While Liverpool will of course want their 16th win of the season, just avoiding defeat against Southampton would see the Reds extend their best start away from home since 1987-88.
This season is the longest by date that Liverpool have gone without defeat away from home, since 1987-88 when they did not lose until March 20.
In all competitions on the road this season, Liverpool have won seven and drawn one of eight matches.
The Reds boast a strong record at St Mary’s but haven’t been without their defensive issues in recent years.
Liverpool have won four of their last six matches at Southampton but have not kept a clean sheet in their last five league visits.
The last league meeting, in May 2023, finished 4-4 with Liverpool scoring four at Southampton for the first time ever in a league game.
In the Premier League era, they have met 48 times – Liverpool winning 26, Southampton claiming 11 victories and 11 draws.
Of those away from home the Reds have won 11 of 24, losing eight times and drawing on five occasions.
There has been just one goalless draw at Southampton in 48 league meetings, in November 2016, and never before in league history have Liverpool scored four goals or more in consecutive games against the Saints.
In the driving seat
Liverpool have won all eight league games this season when scoring the first goal, and all 12 when doing so in all competitions.
The Reds have led in 15 of their 17 games played this season. Eleven of Liverpool’s last 12 goals have been scored after half time.
Mo Salah has scored seven times in 11 league outings for the Reds against Southampton. Only Robbie Fowler (8) found the net more often for Liverpool against the Saints in the Premier League era.
Ian Rush, with 10, has scored more goals against Southampton in the league than any other Liverpool player – a Salah hat-trick takes him level.
Liverpool have lost two of their last 26 Premier League games that have come immediately after an international break, winning 19 and drawing five.
A win in this game would see Arne Slot become the joint-fastest manager to reach 10 wins from the start of a Premier League career (12 games), alongside Guus Hiddink in May 2009 and Carlo Ancelotti in November 2009, both with Chelsea.
A look at the opposition
Ahead of this weekend’s fixtures, Southampton, along with Brighton, have used more players in the Premier League this season than any other team (28).
In all competitions, Saints have used 35 players in 14 games this season. In their last Premier League season, 2022-23, they lost 25 times, more than they had suffered in any previous league campaign.
They had three managers during that campaign – Ralph Hasenhuttl, Nathan Jones and Ruben Selles.
In the 4-4 draw at St. Mary’s in the last league meeting of the teams, Kamaldeen Sulemana scored his first Southampton goals.
Adam Lallana spent six years at Anfield (2014-20) and netted 22 times for Liverpool in 178 career appearances, scoring 18 in 128 league games. He rejoined Southampton for a second spell from Brighton last summer after leaving them 10 years ago.
In his first spell with the Saints he played 265 times in league and cup scoring 60 times.
Russell Martin once scored against Liverpool as a player, doing so for Norwich in a 1-1 league draw at Anfield in September 2015.
This season’s scorers
Southampton: Archer 4, Harwood-Bellis 3, A. Armstrong 2, Bree 2, Amo-Ameyaw 1, Aribo 1, Dibling 1, Mateus Fernandes 1, Sugawara 1
Liverpool: Salah 10, Diaz 9, Gakpo 6, Jota 4, Nunez 3, Konate 2, Van Dijk 2,
Jones 1, Mac Allister 1, Szoboszlai 1
* Stats courtesy of LFC statistician Ged Rea (@ged0407).
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