Liverpool make the trip to the south coast on Sunday afternoon as they visit Southampton in the Premier League.

The Reds are returning from the international break as league leaders after a mightily impressive start to Arne Slot’s reign as head coach. The Dutchman has won all but two of his matches in charge of the Merseyside club and has notably improved an array of players at the club without significant investment in the squad.

Liverpool will have one eye on two gargantuan fixtures on the horizon. European champions Real Madrid visit Anfield in the Champions League on Wednesday evening before Manchester City make the trip to Merseyside in the Premier League the following Sunday.

Southampton, who often saw their best and brightest poached by Liverpool in the past, have made an underwhelming start to their Premier League return. They have accumulated four points from a possible 33 and they suffered a 2-0 defeat to fellow strugglers Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out.

A dress rehearsal for the Carabao Cup quarter-final in mid-December, here’s 90min’s guide to an intriguing clash.

Southampton vs Liverpool H2H Results (Last Five Games)

Current form (all competitions)

Southampton will have to face the division’s most in-form side without their first-choice goalkeeper, with Aaron Ramsdale absent with a finger injury. Centre-back Jan Bednarek is also missing to further weaken Russell Martin’s defence.

Gavin Bazunu is also sidelined meaning Alex McCarthy, who was briefly linked with Liverpool as an emergency goalkeeper over the summer, will feature in between the sticks.

Will Smallbone and Ross Stewart are missing but it’s expected that Ryan Fraser and Flynn Downes will be available.

Former Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana could feature in the engine room, while Taylor Harwood-Bellis will be riding high after scoring on his England debut over the international break.

Southampton predicted lineup vs Liverpool (5-4-1): McCarthy; Walker-Peters, Sugawara, Harwood-Bellis, Stephens, Manning; Dibling, Downes, Aribo, Fernandes; Archer.

Slot has confirmed that Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was injured against Aston Villa before the international break, is still missing for Liverpool with a hamstring issue. He joins Alisson, Diogo Jota, Federico Chiesa and Harvey Elliott on the sidelines.

Alisson and Elliott are back in training for the Reds but need more time to complete their recoveries from lengthy injuries. Jota and Chiesa are expected back within the next few weeks according to Slot.

Fortunately for Liverpool, skipper Virgil van Dijk is fit and available after picking up a knock over the international break with the Netherlands, and he will partner the in-form Ibrahima Konate in defence. It remains to be seen how fresh Slot’s South American internationals are for Sunday’s trip.

Kostas Tsimikas and Andy Robertson will continue their duel for the starting left-back slot, while Curtis Jones will be eager to continue his impressive form after shining for England over the international period in his first appearances for his country.

Liverpool predicted lineup vs Southampton (4-2-3-1): Kelleher; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Jones, Gakpo; Nunez.

First against 20th rarely ends well for the latter and there is unlikely to be a major upset on the south coast. Liverpool are in exceptional form, have a fantastic record against the Saints and are exactly the kind of side that will prosper from Southampton’s brave passing football.

Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz are all in confident mood in the forward line and they will fancy their chances of filling their boots against one of the division’s most porous defences. Unfortunately for Martin’s men, they’re unlikely to add to their meagre four-point tally.

Prediction: Southampton 0-3 Liverpool

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