Liverpool will travel to Southampton for their final Premier League game of the season on Sunday, looking to finish the season on a high.
It has been a disappointing season for Liverpool, who face Southampton this weekend, and they have missed out on Champions League qualification. They are currently fifth in the league table and will remain in that position regardless of the result on Sunday.
The Reds are coming into this game on the back of a draw against Aston Villa. And it remains to be seen whether they can get back to winning ways. Meanwhile, Southampton are currently at the bottom of the league table and have been relegated to the EFL Championship.
Both teams have nothing to play for, and it will be interesting to see if the players can motivate themselves to put on an impressive performance here. Southampton have lost the last five matches in the league and this will be another difficult encounter for them.
The Saints will be looking to salvage some pride here and give the home fans something to cheer about. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Looking to end the 2022/23 season with three points on the south coast 🛣@Vistaprint | @CONRAAAD pic.twitter.com/yOR2oWvRzd
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 25, 2023
Team News & Tactics
Southampton
Southampton out the services of Juan Larios, Mohammed Salisu, Romain Perraud, and Armel Bella-Kotchap because of injuries. They are likely to shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Gavin Bazunu in goal.
Tino Livramento and Kyle Walker-Peters will be deployed as the full-backs. The two players will look to help the side during counter-attacking opportunities. Jan Bednarek will start alongside Lyanco at the heart of the defence.
Romeo Lavia will start in the midfield pivot alongside captain James Ward-Prowse. Lavia will look to break up the opposition play, while Ward-Prowse looks to create opportunities for his teammates.
Theo Walcott and Mohammed Elyounoussi will start as the wingers here. Finally, Carlos Alcaraz will be deployed as the central attacking midfielder behind central striker Paul Onuachu.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Bazunu; Livramento, Bednarek, Lyanco, Walker-Peters; Ward-Prowse, Lavia; Walcott, Alcarez, Elyounoussi; Onuachu
Liverpool
The visitors will be without the services of Calvin Ramsay, Stefan Bajcetic, Thiago Alcantara, and Naby Keita because of their season-ending injuries. Alisson Becker is likely to start in goal in a 4-3-3 formation.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson will be deployed as the full-backs here. The two players will look to help out at both ends of the pitch. Joel Matip should start in the central defence alongside Virgil van Dijk.
In the midfield, Fabinho will be the defensive midfielder alongside club captain Jordan Henderson and Curtis Jones. Jones will look to continue his impressive run of form and get on the scoresheet here. Roberto Firmino will play his final Liverpool game, and he is expected to start here. Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz are likely to start as the wingers.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Jones; Salah, Firino, Diaz
Key Stats
- Liverpool have won ten of their last 11 matches against Southampton in all competitions.
- Southampton have lost eight of their last nine matches in the Premier League.
- Liverpool have scored at least two goals in ten of their last 11 matches against Southampton in all competitions.
- 18 goals have been scored in the last six meetings between these two sides.
- Mohamed Salah has been involved in 17 goals in 14 Premier League games since the start of March (11 goals, 6 assists), more than any other player in the competition in that time.
Player to Watch
Mohamed Salah
The Egyptian has been in fine form for Liverpool this season and he will be looking to get on the scoresheet here. Southampton have been quite vulnerable defensively and Salah certainly has the quality to punish them.
The 30-year-old has seven goals and four assists in his last nine outings for Liverpool and he will look to continue his splendid run of form here.
Prediction
Southampton 1-2 Liverpool
Southampton will look to pick up a home win in the final game of the season but Liverpool are certainly the better side here and they will be the favourites to pick up all three points.
The home side are likely to put up a fight in order to get the fans something to cheer about but the Reds will have an edge here. The Hard Tackle predicts a narrow 2-1 victory for Liverpool here.