Southampton vs Liverpool - it happened: Nathan Redmond strike hands Saints first-leg advantage
Re-live all the action from the EFL Cup semi-final clash
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Kick-off: 19:45
TV: Live on Sky Sports 1
Teams:
Southampton: Forster, Cédric, van Dijk, Yoshida, Bertrand, Clasie, Romeu, Davis, Tadić, Redmond, Rodriguez. Subs: Lewis, Long, Ward-Prowse, Hojbjerg, Stephens, McQueen, Sims.
Liverpool: Karius, Clyne, Lovren, Klavan, Milner, Lucas, Can, Wijnaldum, Lallana, Firmino, Sturridge. Subs: Mignolet, Gomez, Moreno, Stewart, Coutinho, Woodburn, Origi
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It’s a big game for...
Claude Puel. The Frenchman has come under gradually increasing pressure, losing three matches in the space of four. A win here would certainly ease worries ahead of a tricky away cup tie later in the month.
Best stat...
The last three matches with these two have amassed 12 goals, including the Reds’ enormous 6-1 win against the Saints in last year’s EFL cup, whereas Southampton beat Liverpool 3-2 in the Premier League with Sadio Mane scoring twice.
Remember when…
The last time Liverpool visited St Mary’s Divock Origi gave them nightmares with his movement and ultimately wound up scoring the perfect hat trick against them. Look for him to feature heavily against Southampton on Wednesday night.
Player to watch…
Loris Karius. Klopp has confirmed that the German goalkeeper will very likely start against the Saints, after previously being dropped in favour of Simon Mignolet. He has been the centre of public criticism, even involving himself in a public spat with Gary Neville, and he will want to give a good account of himself.
Past three meetings...
Southampton 0 Liverpool 0, Premier League, 2016.
Southampton 3 (Mane 2, Pelle) Liverpool 2 (Coutinho, Sturridge) Premier League, 2016.
Southampton 1 (Mane) Liverpool 6 (Sturridge 2, Origi 3, Ibe) EFL Cup, 2015.
Form guide...
Southampton: DLLLW
Liverpool: WWWWDD
Odds...
Southampton: 21/10
Liverpool: 5/4
Draw: 12/5
(Odds provided by 888Sport)
24 min: Firmino is slotted through into the left-hand side of the box but Forster reads the ball well and rushes from his line to collect. There's a spring back in Southampton's step and a buzz about the crowd now.
27 min: Liverpool corner from the left. It's swung inwards to the centre of the box but no-one is on hand to challenge and Forster claims with two firm hands.
30 min: Free-kick for Liverpool this time. Milner floats in from the right but Southampton stand strong. Lucas takes a tumble in the process but the ref isn't interested as the ball makes its way beyond the Saints penalty area.
33 min: Cedric makes a storming run to the right-hand side of the Liverpool penalty area, attempts to pull off a neat Cruyff turn but is brought down in the process by Lucas. Did he get the ball first? The ref thinks so. The fans don't. But play proceeds anyway with the Reds back in possession.
36 min: Rodriguez with a shot on goal! From the left flank, Redmond picks out the player on the edge of the Liverpool box with a short ball along the deck. The forward immediately pushes it inward and lets loose. The ball fizzes along the deck, left of the post, but looks to have taken a deflection in the process. Corner kick.
37 min: Karius asserts himself well under pressure and rises above the box full of bodies to punch the corner ball clear.
40 min: Liverpool may be dominating possession still but it's the home side who currently look the deadliest as Bertrand fires a whipped ball in from the left. Rodriguez challenges but Karius once again comes out on top and the danger is punched clear.
42 min: Southampton are maintaining a high press here that is suffocating the Reds of options at the back. Karius opts for the short ball to Lovren but is eventually called upon to boot the ball down the centre of the park such is the extent of the home side's high line.
44 min: Chance for Southampton! It was Tadic who worked his away along the left-hand Liverpool byline before fizzing across the face of the goal a low-driven ball. Not one Reds defender stepped in to intervene as the delivery fell to Redmond who with his first touch of the ball let loose on goal. Karius pulled off an exceptional save to deny the player but that could have quite easily been a second for the home side.
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