Team news (via Sky Sports)
Liverpool: The Reds welcomed back midfielder Thiago Alcantara who played a lovely cameo in the stalemate at Newcastle.
However, the likes of Naby Keita and Joel Matip continue to nurse injuries and will not be available for the clash on Monday.
Southampton: Manager Ralph Hassenhuttl has himself tested negative after a Covid scare and will be on the touchline.
The Austrian will be without centre-back Jannik Vestergaard and winger Nathan Redmond through injury.
'Keeper Alex McCarthy is set to miss out after contracting Covid-19.
Stats to know (via Opta)
- Southampton have lost six Premier League meetings in a row with Liverpool, scoring just twice and conceding 17 goals in these games.
- Liverpool have won their first league game in just one of the last eight calendar years when kicking off the new year away from home (D4 L3).
- Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has scored seven goals in his six Premier League games against Southampton.
- Since Ralph Hasenhüttl took charge of Southampton in December 2018, Danny Ings has been directly involved in 38 goals in the Premier League (31 goals and 7 assists).
Predicted line-up
LFC XI: Alisson, Robertson, Fabinho, R. Williams, Alexander-Arnold, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Thiago, Mane, Firmino, Salah
Match predictions
Mark Lawrenson, BBC: Liverpool 2-1 Southampton
I always feel like Southampton are better on the road, but their home form is decent too - the fifth-best in the Premier League in fact.
Liverpool have not been great away this season but I just have a feeling they will get back to winning ways on the south coast.
Tom Doyle, Evening Standard: Southampton 1-1 Liverpool
Goals are likely to be at a premium at St Mary's with both sides struggling at one end and keeping things tight at the other of late. Liverpool need a win, but the Saints will fancy their chances of at least a point.
Quotes from the manager
Jurgen Klopp (via Liverpool Echo): "I think everybody knew that the winter could bring a second wave, if you want to call it that.
"On top of that for us, society at Christmas is a challenge when you are needing people to self-isolate and things like this.
"We have to try and do everything to keep the boys as safe as possible, I think the competition can go on and I think that's important as well because people want to watch it plus we are - in this case - not a part of society.
"We usually live isolated and go to the training ground and stuff like this, but as I said, I am not a specialist and will always respect any decisions made."
