Game Week 16 Predictions: Liverpool to beat Southampton

Liverpool must be wary of the new manager bounce when they host Southampton on Saturday. (Photo credit: Sky Sports)

Liverpool vs Southampton

Anfield

4:00pm

There’s always a thing with a new manager and Southampton could be a potential banana peel when they visit Liverpool in the goal-rush fixtures of Saturday.

The Saints swapped Ralph Hassenhuttl for a relatively unknown Steve Davies from Luton Town and it’s down to the manager to pick things up from where they are and inspire the team to instant impact when he leads them to Anfield.

Liverpool hasn’t felt like the team we know them to be this season and that can be attributed to lots of factors including injuries, form, fixture congestion and relentless oppositions. With the break looming, no one likes to have defeat hovering around for over six weeks.

The Kops enjoyed fine wins of recent including over Manchester City and Tottenham last weekend and progression in the league cup where they will meet the Citizens in the quarter final can also help them get into their strides.

After all the rumors, Trent Alexander Arnold is on the trip to Qatar alongside Jordan Henderson and they would like to celebrate that with a win against the Saints. James Ward Prowse was shockingly left out of the squad and we don’t know if he would like to put the anger on this fixture amidst obvious disappointment.

How will they line up? It’s left to be seen how the new manager likes to set up but in his time at Luton, he likes to be expressive with flowing football. He has the materials to work with in a young squad and the January window could also help him to add a name or two.

Liverpool will be the clear favorites here but they have suffered too much this season to be complacent especially when they know about the new manager bounce. Mohammed Salah seems to be hitting top gear again and he will be fresh for the league after the World Cup as Egypt didn’t make it to Qatar.

Verdict: Straight win Liverpool