Liverpool head to the south coast with Jürgen Klopp joking that perhaps they should move their scouting department into the area in reference to the number of players they have signed from Saints recently. Virgil van Dijk became the sixth and last of them in January, and the £75m Dutchman is assured of a rough reception from the home crowd for the manner of his departure, while Adam Lallana, sent off in midweek for the under-23s, may find a place on the bench. Southampton won last week, a six-pointer at West Brom, and are likely to be unchanged with Mauricio Pellegrino, a former Liverpool defender himself, conscious of the need to back that up with another three points as five of their next six league games are away from home
Virgil van Dijk returns to Southampton for the first time since his £75m move to Liverpool when the sides meet on Sunday, live on Sky Sports Premier League.
If the Saints fail to win, Mauricio Pellegrino's side will equal a club record of seven home Premier League games without victory.
Pellegrino made 13 appearances for the Reds under Rafa Benitez in 2005, before serving as his assistant at Anfield between 2008-2010.
The Saints' win at West Brom last week was their first in 13 Premier League games and they could give record-signing Guido Carrillo his first home start for the visit of Liverpool.
Van Dijk is the latest of six players to move from St Mary's to Anfield since June 2014, for a combined total of £172.5 million, but his arrival has coincided with a spate of late goals conceded by the Merseysiders.
Harry Kane's 95th-minute penalty in a 2-2 draw with Spurs last Sunday was the fifth they had shipped from the 80th minute onwards since January 1, more than any other team in the Premier League.
There has been just one goal scored in the last two meetings between these sides in all competitions at St Mary's - in the two before that, there were 12 goals scored.
The Reds haven't conceded in any of their last three Premier League games against Southampton (W1 D2) - indeed, the last player to score against them was current Liverpool player Sadio Mane in March 2016.
Southampton are unbeaten in their six previous Premier League games played on a Sunday this season, though five of those have ended as draws (W1 vs Everton).
Liverpool have only lost one of their last 17 Premier League games, winning 11 and drawing five.
Klopp has won 49 of his 94 Premier League games in charge (D28 L17). Victory here will make him the 45th different manager to record 50 wins in the competition, and he'll be the ninth fastest to do so in terms of games (95).
Sadio Mane has scored six goals in his last five Premier League appearances at St. Mary's Stadium.
