Southampton vs Liverpool – Three Things To Look Forward To

As the race for the top four intensifies with each passing week, we get to see a shift in the teams’ positions every now and then. With a mouthwatering fixture featuring all reds this weekend, Liverpool will hope to catch up on rivals Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham by grabbing a crucial win against 4^th placed Southampton. It has been a strong campaign so far for the Saints who have uppercut above their weight especially when we consider the mass summer exodus of their best players. Here are the three key battles between the players of each team, in what promises to be a match full of attacking intent.

Morgan Schneiderlin vs. Jordan Henderson

As Liverpool’s legendary skipper Gerrard will not play this game due to a hamstring injury, we would see Henderson deputized as captain once again. While there have been doubts about how good a leader Henderson is, he has certainly proved himself to be a player worthy to be a regular figure in a side like Liverpool. He would be up against one of the most consistent enforcers of the Premier League in the form of dynamic Frenchman Morgan Schneiderlin.

Schneiderlin provides the engine and defensive quality in the holding midfield role that has helped Southampton to have a balanced midfield throughout their campaign. The French International is always on his toes with key interceptions and regular tackles to break down opposition build-ups. As Henderson is the one who provides the tempo for the Reds, he would need to ensure that he can control the game and neutralize the Frenchman’s dominance in midfield with the help of his passing skills.

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Graziano Pelle vs. Martin Skrtel

Pelle has spoken about how he likes the way Diego Costa plays in the Premier League and it is pretty much obvious to us that even Pelle is a good physical target man. We have seen how intense the scenes have been with target men and Martin Skrtel. While Skrtel is the perfect match for an intense physical battle, Pelle is a striker who has proven himself to be more than a handful in the Premier League.

Liverpool have been in good form defensively as well, with a three man defence marshaling the goal. But it would be a tough task keeping Pelle in check who likes a good physical challenge and is unpredictable with techniques as he has quite surprisingly pulled off overhead kicks and has good chest control for long balls. It would be a good match to watch.

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Jose Fonte vs. Daniel Sturridge

Southampton have the best defensive record in the league and much credit goes to the consistency of their skipper Jose Fonte, who has led them in the defence. He is not the perfect center back, but he has worked hard to build a resilient back four which has conceded less than 20 goals this season in the league. Daniel Sturridge is a menacing striker to say the least as we all know how good a finisher he is when he gets chances.

Sturridge has great pace to fend off defenders and even though he may lack the trickery or unpredictability of some technically gifted forwards, he can surely get his goals based on sheer positioning and speed off the mark while playing on the shoulder of the last defender. Fonte is not the quickest in terms of movement, and as a traditional center back, he would have to be wary of the Englishman’s presence, who has proved to be a match winner.