Liverpool Scout Report: Southampton

Liverpool make the trip to the South Coast on Saturday as they take on relegation threatened Southampton. 

Southampton have beaten Liverpool three times out of the last four fixtures at St. Mary's and they will be desperate to do so once more.

St. Mary's: Can Southampton continue their good home record against Liverpool?

The reverse fixture in December saw Liverpool record only their third league home victory of the season after beating Southampton 1-0 thanks to a Daniel Agger header.

Tipped by many to make an immediate return to the Championship, the Saints have shown their worth in the Premier League with a win over champions Manchester City and draws with Arsenal and Chelsea.

However, a 0-0 draw with Norwich last week and a 1-2 home defeat to struggling QPR before that see's Mauricio Pochettino's team stuck in a run of only one win in eight as they sit in 16th place, just four points above the drop zone.

With Chelsea awaiting the Saints next, it is vital they take maximum points from the teams around them in the remaining fixtures if they hope to retain the Premier League status as well as picking up bonus points at home. 

In contrast, Liverpool are on a run of three straight wins, and the Reds will be buoyant after an impressive display brought an end to Spurs' 12 match unbeaten run last weekend.

Liverpool's charge up the table now see's them sitting in 6th place, above rivals Everton and even back in the hunt for a highly contested Champions League spot.

Brendan Rogers deserves a lot of credit for the way his side have performed and the recent set of results could be a sign of Liverpool's intentions next season.

Team News

The good news for Southampton is that they have a clean bill of health with no new injuries or suspensions to deal with. 

Steven Davis and Danny Fox could both return to the squad after missing last weeks draw with Norwich where as Vegard Forren nears full fitness after appearing for the U21 side on Monday.

Key Players

Rickie Lambert is Southampton's top scorer this season with an impressive 12 league goals. However he has often found himself in and out of the starting XI due to the likes of Gaston Ramirez, Adam Lallana and Jay Rodriguez. 

Despite not being first choice, he is a player that is likely to cause problems for any defense. His aerial ability, combined with good movement and hold up play makes him an indispensable assest especially during a relegation scrap. 

Whoever leads the line for the Saints on Saturday will be keen to exploit the aging Jamie Carragher as well cause problems for the rest of the defense. 

The game kick's off at 3:00 pm (GMT) on Saturday 16th, March and The Anfield Opinion will keep you up to date with all the latest post match reaction.