Liverpool will not take risks by using players who are not necessarily at full fitness against Southampton such as Trent Alexander-Arnold, Reds expert David Lynch has claimed.

Premier League football returns this weekend, and the Merseysiders will hope to continue their title charge on Sunday when they travel to face Southampton.

Arne Slot's side are first in the division with 28 points from a possible 33, and the Dutchman's team have so far managed to capitalise on the vulnerabilities of title rivals Arsenal and Manchester City.

However, though the Reds are five points clear of the Citizens and nine points ahead of the Gunners, Slot could have a selection headache on Sunday due to uncertainty regarding the fitness of a number of key figures like Virgil van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold.

Liverpool could soon extend their lead over Manchester City should they beat them on December 1 at Anfield, and David Lynch his argued that if there are any doubts about members of the squad for the game against Southampton then they are unlikely to be risked ahead of next weekend's matchup, telling Sports Mole: "If there's even a slight doubt around someone like Trent, that you might be pushing him a little bit early, just leave him out of this one.

"I'm quite optimistic that Van Dijk will be in the starting line-up. With Trent, you always have to be careful with hamstring injuries, but we'll see how that plays out, and if he's not in the starting line-up for this one, he'll definitely be back in for the Real Madrid and Manchester City games.

"You see how Arsenal have coped with their injuries, and City - Liverpool have had big injuries of their own and they've coped with them very well so far, but it's always good to get players back, and big players, which is what they're getting back."

Dangerous Southampton

Southampton are last in the Premier Leaue with just four points from 11 games and have only scored seven goals so far this season, the fewest of any team in the top flight.

Manager Russel Martin led the Saints to the promotion from the Championship last term but has come under fire for refusing to adapt his expansive style of play, one that has been labelled by some as naïve.

Lynch has warned Reds fans who might believe that Liverpool's trip to St Mary's will see the team pick up an easy three points that the home side could pose a challenge to the league leaders on Sunday, especially considering Slot may not be able to call upon the players who were selected to play for South American sides.

When speaking to Sports Mole about whether Southampton could be a potential banana skin, Lynch said: "The lads who [were on international duty] in South America - they've got a really tight turnaround for someone like Darwin Nunez or Alexis Mac Allister, so that's really tough for them.

"Southampton only got beat 1-0 by Manchester City earlier this season. On paper, they're not very good, but honestly, if you go into any Premier League game and you take it for granted and you think it's going to be straightforward, that's the first step towards a slip up.

"[Liverpool have] got one job this weekend and it's to go into that Southampton game and get it won."

Massive opportunity in the title race

With news of Guardiola extending his stay in Manchester breaking before the onset of the weekend's Premier League fixtures, fans across the division might have been forgiven for rolling their eyes at the announcement.

The Spaniard has led City to six of the last seven titles on offer and has dominated English football since his arrival in 2016.

Despite that, Guardiola's Citizens have lost their four most recent games and face a potentially difficult test against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, while Mikel Arteta's Gunners take on high-flying Nottingham Forest this weekend.

Lynch argued that it is imperative that Liverpool seize the opportunity in front of them and to make sure they are ready to take advantage of City and Arsenal should their rivals drop more points, saying: "[If Liverpool win] it gives [them] a chance to go eight points clear of Manchester City if they drop points against Tottenham.

"Nottingham Forrest, brilliant on the road, so that could be a really, really tricky one for [Arsenal], and Liverpool fans surely dare not dream of the idea that for three weekends on the bounce, Arsenal and Manchester City would drop points? But looking at the fixtures, it's very much a possibility.

"The important thing, and it's the thing that Liverpool have done the last couple of times it's happened, is to win your game, is to make sure that you capitalise on those slip-ups."

Regardless of whether City or Arsenal drop points, the Reds will have the chance to go eight points clear of the Citizens next weekend when they play the champions at Anfield on December 1, but Liverpool must first defeat Southampton on Sunday.