Liverpool have the chance to move back to the summit of the Premier League table on Friday night when they take on Southampton at St Mary's.

Manchester City's midweek win over Cardiff City saw a 25th change of leadership this season, and Liverpool could now add another twist to one of the most topsy-turvy title races in the Premier League era.

Southampton

While Liverpool fell foul of Man City's win over Cardiff on Wednesday night, Southampton benefited from it as their five-point lead over the relegation zone stayed intact.

There is still work to be done - no team has ever stayed in the Premier League with Southampton's current points tally of 33 - but the Saints seem to be a team heading in the right direction.

Three wins from their last four games - including back-to-back victories over Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion in their last two - have dragged them away from trouble and given them some much-needed breathing space.

Saturday's 1-0 triumph over Brighton was greeted by scenes of celebration that suggested the players and manager Ralph Hasenhuttl knew exactly how big a win it was for their season, leaving them level on points with the Seagulls and 17th-placed Burnley.

Indeed, should Southampton win a third consecutive game on Friday - something they have not managed since May 2016 - then they would climb as high as 14th in the table.

One more victory could well be enough to stay up, and two would almost certainly do the job - something which looks perfectly possible considering Liverpool are the final top-six team they have to face this season.

The Saints may even feel like they can get something out of Friday's match too. Since Hasenhuttl took charge in December Southampton have beaten Arsenal, Everton, Fulham and Spurs at St Mary's - four wins in eight home games having won just one of their 18 prior to that.

Friday's hosts also boast a surprisingly good record against Liverpool on their own patch, winning five of their 10 such league meetings; only Everton have been beaten more often at St Mary's in the Premier League.

Many will look at the league positions of the two sides and consider this a routine win for the visitors, but Southampton have all the tools available to make this a costly banana skin for Liverpool while giving their own survival hopes a massive boost.

Recent Premier League form: LLWLWW

Liverpool

The pressure in this season's title race continues to shift between Manchester and Liverpool, and so far neither team has shown any sign of seriously cracking.

The lead changed hands just six times all term as City stormed to the title last season, but a Liverpool win on Friday would be the 26th occasion it has happened this campaign - although goal difference means that only a win will do for the Reds.

Both title challengers have acknowledged that only a perfect record from hereon in is likely to be enough to win the title in May, although for Liverpool even that would not suffice if Man City also match them with a perfect finish.

Jurgen Klopp's side refuse to give up, though; Sunday's dramatic 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur was - by their own admission - fortuitous, but also a sign of the never-say-die attitude that has kept them in the title race.

Liverpool would be five points worse off discounting goals in the final five minutes of matches this season, whereas Man City would have the same tally, and Toby Alderweireld's own goal at Anfield was the third winner Liverpool have benefited from in the 90th minute or later this season alone.

It is the cliched sign of champions, and in most other seasons Liverpool would be in a one-horse race.

Klopp's class of 2018-19 have already equalled the number of wins (24) and points (79) the club achieved in their last title-winning campaign of 1989-90 and are on course to surpass the points tally of Arsenal's Invincibles.

Indeed, only three teams in Premier League history have had more points after 32 games of a season, but it just so happens that Manchester City are one of them this term.

The champions are in FA Cup action this weekend, giving Liverpool the chance to enjoy a longer spell at the summit, although they too have other commitments coming up with the Champions League quarter-finals against Porto either side of a Premier League showdown with Chelsea next Sunday.

Supporters will not need reminding that it was a late-season Anfield game against Chelsea which derailed their last serious title bid, but for now full focus must be on an improving Southampton side, with every remaining match carrying 'must-win' status for Liverpool.

Recent Premier League form: DWDWWW
Recent form (all competitions): WDWWWW

Team News

Virgil van Dijk had been a slight doubt for this match after picking up an ankle injury in the closing stages of Sunday's win over Tottenham Hotspur, but the imperious Dutchman is training as normal and is expected to start against his old club.

Joe Gomez could also feature at some stage as he edges closer towards full fitness following a lengthy absence with an ankle injury, although he is unlikely to be thrown in from the start.

Van Dijk is not the only player who could face his former club with Sadio Mane also set to start, while Dejan Lovren and Adam Lallana will be hopeful of some rotation by Klopp. The game will come too soon for Liverpool's other Saints alumnus Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, though.

There could be changes in central midfield with Klopp holding Jordan Henderson and James Milner back for next week's Champions League meeting with Porto, opening the door for Fabinho and Naby Keita to come into the side.

Mohamed Salah will renew his quest for a 50th Premier League goal for Liverpool, meanwhile, having now gone eight games - and almost two months - without a goal across all competitions, although he has scored in all three of his league meetings with Southampton.

Southampton have no new injury concerns following their victory over Brighton on Saturday, meaning that Hasenhuttl could name an unchanged side for this match.

Michael Obafemi and Jannik Vestergaard remain sidelined for the hosts, but Shane Long could be pushing for a recall following a groin injury.

Southampton possible starting lineup:
Gunn; Valery, Bednarek, Yoshida, Bertrand; Ward-Prowse, Romeu, Hojbjerg, Armstrong; Ings, Redmond

Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Keita, Fabinho, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Mane

Head To Head

Liverpool have won their last three league meetings with Southampton, scoring eight goals without reply, and they could win four in a row for the first time.

Indeed, the Reds have kept clean sheets in each of their last five Premier League games against the Saints, stretching back to a 3-2 defeat at St Mary's in March 2016 when Mane was on the scoresheet twice for Southampton.

The reverse fixture in September saw Liverpool run out 3-0 winners at Anfield with all the goals coming in the first half.

We say: Southampton 0-2 Liverpool

Southampton gave themselves breathing space at the weekend and, while safety is not yet secure, this is not quite a must-win game for the hosts. Every game is must-win for Liverpool at this stage, though, and the Reds should have enough to pick up another crucial three points having seemingly returned to form in timely fashion.