Liverpool hope to end the season on a high despite Manchester United putting the final nail in their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League with a 4-1 victory over Chelsea on Thursday night. The Reds are guaranteed fifth place on the back of a 10-match unbeaten run, but it’s Europa League football for them next season ahead of their clash with relegated Southampton.
This could be a chance for Jurgen Klopp to say emotional goodbyes to Roberto Firmino and James Milner, but in terms of a Southampton vs Liverpool bet builder we’re working on the premise the German will name his strongest squad and we have covered all the angles with our stats pack guide to help you make smart choices.
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Southampton vs Liverpool Predicted Lineups
ADAMS CONCERN FOR SAINTS
Che Adams will miss Southampton’s final Premier League game with an ankle injury which has kept him out of the last two games and fellow striker Paul Onuachu is doubtful with a back problem. Tino Livramento made his first appearance in more than a year as a second-half sub at Brighton but won’t start, so James Bree and Kyle Walker-Peters could take the full-back roles.
ROBERTSON COULD MISS FINALE
Left-back Andrew Robertson underwent a scan on a groin problem on Thursday and central defender Ibrahima Konate was ill, so Klopp may have to make some changes, but Darwin Nunez is back in training after missing the last two games with a toe problem. Nunez’s return is unlikely to affect the starting line-up which will see Cody Gakpo spearhead the attack flanked by Luis Diaz and Mo Salah.
Southampton vs Liverpool Team Stats
DOUBLE TROUBLE FOR SAINTS
Saints’ problems have been at both ends of the pitch this season, so Liverpool will be licking their lips they can pick holes in the Premier League’s third leakiest defence which has conceded 69 goals and kept a division-low four clean sheets.
Up top, only Wolves have scored fewer than Southampton’s 32, but they have bagged eight goals in their last six outings and aside from the abysmal defeat by Fulham which confirmed their relegation, their recent expected goals metric has been respectable at 1.05 even in the absence of Adams, so they are creating chances.
REDS FINISHING WITH A FLOURISH
Klopp’s men were in danger of missing out on Europe altogether after a 4-1 defeat at Manchester City started a four-match winless run, but seven successive victories had them dreaming of a top-four finish until that came to an end with a 1-1 draw against Aston Villa.
A team packed with attacking talent has been averaging almost two goals a game, slightly higher than their xG, and they are fourth for shots on target and corners, so those areas are worth a look in your Liverpool bet builder.
Southampton vs Liverpool Shots and Shots on Target Stats
NO ESCAPING ALCARAZ THREAT
Onuachu may not have broken his Premier League duck, but it’s not for want of trying. The Nigerian is the only player in the Saints squad to have an average greater than a shot on target and his efforts overall are close to 2.5 a game, but with doubts surrounding his availability he’s probably best avoided.
Carlos Alcaraz, who plays behind Onuachu in the No 10 role, is not far off for shots and looks a contender to test Alisson, while penalty-taker and free-kick specialist James Ward-Prowse is always a threat from set-pieces and could be worth adding to your Southampton bet builder.
SALAH SHOOTING FOR THE STARS
Salah looks hard to ignore when it comes to shots on target and he has the added incentive of reaching 20 Premier League goals for the fifth time in six seasons with Liverpool. However, Trent-Alexander Arnold looks much better value for your Liverpool bet builder having been playing in a more advanced role in the second half of the season and as one of the best free-kick takers in the business, it’s no surprise to see he has had at least one shot on target in four of his last five games.
Southampton vs Liverpool Goal and Assists Stats
WARD-PROWSE A DANGER
Goals have been a big problem for Saints and with their second top scorer Adams out, the burden could fall on the shoulders of captain Ward-Prowse. The midfielder is the club’s top scorer with eight goals, seven of which have come since Boxing Day, so he’s ending a disappointing season with a flourish. At a similar price, Alcaraz has scored four goals since his January move from Racing Club, one of which came in the 3-3 draw at Arsenal.
MO HAS TWENTY VISION
With Salah hoping to make it 20 for the season, we expect him to take every opportunity to test Saints keeper Alex McCarthy. Some feel this has not been Salah’s best campaign, but he still dominates both the goals and assists column, and is rarely subbed as the graphic reveals. Eight goals in his last 11 appearances suggest he wants to end the season on a high and he looks a serious contender in our Southampton vs Liverpool bet builder.
Southampton vs Liverpool Passing Stats
WARD-PROWSE COULD TOIL AGAINST REDS
For a team destined to end up bottom of the table, Southampton’s possession stars fare favourably with their relegation rivals at around 44.5%, but they may struggle to see much of the ball against Liverpool on Sunday. Ward-Prowse is at the heart of Southampton’s best work and averages a shade under 50 passes a game, but he could struggle to hit that number against a team with the second best possession stats and is perhaps one to swerve in your Southampton vs Liverpool bet builder.
VAN DIJK AND ALEXANDER-ARNOLD ARE PASS MASTERS
Two of the top five in the graphic are slight doubts for the game, so Virgil van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold catch the eye to go over 70 passes against a team that are likely to rely on counter-attacks. The Southampton vs Liverpool stats tell us those two are in the top six for passes this season and against the worst team in the Premier League, should see plenty of the ball.
Southampton Cards and Fouls Stats
LAVIA COULD HAVE YELLOW FEVER
Southampton’s back line will have their hands full dealing with Liverpool’s three-pronged attack and one man who could feel the strain is young holding midfielder Romeo Lavia. The 19-year-old Belgian puts in a couple of tackles per game and commits at least one foul. Reds attacker Diaz draws 2.24 fouls per game and attempts 5.61 dribbles, so whoever the Saints right back ends up being is in for a tough test.
Despite all of their talent within their ranks, Liverpool have actually struggled to draw fouls on a regular basis this season. Cody Gakpo has proven a consistent threat since his January arrival however, and the reintroduction of Luis Diaz (2.24 fouls drawn P/90) ensures that Klopp’s side have an incredibly dynamic and tricky front three.
Southampton vs Liverpool Key Matchups
Romeo Lavia vs Curtis Jones
Jan Bednarek vs Cody Gakpo
Tino Livramento vs Luiz Diaz
Liverpool Cards and Fouls Stats
FABINHO LEGS A WORRY
Fabinho’s struggles in Liverpool’s midfield have been a concern this season and he looks a prime candidate as one of our Southampton v Liverpool predictions to be pencilled in for a booking from referee Darren England who has handed out 3.71 bookings per game this season. That makes him one one of the more lenient top-flight officials, but his patience will be tested by the Brazilian who has a habit of giving away free-kicks.
Talented youngster Romeo Lavia has proven an elusive customer when on the ball on this season. Combine his 1.96 fouls drawn P/90 with the 1.35 of Alcaraz, and suddenly you have a midfield duo that Fabinho may well struggle to contain. Towering centre forward Paul Onuachu is another to look out for as he engages in what should be a fascinating battle with Konate.
Man United vs Fulham key matchups
Fabinho vs Carlos Alcaraz
Ibrahima Konate vs Paul Onuachu
Curtis Jones vs Romeo Lavia
Southampton vs Liverpool Bet Builder Tips and Picks of the Pack
The fates of two sides may very well be sealed, but there’s still plenty of value in this one, and I’ve collated my thoughts on a bet builder below.
Make sure to check out my Free Bets page if you’re looking to take advantage of any new customer offers ahead of the European finals over the coming weeks.
Southampton vs Liverpool
28th May
kick off 16:30 Trent Alexander Arnold 1+ shots on target
On target in four of last five appearances
Playing in more advanced role
One of Liverpool’s chief free-kick takers
Liverpool 5+ shots on targetLiverpool average 5.27 this season
The Reds had seven SOT when they met at Anfield
Southampton have allowed 21 shots on target in last four matches
Liverpool over 4.5 cornersLiverpool average 6.11 corners per game
Liverpool have hit +4.5 corners in six of their last seven games
Fabinho 2+ foulsFabinho is in the top five Premier League players for fouls this season
Fifteen fouls in last six games, booked twice.
2+ fouls has landed in each of his last 4.
