58' CRUCIAL BLOCK! Some clever link-up play on the edge of the hosts’ box opens up Southampton, and the ball ricochets through to Mane. The winger goes for a first-time effort, which Stephens superbly blocks behind for a corner from close range.
55' Walcott picks up the loose ball a few yards outside of the visitors’ penalty area and opts to try his luck. His effort, however, does not test Alisson, who watches it sail over the bar.
53' Liverpool have only won one of their last nine Premier League away games when going in at half-time behind.
51' PENALTY? Wijnaldum picks the ball up inside the area from Alexander-Arnold, and fires an effort towards goal. The strike deflects off the arm of Stephens and behind for a corner. After consulting VAR, a penalty is not given.
49' The Reds have started the second half brightly. Following a corner from the left, Thiago sees a well-struck effort cannon away to safety off Stephens.
47' OPENING! Robertson drives down the left, picks his head up, and whips an inviting cross into the box. Mane, Firmino and Salah were all in space, but the delivery evaded each of them. A missed opportunity.
46' We are back underway! Marriner, the referee, signals for the start of the second half and Liverpool kick off proceedings.
Hasenhuttl will be delighted by his team’s first-half display, and will be hoping for more of the same after the restart. Southampton have created the better chances of the match, with Ward-Prowse pulling the strings in midfield. Not only that, but the Saints’ backline has been resolute, denying Liverpool any clear-cut chances. Klopp, on the other hand, will be hoping for a much better showing from his side in the second half. Firmino, Salah and Mane have struggled to have an impact on the game thus far, and that will need to change if the league leaders are to get something at St. Mary’s Stadium.
Following a ruthless start, Southampton take a one-goal lead in at half-time. The Saints broke the deadlock after just two minutes, when Ings peeled off Alexander-Arnold to meet Ward-Prowse's free-kick before chipping Alisson. Tella went close to doubling the hosts’ lead after 40 minutes, but curled his effort wide of the near post. Two minutes before the break, Salah nodded Mane’s cross over the bar, which was the Reds’ best chance of a lacklustre opening half.
45' + 4' HALF TIME: SOUTHAMPTON 1-0 LIVERPOOL
45' + 2' OVER! Mane does well to create a yard of space down the left-hand side of the field and lofts an inviting cross into the area. Salah rises highest in the box to meet the delivery, but cannot keep his header under the bar from close range.
45' There will be four added minutes at the end of the first half.
44' Ward-Prowse steers a perfectly-weighted pass beyond the Liverpool defence for Ings to chase. The forward latches onto the throughball, before Henderson gets across to steer the cross behind for a corner.
42' Salah looks to get on the end of a cross from the left, but is adjudged to have fouled Forster. Free-kick Southampton.
40' INCHES AWAY! Liverpool sloppily lose possession deep in their own half and Henderson is caught out of position. Tella picks up the loose ball, sets himself on his right foot, and curls a well-struck effort just wide of Alisson’s near post from the edge of the box.
38' Salah drives into the box and goes down under pressure from Bednarek. The tackle is checked by VAR, which waves away the visitors’ protest.
36' Armstrong drifts into a pocket of space and attempts to set Walcott away, although his overhit pass runs through to Alisson.
34' OPENING! Thiago steers a well-weighted first-time pass over to the left for Mane. The winger cuts inside and onto his right foot, but his shot is fired over the bar. Should have done better.
30' There is going to a momentary stoppage in play as Djenepo is down and in need of treatment.
28' Despite having 63 per cent possession, Klopp’s side are yet to register a shot on target.
26' Djenepo tries his luck from distance, although his effort evades Alisson’s goal.
25' Diallo skips beyond Wijnaldum in the middle of the pitch, but delays his pass to Walcott for too long, and the winger drifts into an offside position.
23' Walcott’s ambitious strike from range cannons off Armstrong, who was stood in an offside position.
21' After a bright response to that opening goal, Liverpool’s intensity has since dropped. Southampton are knocking the ball around well, and are continually looking for long throughballs beyond the Reds’ defence.
19' Mane cleverly flicks the ball beyond the Southampton defence for Salah to chase. Forster reacts well to deny the Egyptian before the referee’s assistant flags for offside.
17' Mane looks to take on Walker-Peters down the left, and the full-back stands his ground, forcing the Senegalese winger to run the ball out of play.
13' OVER! Alexander-Arnold's corner from the right isn’t dealt with by the hosts and it drops to Henderson on the edge of the box, but his effort sails over the top of Forster’s goal.
12' Alexander-Arnold whips an inviting cross into the box from the right. Walker-Peters denies Mane getting a free header on goal, before Stephens lashes the ball out for the throw-in. Liverpool are starting to find their feet.
11' Oxlade-Chamberlain drives down the right-hand side of the pitch. Despite having three players in the centre of the box to pick out, the Englishman’s cross is fired straight at Stephens.
9' Ings’ opening goal is his 50th in the Premier League, and his 36th for Southampton.
7' Thiago is seeing plenty of the ball in the centre of the park as the Reds attempt to carve open their hosts. An attack down the left almost drops to Firmino in the box, but Stephens hooks it to safety.
5' CLOSE! Liverpool look for an immediate response through Salah, who slides the ball into the path of Firmino. The Brazilian sets himself, before firing wide of the near post from the right side of the box.
1' Kick off! The referee, Andre Marriner, blows his whistle and Southampton get the game underway.
The teams are out, and kick-off will soon be upon us here at St. Mary’s Stadium.
Southampton have lost each of their last six Premier League meetings with Liverpool, scoring just twice and conceding 17 goals.
Ralph Hasenhuttl’s team head into this match having lost just two of their last 12 top-flight matches. Interestingly, both defeats came at home against the two Manchester clubs. Southampton currently sit ninth in the table, but a win tonight could see the Saints move level on points with fourth-place Tottenham. Liverpool, on the other hand, are unbeaten in their last 12 Premier League games. The Reds have, however, won only one of their last six away fixtures. Moreover, victory will see Klopp’s side move three points clear at the top.
There are three changes to the Saints team following their draw with West Ham. Forster starts in goal ahead of Alex McCarthy, while Armstrong and Diallo replace Oriel Romeu and Che Adams. Liverpool, meanwhile, also make three alterations. Phillips, Jones and Milner drop to the bench, with Thiago, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Wijnaldum coming in to start.
LIVERPOOL SUBS: Caoimhin Kelleher, Neco Williams, Rhys Williams, Nathaniel Phillips, James Milner, Curtis Jones, Xherdan Shaqiri, Takumi Minamino, Divock Origi.
SOUTHAMPTON SUBS: Harry Lewis, Yan Valery, Kayne Ramsay, Jake Vokins, Kgagelo Chauke, Will Smallbone, Shane Long, Daniel N'Lundulu, Nathan Tella.
LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Alisson; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Andrew Robertson; Georginio Wijnaldum, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Thiago; Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino.
SOUTHAMPTON (4-4-2): Fraser Forster; Kyle Walker-Peters, Jan Bednarek, Jack Stephens, Ryan Bertrand; Moussa Djenepo, James Ward-Prowse, Ibrahima Diallo, Stuart Armstrong; Theo Walcott, Danny Ings.
The home side come into this clash looking to build on their 0-0 draw with West Ham last time out in the Premier League. Liverpool will also be looking to improve following their goalless draw with Newcastle.
Hello and welcome to live match coverage of the Premier League fixture between Southampton and Liverpool at St. Mary’s Stadium.
