With Manchester United breathing down their necks Liverpool will travel to the south coast looking to stamp their authority on a title race that is shaping up to be a close fought affair. Three teams are a further four points back of the leaders, who have endured wobbles of late when they've taken to the road.
Indeed Southampton themselves could move into that chasing pack four points off the leaders if they win at home to Liverpool though to do so they will need to snap a six game losing streak against the champions where they have scored only twice and conceded 17 times. Here is how you can watch the game and all you need to know:
Viewing information
- Date: Monday, Jan. 4
- Time: 3pm ET
- Location: St Mary's -- Southampton, United Kingdom
- TV: NBCSN
- Live stream: Fubo TV (try for free)
- Odds: Southampton +380; Draw +320; Liverpool -154 (via William Hill Sportsbook)
Storylines
Southampton: The visit of Liverpool means a reunion for Danny Ings with his former team-mates with the 28-year-old having hit a rich scoring vein since departing Anfield for the south coast. Even in a season riddled with injuries he has found the net six times in 12 top flight games and looked sharp as a tack in the 0-0 draw with West Ham where his superb goal was ruled out for offside.
"He has really found his feet when he's been playing games and he has managed to get some momentum himself and get on the scoresheet quite often," warned Liverpool center back Nathaniel Phillips. "So we'll have to be aware of him."
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Liverpool: At Anfield, Jurgen Klopp's side look nigh-on irresistible. In the Premier League only West Bromwich Albion have got points away to Liverpool and even that came from a game plan that rarely succeeds against such a high-powered attack. And yet on their travels the English champions have looked far less intimidating with a 2-5-1 record that is only the 11th best in the top flight.
In too many of those games Liverpool's tempo has looked slow, their build-up play nervous and they have been lacking a killer pass. The return of Thiago, whose late cameo nearly turned a draw into a win at Newcastle, might ease those problems.
Prediction
Such have been Liverpool's troubles on their travels that it's hard to imagine they will find things easy on their travels but if Thiago is indeed available it might offer the final third creativity they need to cut through the Southampton defence. PICK: Liverpool (-154)
