Southampton will be looking to claim an FA Cup upset on Merseyside on Wednesday night.
The Saints are set to travel to Anfield to face Liverpool, where they will be looking to secure a place in the quarter finals of the competition.
That could be a big ask for Russell Martin‘s side, especially given they have lost three of their last four.
Indeed, things will not be made any easier by the momentum Liverpool have from their League Cup final win over Chelsea on Sunday.
However, there is one aspect of the current situation their hosts find themselves in, that may give Southampton hope here.
Jurgen Klopp drops Liverpool selection hint
Liverpool will be going into this clash with Southampton unable to call upon a number of key players.
The likes of Mo Salah, Darwin Nunez, Dominik Szoboszlai, Diogo Jota, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alisson have all been absent recently.
Ryan Gravenberch was also forced off in the League Cup final with an ankle problem. Meanwhile, Wataru Endo left Wembley in a protective boot.
Indeed, Liverpool ended that match with Jayden Danns, Bobby Clark and James McConnell on the pitch. The trio are still teenagers with just a handful of senior appearances between them.
However, it appears they may have to do a job again, in this clash with Southampton.
Speaking about those young player ahead of the game, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was quoted by The Daily Mail as saying:
“It’s possible a few of them have to start and, if they do, they will do the job.
“Sunday was one of the best football stories ever. There is absolutely no pressure on these boys, just enjoy what they’re doing.”
Southampton know how they must approach this
Chelsea’s performance against Liverpool on Sunday showed Southampton how they should approach this situation.
In extra time in particular, Chelsea sat off Liverpool way more than many felt they should have done. That allowed those young players to grow into the game, and have more of an effect as it went on.
Martin’s side must therefore not give them the time to do that, and put them under pressure from the start.
There is of course be some more senior and experienced figures who could feature for Liverpool here, such as Virgil van Dijk.
They will be harder for Southampton to overcome, so they may need to look to apply the pressure on those youngsters.
The likes of McConnell, Clark and Danns may struggle more to settle in a game where they are not given as much time as they were on Sunday.
If that happens, it could lead to the loose touches and errors that give the Saints the opening they need in this game.
With that in mind, Klopp’s comments do seem to have given Southampton an extra bit of hope when it comes to Wednesday’s game.