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EFL Cup semi-final preview: Liverpool v Southampton

Liverpool's Joel Matip during a Premier League match at Anfield
Image: Joel Matip has not started a game since December 11

Joel Matip is set to make his first start in more than a month as Liverpool face Southampton in the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final on Wednesday, live on Sky Sports.

The defender has not been named in the starting line-up since December 11 due to injury and then uncertainty over his eligibility due to the Africa Cup of Nations.

Live EFL Cup

However, after FIFA confirmed he is eligible to play, Matip is set to return after coming on as a late substitute in the 3-2 defeat to Swansea on Saturday and then featuring for an hour for the Under-23s on Sunday.

Liverpool trail 1-0 from the first leg at St Mary's and have won just once in six games in all competitions in 2017.

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Jeff Stelling and Jamie Redknapp look ahead to the EFL Cup semi-final second legs - Hull against Man Utd and Liverpool v Southampton

Manager Jurgen Klopp has revealed there was a team meeting following the home loss to Swansea.

"It was because the goals we have conceded in 2017 have been a little bit of the same story," he said. "The influence of throw-ins is a little bit too big on the goals we concede. It's not that teams create a lot of chances against us.

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Sky Sports' co-commentator Alan Smith joins Guy Havord to look ahead to the second leg of the EFL Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Southampton

"A few weeks ago, everybody spoke about the goalkeeper. That has absolutely no influence on the goals we're conceding at the moment. We can't say it's only the centre-half. Very often, the last mistake happens in this region, but that would be too easy."

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Southampton, who had chances to win by a greater margin in the first leg, have conceded just one goal in their last four matches in all competitions.

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Watch highlights of the EFL Cup semi-final first leg between Southampton and Liverpool at St Mary's

They also beat Leicester 3-0 on Sunday to record their first Premier League victory for a month.

"It will be important to score away," said Saints manager Claude Puel. "And to stay focused about our game - not just to think about the result or just defending."

Team news

Liverpool have no fresh injury concerns for the semi-final second leg.

Matip is available and captain Jordan Henderson is expected to play even though he has a heel problem.

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Highlights: Liverpool 2-3 Swansea

Southampton will await results of a scan on Virgil van Dijk to assess whether he will be fit.

The Saints captain hobbled off in the 55th minute during their win over Leicester and remains a doubt.

Should Van Dijk miss out, England Under-21 international Jack Stephens, who came on as a substitute for the Dutchman, could deputise.

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Highlights: Southampton 3-0 Leicester

Ryan Bertrand and Dusan Tadic should keep their places in the starting XI as Puel confirmed that he will play his strongest side at Anfield, while Steven Davis could recover from a knock which has caused him to miss their last few games.

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This is the fifth time Liverpool have gone into a League Cup second leg with a deficit - however, on the last two occasions they have recovered to reach the final, doing so against Crystal Palace in 2000/01 and Sheffield United in 2002/03.

Saints are aiming to reach the final of the League Cup for only the second time - in 1978/79 they eliminated Leeds in the semi-finals before losing to Nottingham Forest in the final.

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The Reds have won three of their four home League Cup matches against Southampton, most recently a 3-1 victory in November 2002 with goals from Patrik Berger, El Hadji Diouf and Milan Baros.

Southampton have won their last three away League Cup matches against top-flight opposition, defeating Arsenal (2014/15 and 2016/17) and Stoke (2014/15); prior to this run, they'd won just two of the previous 27.

Only Aston Villa (82) and Arsenal (78) have won more home League Cup matches than Liverpool (75).

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Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier has been reminiscing about the 1987 League Cup semi-final against Liverpool

Six of the last eight teams to win the first leg of the League Cup semi-final at home by a one-goal margin have been eliminated - only Sunderland in 2013/14 and Spurs in 2014/15 have then reached the final.

Liverpool haven't lost back to back League Cup matches since 2005, when they lost to Chelsea in the 2004/05 final followed by a Round 3 defeat to Crystal Palace in October.

The Reds haven't failed to score in back to back League Cup games since August 1979, when they went five matches without a goal.

Charlie's prediction

People will look at what Swansea did and think Southampton are a far better side so have a good chance, but the sign of a big side is that they produce a big reaction to that sort of result.

Philippe Coutinho has more minutes under his belt and Roberto Firmino is back in the goals, while Joel Matip, who is Liverpool's best central defender, will surely come in to shore up their defence.

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Philippe Coutinho has spoken to LFC TV to thank Liverpool's fans for making him feel part of a family after he signed a new five-year deal

Rather than bring in Daniel Sturridge or Divock Origi, I think they should play Lucas and shift everybody up the pitch.

Sturridge is struggling for that change of pace that makes him a special footballer and he's dwindling towards the exit door for me. I think he'll still make a contribution to their season but he's not a key ingredient to Jurgen Klopp's team.

I will imagine Virgil van Dijk will struggle to make it, although Southampton keep that close to their chests. You rarely see a player come off on Sunday and play on Wednesday.

If Southampton get through the first 25-30 minutes then they've got a chance, but I just think Liverpool are going to come out of the blocks with the anger and emotion of the Anfield crowd behind them.

Charlie predicts: 3-1 and Lallana to score first - 45/1 with Sky Bet

Betting

Liverpool are Sky Bet's 8/11 favourites to reach the final despite their first-leg deficit, with Klopp's side just 4/9 to win on the night. Southampton are up against odds of 6/1 to go through in style with a victory and 100/30 to progress with a draw, while a 1-0 Reds win and extra time is also priced at 6/1.

Sky Bet are enhancing the odds on the tie to be settled in a penalty shoot-out from 14/1 to 18/1 in their pre-match Price Boosts, which also includes Firmino available at 11/2 to break the deadlock. Sturridge is actually still considered the hosts' main goal threat at 7/2 to net first, less than half the price of Shane Long and Jay Rodriguez at 8/1 and 17/2 respectively.

Watch Liverpool v Southampton live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 7.30pm on Wednesday.

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