Liverpool visit Southampton at St Mary's on Wednesday for the first leg of their League Cup semi-final clash. The two teams have met at the same venue in the Premier League in November and the game ended 0-0, the first goalless draw between these two sides in over 15 years. Liverpool and Southampton have met in the League Cup last season and on that occasion the Reds hammered the Saints 6-1.
Southampton had a terrible festive period, losing three consecutive Premier League matches after Christmas. They didn't do much better in the FA Cup last weekend as they only managed to clinch a 2-2 draw at Championship side Norwich, earning a rematch at St Mary's with the prospect of facing Arsenal in the next round. Overall, Claude Puel's men have won just two of their last nine matches in all competitions. Sofiane Boufal will be sidelined for about three weeks with a knee injury, while Jose Fonte is trying to force his way out of the club during the January transfer window.
Liverpool are unbeaten in their last seven matches in all competitions, but they have failed to win any of their last two games. Last weekend, in the FA Cup, Jurgen Klopp chose to field the youngest starting eleven in club history and they were unable to get past Plymouth. The manager will surely change strategy for the Southampton match, but he might still rest a few players ahead of next weekend's derby against Manchester United. Philippe Coutinho will most likely make his first appearance since having picked up an ankle injury in November.
Probable line-ups:
Southampton: Forster - Soares, Yoshida, Van Dijk, Bertrand - Hojbjerg, Romeu, Davis - Tadic, Long, Redmond
Liverpool: Karius - Clyne, Lovren, Klavan, Milner - Wijnaldum, Can, Ejaria - Firmino, Sturridge, Lallana
My prediction: 2-2 draw.
Here are the odds for the match at Bet365:
Southampton win - 3.50
Draw - 3.50
Liverpool win - 2.20
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Comments (1)
sharpe
01/13/17, 12:01:36 AM
Southampton players were really highly motivated for that one and I think they outplayed Liverpool by any standards. That 1-0 could easily be 3 or 4 if Redmond...
Southampton players were really highly motivated for that one and I think they outplayed Liverpool by any standards. That 1-0 could easily be 3 or 4 if Redmond didn't miss three great chances and of course in one try he scores. Should be a tough second leg for both teams and it have to be - the stake is place in final, Liverpool still have all the chances to go trough but Sutton have theirs too.
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