Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp warns Virgil van Dijk to expect unfriendly reception at Southampton

Jurgen Klopp has warned Virgil van Dijk to expect an unfriendly return to St Mary's when Liverpool face Southampton on Sunday.

The Reds travel to face the Saints, live on Sky Sports Premier League, in the first meeting between the two sides since Van Dijk swapped the south coast for Merseyside in January.

The 26-year-old became the most expensive defender in history when he joining Liverpool for £75m last month, and Klopp believes the Saints will want to prove a point to their former team-mate this weekend.

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"It will probably not be the most friendly," said Klopp, when asked what reception Van Dijk was likely to receive.

"I am not sure. They were always really nice with (Nathaniel) Clyne, Adam Lallana they obviously missed most. Sadio Mane they were okay, I'm not 100 per cent sure.

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"Virgil is the last one. We don't think about it. It will be more normal in the future but for now we have to go there and play football, and nothing else.

"I don't think anybody in Southampton would say we have stolen him. It was a very public deal."

Liverpool have signed a number of players from Southampton in recent years and Klopp is surprised by the number of top-flight players to have graduated from the Saints.

"Since I've been here, not only the players we have, but the area they are in - Southampton, they have half of the Premier League," said Klopp.

"When I ask 'Where is he from?', 'Southampton'. Wow. There are obviously a few more players - Ox (Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain) is from there. There are a few good players from this area.

"Maybe we should have a scouting department directly in Southampton."

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