Preview: Liverpool vs. Southampton – team news, lineups, prediction, live stream

Not for the first time in the EFL Cup and probably not for the last time, Caoimhin Kelleher was Liverpool’s saviour from the spot as a youthful Reds side edged past League One’s Derby on penalties after a 0-0 draw in Wednesday’s third-round battle.

Prior to his departure, Hasenhuttl’s final Premier League game in charge of Southampton ended in a 4-1 drubbing at the hands of high-flying Newcastle United, and the visitors to Anfield occupy a spot in the relegation zone as a result – just one point behind Bournemouth in 17th.

While Liverpool have performed relatively well on the defensive front at home recently, Southampton have only scored one goal in their last five Premier League away games, and defeat would consign the Saints to a place in the relegation zone at Christmas for the first time since 2004-05, when they were eventually demoted.

Liverpool did the double over Southampton by an aggregate scoreline of 6-1 last season and have won each of their last five at Anfield against the Saints without conceding, so any hopes of a fast start for Jones’s time in charge of the visitors are wafer-thin indeed.

On a brighter note, James Milner is expected to return from concussion protocol to boost Klopp’s options in the engine room, and the Reds boss was not averse to handing starts to the likes of Stefan Bajcetic, Calvin Ramsay, Melkamu Frauendorf and Layton Stewart in the EFL Cup.

Having given the youngsters a run-out in midweek, Klopp should revert to the same XI that got the job done against Tottenham last weekend, as Salah aims to make it 100 goal contributions in 100 Premier League games at Anfield.

The Egyptian sits on 70 strikes and 29 assists from 99 top-flight home games for Liverpool, and only Thierry Henry has at least 100 contributions in 100 such matches in Premier League history.

Eighteen-year-old Juan Larios started at right-back against Newcastle before coming off in the first half with an adductor injury, but no fresh concerns have arisen following Wednesday’s EFL Cup win.

Stand-in manager Ruben Selles handed Sekou Mara and Sam Edozie opportunities to impress from the first whistle in midweek, but Jones should place his faith in Che Adams and Mohamed Elyounoussi at Anfield.