Friday 21 September 2018 13:39, UK
Liverpool will seek to continue their 100 per cent start to the season when they host Southampton on Saturday afternoon.
Jurgen Klopp's side followed up an impressive 2-1 win away at Tottenham last weekend with a 3-2 Champions League success over Paris Saint-Germain in midweek and are now hoping to extend their best ever Premier League start ahead of a daunting run of fixtures.
Liverpool are behind only Chelsea on goal difference and play them twice next week ahead of matches with Napoli and Premier League champions Manchester City before the international break in October.
But Klopp says his players will not underestimate the challenge of Southampton.
He said: "When people spoke to me about the next seven games a few weeks ago, nobody mentioned Southampton. I had to keep reminding them. Being focused on the next game, that's the job to do."
Southampton start the weekend in 13th and head to Anfield on the back of a 2-2 draw against Brighton on Monday night, when they conceded a stoppage-time penalty after they had been 2-0 up midway through the second half.
But manager Mark Hughes preferred to look at the positives, saying: "It is not something that really we are dwelling on, we are more concerned with how we are performing.
"We are performing at a decent level, but we have more progress and development to come. We are on the back of a three-game unbeaten run, so that is how we focus our performances of late."
Southampton must do without in-form forward Danny Ings due to the terms of his move from Liverpool
Ings, who has scored three times this season, is ineligible for the match at Anfield as he is on a season-long switch from the Reds ahead of a permanent deal next summer.
Forward Manolo Gabbiadini faces a late fitness test on a hamstring problem picked up in training, but otherwise Saints boss Hughes has no fresh injury worries.
Klopp has confirmed Roberto Firmino is fit to start after picking up an eye injury against Spurs and the Liverpool boss would have no issues in pairing him with fellow forward Daniel Sturridge, who scored against PSG in midweek.
Defender Dejan Lovren (hip) has not been included in the squad, but Klopp expects him to return to action next week, while Adam Lallana (hamstring) remains sidelined.
Divock Origi and Dominic Solanke both returned to training this week, but will not be involved at Anfield.
Liverpool were outstanding against Paris Saint-Germain, outstanding. They made PSG look terrible - there is no chance they [PSG] can win the Champions League.
I switched the Southampton v Brighton game off at half-time thinking it was dead and buried, Brighton were atrocious and Southampton were much improved.
But then I woke up to images of Glenn Murray celebrating on the Sky Sports app and wondered how that had happened? I couldn't believe it.
The Saints should have won that game but I don't see them having a chance against Liverpool. They look very good, they are all playing well.
PAUL PREDICTS: 3-0 (6/1 with Sky Bet)
