Saints’ style perfect for Reds to resume winning ways

Southampton v Liverpool
Monday 4 January, 20:00
Dwell on Sky Sports activities

It is already been a season of highs and lows for Southampton, and reasonably fittingly they now discover themselves proper in the course of the desk.

The low level for Ralph Hasenhüttl‘s males was beginning the 2020/21 marketing campaign with three straight defeats, together with a house loss to Championship outfit Brentford within the Carabao Cup and conceding 5 at St Mary’s in a defeat to Tottenham.

However the Saints rapidly turned the tide and went on a six-game unbeaten run, culminating within the spotlight of their season to this point, going prime of the Premier League for the primary time within the membership’s historical past because of a 2-0 win over Newcastle.

Seven factors from the following 12 accessible saved Southampton in and across the prime 4, however then got here their present blip, a four-game winless run by which they’ve failed to attain a single aim in three of these matches.

In equity the Saints solely misplaced a type of 4 video games (D3 L1) and that was by a single aim to Manchester Metropolis in a recreation the place they carried out very effectively, whereas they have been the higher staff in a 1-1 draw at Arsenal too, so it is a bit of a stretch to say Hasenhüttl’s males have fallen dramatically out of shape.

Southampton have been undeniably under par of their most up-to-date back-to-back goalless attracts with Fulham and West Ham nonetheless, and the continued absence of influential centre-back Jannik Vestergaard – who has scored three league objectives this season – is certain to be felt.

It is maybe only a signal of the unusual instances that we’re in that defending Premier League champions Liverpool have themselves turn out to be reasonably inconsistent.

Jurgen Klopp‘s males may be magnificent at instances, like after they thrashed Crystal Palace 7-0 only a few weeks in the past, however they’ve additionally had some vastly disappointing performances; the 7-2 defeat at Aston Villa springs to thoughts whereas their first half efficiency at Fulham in mid-December was as dangerous as I can bear in mind the Reds performing in current seasons.

That loss to Villa stays Liverpool’s solely league defeat of the season nonetheless, they usually’re presently on an unbeaten run of 12 video games within the Premier League, although solely half of these have been wins (W6 D6).

Somewhat surprisingly, Liverpool’s most up-to-date quartet of attracts have come towards Brighton, Fulham, West Brom and Newcastle, 4 groups on the incorrect finish of the desk, suggesting that Klopp’s males are struggling to interrupt down groups which can be joyful to defend a degree.

Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez stay lengthy phrases absentees so Klopp will as soon as once more be with out his three senior centre-backs with the information that Joel Matip has been dominated out for 3 weeks with a pelvic/hip damage. Nathaniel Phillips is prone to hold his place alongside Fabinho within the again 4.

It is a fascinating conflict between two groups that have not precisely loved a fantastic festive interval. Southampton have failed to attain of their final three video games and at the moment are winless in 4, whereas Liverpool can be upset to have taken simply two factors from video games towards West Brom and Newcastle.

But when Saints have been in search of the perfect recreation to halt their mini blip then this is not it. Opta inform us that Southampton have misplaced all of their final six Premier League clashes with Liverpool by an mixture rating of 17-2!

It is extremely unlikely that Southampton will play within the type of Liverpool’s final two opponents, the place the Reds’ did not fairly have the guile to interrupt down West Brom and Newcastle’s packed and well-organised defence, and I really feel that a extra open, end-to-end recreation – a bit like Saints v Man Metropolis a couple of weeks in the past – will favour Klopp’s males.

Hasenhüttl’s males can defend, as evidenced by their seven clear sheets this season, but it surely’s not their type to sit down again and play for a degree – particularly with Vestergaard absent – and I’ve to fancy Liverpool at 1.728/11 within the Match Odds to take all three factors.

Towards the large boys, Saints have already conceded 5 towards Tottenham, three towards Chelsea and Manchester United, and whereas they solely shipped one towards Man Metropolis that was a recreation that might have had any variety of objectives. I fancy we’re in for an entertaining match, however it will likely be the Reds that out-score their opponents.

For those who do fancy a minor shock then you possibly can again Southampton at 5.24/1 for the win with the draw accessible at 4.57/2.

When Southampton hosted Man Metropolis in mid-December the Over 2.5 Goals choice traded at round 1.51/2 earlier than kick-off, which was very comprehensible. It is buying and selling at round 1.728/11 right here which is probably going a consequence of Saints’ current goalless attracts and Liverpool solely scoring as soon as in video games towards West Brom and Newcastle.

It seems a beneficiant value when you think about a few of Southampton’s scorelines towards groups on the prime finish of the desk – 2-5 (v Spurs), 3-3 (v Chelsea), 3-4 (v Villa) and 2-3 (v Man Utd) – but it surely’s not one which I wish to suggest by itself.

So my foremost be can be Liverpool Win and Over 2.5 Goals at round 2.68/5 on the Alternate – a wager that has landed in 5 of their final six conferences with the Saints – whereas we are able to add these two choices to Mo Salah getting on the scoresheet at anytime in a Same Game Multi at only a tad shy of 5/2 (3.43).

The Egyptian has scored seven objectives in his six Premier League video games towards the Saints, he is the division’s main scorer, and he is in good kind having discovered the online six instances in has final seven outings.

He is additionally Liverpool’s penalty taker in fact, and the Reds have been awarded a minimum of one spot-kick in each month of the present season to this point.

Liverpool ahead Mohamed Salah has scored seven objectives in his six Premier League video games towards Southampton, solely scoring extra towards Bournemouth (8) and Watford (8) within the competitors.