Liverpool welcome Southampton at Anfield on Saturday in a Premier League fixture.
The Reds return to their title pursuit on the back of a barely believable 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 in Paris on Wednesday evening, thanks to an Alisson Becker masterclass. They will now try to extend their otherwise unassailable 13-point advantage at the Premier League summit.
On the contrary, Southampton are doomed to get relegated having collected just nine points from 27 games. Ivan Juric has so far been unable to mastermind the great escape required to keep the south coast club.
Without further ado, let us take a look at the key battles on the pitch.
#Mohamed Salah vs Kyle Walker-Peters
Mohamed Salah has been the best player in the Premier League this season and there are no second thoughts about it. The African superstar has been in red-hot form throughout the campaign, registering 30 goals and 22 assists in 40 games across all competitions so far.
While he did endure a quiet night against PSG in Paris, Salah will certainly back himself to cause all kinds of problems for the Southampton defence which has the worst defensive record in the division.
Having shaken off a knock sustained in the 4-0 defeat to Chelsea last month, Kyle Walker-Peters should be expected to start as a left wing-back where he will come 1v1 against Salah. The Englishman has done well in an otherwise sorry season for the Saints but faces an uphill task of keeping the most in-form player in the Premier League quiet.
#Curtis Jones vs Lesley Ugochukwu
Curtis Jones came off the bench in the second half against PSG and helped Liverpool win the first leg of the last-16 tie. His entry onto the pitch gave Arne Slot’s side some much-needed control in the middle of the park and composure on the ball which they were lacking during the entire opening half. So, there is every chance Slot rewards the Englishman with a start on Saturday.
If he starts, Jones should replace Szoboszlai in the No.10 role. This would see him cross paths with Southampton’s defensive midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu. Strong, powerful and covers a lot of ground, Ugochukwu can be a real pest in the middle of the park and will try to disrupt Jones’ rhythm.
This matchup is interesting, but with Liverpool in great form, shape and surrounded by quality players, Jones should back himself to get the better of Ugochukwu and create chances in the final third.
#Kamaldeen Sulemana vs Trent Alexander-Arnold
If there is any Southampton player who could make life uncomfortable for Liverpool, it is Kamaldeen Sulemana. With his raw pace, directness, unpredictability and dribbling skills, the Ghanaian certainly can make things happen in and around the box.
The Southampton wide player will likely come up against Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is not renowned for his defensive skills and 1v1 marking. However, having dealt relatively well against the PSG wingers in midweek and helped Liverpool keep a clean sheet in Paris, Alexander-Arnold should possess the confidence to keep Sulemana quiet. And if he manages to do his job defensively, Liverpool’s chances of shutting the shop will become more certain.
