment table.

Nat Phillips could start alongside Fabinho at the heart of the defence again, although Rhys Williams provides another option at centre-back.

Mohamed Salah will be desperate to start again having scored seven goals in his six Premier League games against Southampton.

The hosts have their own deadly striker in former Liverpool man Danny Ings, who has had a direct hand in 38 Premier League goals for the club since Hasenhuttl's arrival in December 2018.

Ings returned to the starting lineup last time out and should lead the line again, but Jannik Vestergaard and Nathan Redmond remain sidelined.

Alex McCarthy has also been ruled out after testing positive for COVID-19, forcing him into a period of self-isolation.

Southampton possible starting lineup:
Forster; Walker-Peters, Bednarek, Stephens, Bertrand; Armstrong, Ward-Prowse, Romeu, Walcott; Adams, Ings

Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Phillips, Fabinho, Robertson; Thiago, Henderson, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Mane


We say: Southampton 1-2 Liverpool

Southampton have proven themselves capable of picking up points in games like this, and a faltering Liverpool will know that this promises to be a difficult test for them on Monday night.

However, with Thiago now back in their ranks and Manchester United breathing down their necks, we expect Liverpool to edge to a narrow victory in their opening match of 2021.


Top betting tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting under 3.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Under 3.5:curl



Video prediction

Watch the Sports Mole Football Shorts prediction for this game below:



body check tags ::

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


amp_article__428926 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2024-06-05 12:42:46:
html db last update - 2024-06-05 12:42:46 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html
Read more!
Share this article now:


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Recommended Next on SM
Nat Phillips does not feel out of his depth at Liverpool
Two more years! Man City confirm Pep Guardiola contract extension
Reunion at Man United: Amorim 'has spoken' to Sporting star over 2025 transfer
Manchester City planning Josko Gvardiol move?
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool119112161528
2Manchester CityMan City117222213923
3Chelsea115422113819
4Arsenal115421812619
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest115421510519
6Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton115421915419
7Fulham115331613318
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
9Aston Villa115331717018
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1151523131016
11Brentford115152222016
12Bournemouth114341515015
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd114341212015
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Leicester CityLeicester112451421-710
16Everton112451017-710
17Ipswich TownIpswich111551222-108
18Crystal Palace11146815-77
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves111371627-116
20Southampton11119721-144
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

Arsenal star 'facing race against time' to be fit for Forest clash

1

AS

Preview: Leicester vs. Chelsea - prediction, team news, lineups

2

PL

Maresca to extend olive branch to struggling Chelsea attacker?

3

MT

Preview: Celta Vigo vs. Barcelona - prediction, team news, lineups

4

PC

Preview: Everton vs. Brentford - prediction, team news, lineups

5

PE

Top 20 Premier League managers who have taken charge of the most games in history

6

T2

Shock transfer? Real Madrid 'considering mid-season move' for Man United star

7

ST

Preview: Atletico vs. Alaves - prediction, team news, lineups

8

PA

Preview: Hearts vs. Celtic - prediction, team news, lineups

9

PH

Preview: Millwall vs. Sunderland - prediction, team news, lineups

10

PM


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .