da betway： Liverpool face Southampton tonight in a fixture that could go a long way to defining their season. Far from the rip-roaring form that had them tipped for the Premier League title not too long ago, Jurgen Klopp’s side have claimed just one win from their last six across all competitions, losing two, and even that came against lowly League Two outfit Plymouth in an FA Cup replay.
da wazamba： They’re now in danger of slipping out of the top four and missing out on their likeliest chance of silverware this term, facing a 1-0 deficit for the second leg of the EFL Cup semi-final at Anfield this evening after being outwitted by Southampton at St. Mary’s a fortnight ago.
On paper, Liverpool boast a superior side, but the Saints have proved a bit of a bogey team for the Reds in recent years, with both clubs recording two wins, two draws and two defeats apiece from their last six meetings.
So how can Klopp ensure his side’s campaign isn’t derailed by another disappointing result? How can he guarantee the Reds will score twice without conceding to progress to the EFL Cup final at Wembley? Here are THREE things Liverpool simply must do at Anfield this evening…
Put pressure on the centre-backs
It may seem a simplistic point but Southampton have handed this one to Liverpool on a silver platter. Indeed, star centre-back Virgil van Dijk has been ruled out for the next three months, whilst his most dependable and experienced partner, Jose Fonte, has just been sold to West Ham following a lengthy contract debacle.
That leaves Claude Puel with a choice of Maya Yoshida, Jack Stevens and Florin Gardos and with all due respect, the trio simply aren’t in the same league as Van Dijk and Fonte. The Japan international is the best of an underwhelming bunch, but even he’s drawn plenty of criticism during his four-and-a-half years at St. Mary’s.
The heart of defence will undoubtedly be a weak link for Southampton at Anfield, so the Reds need to put as much pressure on that department as possible – whether it’s created through crosses into the box, runs in behind or smart movement to draw Yoshida and Stevens (Puel’s likeliest selection) out of position.
Win the full-back war
Southampton will likely set up a little more conservative than usual at Anfield, attempting to further frustrate a side chasing down a 1-0 deficit. But Saints full-backs Cedric Soares and Ryan Bertrand are forward-thinking by nature and will look to provide width on the overlap when the opportunities arise.
Liverpool’s set-up shares some similarities, utilising wide forwards rather than out-and-out wingers and using the full-backs to provide width in the final third.
Accordingly, the battle between the two sets of full-backs could well be what decides the outcome tonight and although Soares and Bertrand face the tougher task of balancing defensive and offensive obligations, they were both pivotal in the 3-0 win over Leicester on Sunday, with the latter picking up the Man of the Match award, and enter tonight’s contest in good form.
Likewise, the potential absence of Nathaniel Clyne could play a key role. Trent Alexander-Arnold is a talented understudy, but Bertrand has more than enough pedigree to take advantage of the 18-year-old’s inexperience.
Cut out the crosses
Southampton’s strikers aren’t particularly renowned for their aerial prowess but nonetheless, crossing is clearly their preferred method of attack. Indeed, Puel’s side have averaged the most crosses-per-match of any Premier League side this term, with a whopping 27 each game, and much of that can be traced back to the aforementioned Soares, who notches up 1.5 accurate crosses-per-match.
That will particularly concern Liverpool fans, who watched Fernando Llorente relentlessly assert his aerial dominance over Ragnar Klavan last weekend, scoring his side’s second with an emphatic header. That was the conversion of one of just eight Swansea crosses throughout the ninety minutes, so the Reds could really struggle if Southampton are allowed to put in their customary 27.
That not only depends on the full-backs closing down crossers, but also the centre-backs cutting out wide balls when they get into the box. Klavan undoubtedly let himself down in that regard on Saturday, but the returning Joel Matip, who measures in at 6ft. 4″, should make a difference.