Liverpool v Southampton: Team news
Roberto Firmino is ready to return to Liverpool’s starting line-up against Southampton on Saturday, but Dejan Lovren and Adam Lallana will not face their former club.
Tuesday’s clash with Paris Saint-Germain saw Firmino score a dramatic stoppage-time winner after coming off the bench.
The Brazil international was named among the Reds’ substitutes for that Champions League match after sustaining an abrasion to his left eye during the 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur three days earlier.
But Jürgen Klopp confirmed on Friday that Firmino is fit to feature from the start versus the Saints at Anfield, although no decision on whether he will do so has been made yet.
Daniel Sturridge, who impressed Klopp while marking his first start of the season with a goal against PSG, is also in contention to play.
“Yes, he [Firmino] is ready… so far there is no reason to think about Bobby, it’s about thinking about how can we line up in general differently. Could they [Firmino and Sturridge] play together? Yes of course,” the boss said.
Centre-back Lovren resumed full training earlier this week after a pelvic injury and is ‘close’ to a return, according to Klopp, while Lallana is also making good progress following a groin problem. Neither will feature this weekend, though.
Dominic Solanke returned to training on Friday after suffering concussion during his outing for Liverpool’s U23s last Saturday, but fellow striker Divock Origi remains sidelined with a knee issue he picked up during the same game.
Southampton will be without their leading goalscorer Danny Ings at Anfield.
Ings, who has netted three times in five Premier League appearances for Mark Hughes’ team, is ineligible due to the terms of the initial loan agreement that took him from Merseyside to the south coast last month.
Injury-wise, the visitors’ only doubt is Manolo Gabbiadini, who will undergo a late fitness test on a hamstring complaint.
PL, 2018-19 PL, 2018-19
Hughes, meanwhile, is anticipating a tough afternoon against a Liverpool side who go into the weekend looking to make it seven wins from seven matches in all competitions this season.
“They are in outstanding form at the moment. [It was] A great performance in Europe and it’s going to be a test for us,” said the Welshman.
“It’s a game that is going to test us because the team we are facing looks on top of their form in terms of individuals and the collective functioning really well.
“We will go there with the intention of causing problems and taking chances when we create them.”
Last time out
Liverpool v PSG, September 18: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Gomez, Robertson, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Milner, Mane, Salah, Sturridge.
Southampton v Brighton and Hove Albion, September 17: McCarthy, Soares, Vestergaard, Hoedt, Bertrand, Lemina, Hojbjerg, Elyounoussi, Redmond, Long, Ings.