Liverpool vs Southampton 01/02/20

1 February 2020

Liverpool will be looking to maintain a 100% Premier League (PL) home record when they lock horns with in-form Southampton at Anfield this weekend.

Midweek’s 2-0 away triumph over West Ham practically put Liverpool out of sight for the chasing pack, as they now hold a staggering 21-point lead over second-placed Manchester City. Moreover, twelve wins from as many PL home fixtures will also encourage the hosts in their efforts to extend their winning run in the league H2Hs with Southampton to six matches. The Reds do not only boast the best defensive home record (just nine goals conceded), but they’ve shut their opponents out in all five of their previous competitive home games. Interestingly, Jurgen Klopp’s men have opened the scoring in 10 of 12 PL home fixtures so far this campaign. But, they do tend to do it late in the first half, with an average time of their opening home goal coming at the 40th minute.

The visitors have picked up five triumphs in their last seven PL outings (D1, L1) to reduce the gap on fifth-placed Manchester United to just three points. Impressively, three of Southampton’s wins during that seven-game sequence have come against the current top-six sides, and all have seen the Saints break the deadlock inside the opening 32 minutes of play. Additionally, an upturn in results has also influenced Southampton’s away performance in a positive way. Indeed, they’ve gone from six consecutive away games without a win (D2, L4) to four straight wins – two of which have seen them keep a blank sheet.