Southampton vs. Liverpool Preview: Prediction, Team News, and Lineups

Southampton will begin life after Russell Martin when they host Liverpool at St Mary’s in the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup on Wednesday. Martin’s departure followed a humiliating 5-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Sunday, with Simon Rusk stepping in as interim manager.

Match Preview

Southampton faced a challenging December fixture list, with heavy defeats, particularly at home to Chelsea and Spurs, ultimately leading to Martin’s sacking. A disastrous 3-0 deficit in the first 14 minutes of their recent match against Spurs, followed by two more goals before halftime, prompted a mass exit from St Mary’s. Many fans called for Martin’s removal, and that evening, their wish was granted. The loss left Southampton bottom of the table, nine points adrift of safety, after suffering their 13th defeat in 16 league games.

The only silver lining under Martin’s tenure was Southampton’s form in the EFL Cup, where they scored nine goals across victories against Cardiff City, Everton (via penalties), and Stoke City. This was a marked improvement over last season’s first-round elimination by Gillingham, and now they aim for a second semi-final appearance in three years. Southampton reached the final in 2017, defeating Liverpool in a two-legged semi-final, avenging a heavy 6-1 defeat to the Reds in the previous season’s quarter-finals.

However, their task ahead will be formidable, as they face the current holders, 10-time champions, and Premier League leaders. New manager Arne Slot will hope to emulate Jurgen Klopp, who has led Liverpool to two of the last three EFL Cups. Slot has navigated through the competition smoothly, defeating top-flight sides like West Ham United and Brighton & Hove Albion, despite making numerous changes. This makes Liverpool the favorites to lift the trophy again.

Liverpool triumphed at St Mary’s last month, securing a thrilling 3-2 win despite going behind early in the second half. However, they are currently on a two-match winless streak in the league, a rarity for Slot, given his impressive start. A red card for Andy Robertson in their 2-2 draw at home to Fulham added to Liverpool’s frustrations, following a canceled Merseyside derby and a late equalizer at Newcastle United. These consecutive draws have allowed Chelsea to narrow the gap to just two points.

Team News

Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale stated over the weekend that he is in contention to return, offering more stability in goal after Joe Lumley and Alex McCarthy struggled in his absence. Jack Stephens will serve the final game of his three-match suspension for his red card against Chelsea, while Jan Bednarek, who missed recent games due to a knee injury sustained on international duty with Poland, returned at the weekend. Despite the priority of Premier League survival, interim manager Rusk may field a strong lineup to boost morale.

Liverpool will be without Robertson due to his red card, but Alexis Mac Allister is back after serving a suspension in both the league and cup. Diogo Jota, who scored upon his return at the weekend, was expected to use this match to further build his fitness ahead of the busy schedule, but he is still dealing with discomfort and is not expected to start. Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Alisson could all be rested, with Caoimhin Kelleher likely to start in goal. Ibrahima Konate, Conor Bradley, and Kostas Tsimikas remain sidelined, limiting Slot’s defensive rotation options. As a result, Van Dijk will probably start alongside Joe Gomez and Jarell Quansah in the backline.

Southampton possible starting lineup:
Ramsdale; Sugawara, Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Manning; Aribo, Ugochukwu, Fernandes; Dibling, Onuachu, Armstrong

Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Van Dijk, Gomez; Mac Allister, Endo, Jones; Elliott, Gakpo, Nunez

Prediction: Southampton 1-4 Liverpool

The hosts will be hoping for a bounce following Martin’s dismissal, but they could not have drawn a tougher opponent. Despite possible rotation from Slot, Liverpool are expected to comfortably secure a victory.

Goals are likely to feature heavily, as the league encounter last month saw five goals, bringing the total to 48 across the 14 meetings at St Mary’s since Southampton’s promotion in 2012.