Liverpool vs Southampton

Anfield sets the stage for a lopsided Premier League clash between table-topping Liverpool and rock-bottom Southampton.

Liverpool somehow beat Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie in midweek, running out 1-0 victors despite facing 27 shots, including ten on target! Alisson’s man-of-the-match performance in goal helped the Reds register a third consecutive shutout in all competitions – their best defensive run under manager Arne Slot. Last weekend’s comfortable 2-0 home win against Newcastle saw the Merseyside powerhouse move 13 points clear at the table’s summit, building a nearly unassailable lead over second-placed Arsenal. Therefore, a record-equaling 20th Premier League title looks like a virtual certainty for Slot’s free-firing squad. Indeed, they’ve bagged 2+ goals in 25 of their 28 top-flight outings under the Dutch manager, including a 3-2 win in November’s reverse fixture against Southampton.

In contrast to Liverpool’s dream league campaign, the visitors have set one foot in the Championship amid one of the worst seasons from a team in Premier League history. A 4-0 defeat at Chelsea last weekend marked Sotuhampton’s third consecutive league loss – all of which saw them go down via at least a three-goal margin. Stranded 13 points adrift of safety, Southampton’s first goal is to avoid matching the worst-ever Premier League points tally, set by Derby in 2007/08 (11). This visit to Anfield could pour more misery on the Saints’ dreadful season, considering they’ve lost the last seven H2Hs on this ground by an aggregate score of 22-1.