Liverpool will be looking to end the Premier League season on a high when they take on Southampton in the final game of the season on Sunday.
Newcastle United and Manchester United both picked up the necessary results in midweek to confirm their spot in the Premier League top four, meaning Liverpool won't be playing Champions League football next season. With a fifth-place finish confirmed, the Reds will be playing in the Europa League, the one trophy that they are yet to win under Jürgen Klopp.
Darwin Nùñez should be available after missing the last two games with injury, with the striker scoring twice against Southampton the last time the two sides met in a 3-1 victory.
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The clash will officially be the final game in red for Roberto Firmino, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keïta, so we could potentially see some of these players receive game time as a final send-off.
So, could the Reds pick up three points on the road? We simulated the game to find out.
Southampton vs Liverpool simulated to get a score predictionTo complete this simulation, we used FIFA 23 and updated the squads with the latest injuries and suspensions.
We predict that the hosts could line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with their line-up as follows: Bazunu; Livramento, Bednarek, Lyanco, Walker-Peters; Ward-Prowse, Lavia; Walcott, Alcaraz, Elyounoussi; Onuachu.
We predict that Liverpool could set up in a 4-3-3 formation, with their line-up as follows: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Fabinho, Milner, Jones; Salah, Gakpo, Jota.
It was a scintillating start from the Reds on the south coast, with Curtis Jones striking the post after nine minutes with a curling effort from outside the box. A flurry of chances followed as Liverpool bombarded the Southampton goal, and the visitors took a deserved lead after 16 minutes.
Jones carried the ball across the Southampton box as he looked for a breakthrough, and a one-two with Trent Alexander-Arnold saw the midfielder pass through the Saints backline and into a dangerous position. The Englishman fired a ball across goal, and Salah was there to help it past the 'keeper to make it 1-0.
Firmino and Núñez were both introduced at half-time as Klopp rotated his squad, and the latter should've made it 2-0 when he headed Alexander-Arnold's cross wide from a fantastic position. The pressure continued from the Reds, and Firmino managed to find the Reds' second in the 72nd minute on his last Liverpool appearance.
On the break, Salah cut inside and threaded a pass through to Firmino who burst past his marker before finding the top corner.
The hosts pulled a goal back in the 91st minute when Lyanco headed a corner in at the back post, but the Reds held on for three points at Saint Mary's Stadium.
FIFA 23 predicted final score: Southampton 1-2 Liverpool
FIFA 23 predicts that Liverpool can end the season with a win, beating Southampton 2-1 in the simulation. Firmino got on the scoresheet in the perfect send-off for the Brazilian, while Mohamed Salah and Curtis Jones impressed.
What do you think the final score will be? Let us know in the comments!
It's been an impressive run that Liverpool has enjoyed as the season draws to a close. Europa League football and a fifth-place finish have now been confirmed, which is an impressive feat given how far the team has come since that poor winter run.
Fans won't be treated to the glamor of Champions League football again next season, but securing a place in Europe is better than nothing at all. A 10-match run without defeat has also certainly helped to ease the pain and end the season on a high.
Southampton's run has been considerably less impressive. A total of six wins, six draws and 25 defeats leaves the Saints rock bottom of the Premier League table and cemented their place in the Championship next season.
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Rubén Sellés' side is not short of quality, but two changes in management and some questionable tactical decisions sealed the club's fate. James Ward-Prowse and Carlos Alcaraz are two midfielders that could fit into almost any Premier League side, but their individual quality was not enough in the end.
Jürgen Klopp will go into the game full of confidence with nothing to lose but his pride. A convincing win over Leicester City and a tough draw against Aston Villa last time out bode well for the final match of the season.
Here, Liverpool.com has picked out all of the information that you need to know, including the kick-off time, TV details, highlights and early team news.
What time is kick-off?The match kicks off at 4:30pm in the UK, which is 8:30pm Pacific Time and 11:30am Eastern Time. The game will be played at Saint Mary's Stadium on the south coast, a place where Liverpool has only lost once since 2017.
The Reds' last away game was a master-class against another Premier League struggler in Leicester City. A Curtis Jones brace, a Trent Alexander-Arnold free-kick and a hat-trick of assists for Mohamed Salah gave Liverpool all three points and a clean sheet.
Is the match on TV?Sadly for Liverpool fans in the UK, the game will not be televised. Sky's final day coverage is instead going to Aston Villa against Brighton and Everton's must-win clash with Bournemouth, with all eyes on the relegation battle.
Fans in the US, however, will be able to stream the game on Peacock and Peacock Premium online. For the most up-to-date news, goal updates and analysis, Liverpool.com will provide everything you need to know before, during and after the game.
How else can I follow the game?UK fans will be able to keep up to date on the radio via BBC Radio 5Live and TalkSport's occasional updates. Sadly, US fans who normally listen live on SiriusXM will only be able to hear the coverage of West Ham's game against Leicester.
There is a silver lining as the game will be updated live via our social media channels on Twitter and Facebook throughout the day. Fans will be able to access the latest information, goals and team news as it comes in.
Where can I catch the highlights?The highlights will be available to watch shortly after full-time via Liverpool's official YouTube channel. Fans can also catch a brief highlights video on the official Sky Sports YouTube channel shortly after full-time. US fans can view the highlights and goals on NBCSports.com.
You can follow all the updates and read the analysis on Liverpool.com and you can also follow along live on our social channels including on Twitter and Facebook, and catch the post-match press conferences on the Blood Red YouTube channel.
Early team newsThe latest news from Klopp's press conference is that Darwin Núñez has been back in training following an 'inflammation of the tendon in his toe'. The Uruguayan is fit to start with Diogo Jota and Luis Díaz also hoping to play a part.
Klopp has confirmed two disappointing injury blows with Ibrahima Konaté looking doubtful following an illness. Andy Robertson may also miss out with a groin issue.
Liverpool.com says: Southampton has been one of the worst-performing teams all season. A total of six wins speaks volumes, not to mention the departures of Ralph Hasenhüttl and Nathan Jones which added to the chaos.
The Saints' last win came back in March against fellow strugglers Leicester City. It's unlikely that their fortunes will change against such an in-form Liverpool team, but Klopp will be sure to guard his players against complacency ahead of what will be a busy summer.
Liverpool travel to Southampton on Sunday, hoping to finish their Premier League campaign on a high.
For Liverpool, it is unusual not to have something riding on the final day of the season – there has been a top four-place or the league title up for grabs in five of the last six years.
This time around, there is only pride on the line, with fifth place already guaranteed and Southampton relegated.
That doesn’t mean Liverpool won’t be fully at it, though, as players fight for their place in Jurgen Klopp‘s first-team plans.
A happy hunting groundThe Reds are looking to record their 10th league double over the Saints and their fifth in their last six seasons in which they have faced each other.
Liverpool have won 10 of the last 11 league clashes home and away, scoring 28 times and conceding five.
They have won four of the last five at Southampton.
Last season, at St Mary’s, they won 2-1, coming from behind with Takumi Minamino and Joel Matip scoring the goals.
The Reds’ biggest win at the ground was 3-0, in March 2014, when Luis Suarez, Raheem Sterling and Steven Gerrard scored. Jordan Henderson started that day.
If Liverpool win it will be their 50th league win over the Saints.
Liverpool’s next goal will be their 100th scored this season in all competitions.
This season, Roberto Firmino has averaged a goal every 138 minutes in all competitions, better than any other Liverpool player. Mo Salah is the next best with 140 minutes per goal.
Records are there to be brokenShould Firmino come off the bench and score twice, he will equal the club record of 18 goals by a Liverpool substitute in all competitions – a record currently held by David Fairclough.
Salah is one goal away from becoming the first player in Premier League history to provide 20 goals and 10 assists in three different seasons. He and Thierry Henry have done so twice.
If Salah scores, he will also become the first Liverpool player since Roger Hunt, in 1965-66, to score 20 league goals for a third successive season.
The Egyptian is also one goal short of recording 20 in the league for the fifth campaign in six – he recorded 19 in the other.
Salah has scored seven times in 10 league outings for the Reds against Southampton. Only Robbie Fowler (8) has found the net more for Liverpool against the Saints in the Premier League era.
Ian Rush, with 10, has scored more goals against Southampton in the league than any other Liverpool player – a Salah hat-trick takes him level.
Saints have been strugglingSouthampton have had three managers this season. Half of their points (12) came under Ralph Hasenhuttl in the opening 14 games.
Nathan Jones took three points from his eight games, while current incumbent Ruben Selles has taken nine points from the last 15.
Southampton have not kept a clean sheet in their last 11 matches, and have conceded 17 goals between the 31st minute and half time this season.
They haven’t won in their last 12 league outings, with three draws and nine defeats.
All six of their league victories this season have been by a single goal margin (either 1-0 or 2-1).
This is the fifth campaign in succession that they have conceded 60 league goals or more. They’ve currently have shipped 69 goals, their most since 2008-09.
Only Wolves (31) have scored fewer league goals than the Saints this season (32).
They have not defeated a top-half team in the league this season.
This season’s scorersLiverpool: Salah 30, Nunez 15, Firmino 12, Gakpo 6, Diaz 5, Elliott 5, Jota 5,
Alexander-Arnold 4, Carvalho 3, Jones 3, Van Dijk 3, Matip 2, Bajcetic 1, Oxlade-Chamberlain 1, own goals 4
Southampton: Adams 10, Ward-Prowse 10, Alcaraz 4, Perraud 4, Aribo 2, A. Armstrong 2, S. Armstrong 2, Caleta-Car 2, Mara 2, Walcott 2, Ballard 1, Djenepo 1, Elyounoussi 1, Lavia 1, Lyanco 1, Walker-Peters 1
Liverpool isn't known for making mistakes in the transfer market. Since Jürgen Klopp was appointed back in 2015, the Reds have developed a reputation for making shrewd and effective signings, identifying players for reasonable prices before transforming them on Merseyside.
Mohamed Salah, Luis Díaz, Sadio Mané and Andy Robertson are just a few examples of players who have more than justified their respective price tags at Anfield. Liverpool doesn't tend to sign very many players under the ownership of Fenway Sports Group (FSG) but those who do arrive tend to be hits rather than failures.
Last summer, however, the curious decision was made to sign a promising talent by the name of Fábio Carvalho. He joined from Fulham after experiencing a momentous campaign at Craven Cottage, in which he found the net 10 times in league competition while also registering seven assists.
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Still a teenager at the time, it was obvious why Liverpool was tracking his services. He clearly possessed real potential, and he'd proven his quality in a difficult division, with the Championship renowned for being physical and grueling as it stretches over 46 matches unlike the Premier League, which consists of 38 bouts.
Around 12 months have passed since Carvalho joined the Reds, though, and he's yet to make much of an impression. In his debut season in England's top-flight, he's started just four matches from a possible 37 so far, making a further nine appearances as a substitute late in matches.
What is perhaps more concerning is Carvalho has accumulated just 11 minutes of football since the middle of January. Klopp has barely used him and when he has been involved, it has been at the very end of games. The Portuguese prospect played seven minutes against Leicester City recently and before that, he played just one minute against Real Madrid and three minutes against Bournemouth.
Earlier this week, Klopp made a relatively damning statement by suggesting that Carvalho could be sent out on loan next term, purely as a means of getting on the pitch more often. Considering he arrived at the club just one year ago, that effectively epitomizes his tough spell at Anfield so far.
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"This was not Fábio's best season of his career but it might be his most important," the Liverpool boss said on Friday morning. "No one has impressed me more than Fábio. A very talented boy, big dreams but it didn't work. His work ethic will give him a fantastic career. His reaction was unbelievable. We will see if he goes on loan."
It remains to be seen exactly why Carvalho has struggled on Merseyside, but one of the primary reasons likely stems from his preferred position on the field. His prosperous period at Fulham consisted of him being deployed as a number 10 within the confines of a 4-2-3-1 system.
Marco Silva got the most from his skill set by encouraging him to link with others in small spaces. The role shined a light on his technical expertise, but Liverpool has refrained from operating with a number 10 throughout Klopp's tenure. Roberto Firmino has always performed those duties as a false nine of sorts.
Carvalho has been used on the flanks by Klopp this term, as well as being deployed as a number eight at times. The homegrown starlet has given his all, but he simply hasn't been presented with much of a platform to prosper. Based on how his time at Anfield has developed, it remains to be seen what the initial plan was for him when he was originally signed.
If he does indeed get loaned out in the coming months, it would not be a surprise if he thrived as a number 10 for another team next season. He has specific perks attached to his game, but with hindsight, he was never going to show those skills due to the nature of Liverpool's tactical make-up under Klopp.
The Reds need to make better transfers this summer as the most important window in years approaches, and Carvalho must provide a lesson for the club's recruitment team. No matter how good the player is, he will always be a product of his environment on the pitch.