Predicted Liverpool lineup against Southampton: Tsimikas to start; Robertson misses out

Kostas Tsimikas will start in place of Andrew Robertson when Liverpool and Southampton meet at St. Mary’s on Sunday.

Liverpool were held to a draw in their last league game against Aston Villa, and they have missed out on Champions League qualification as a result of that. The Reds will be disappointed with the way their league season has turned out, and they will be hoping to give the fans something to cheer about with a positive result against Southampton on Sunday.

The Reds are unbeaten in the last six league matches, and they will be firm favourites to pick up all three points year as well. Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that striker Darwin Nunez is back in training after recovering from his knock. So the Uruguayan international will be available to face Southampton on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Ibrahima Konate and Andrew Robertson could be rested here. Konate was suffering from illness earlier in the week and Robertson felt his groin on Friday. Neither of them are serious. But Klopp might not risk them, especially with nothing to play for in the league anymore.

Long-term absentees Thiago Alcantara, Stefan Bajcetic and Calvin Ramsay are ruled out. Meanwhile, Klopp provided an update on Nunez, Konate, and Robertson during his pre-match press conference.

Southampton vs Liverpool Preview: Probable Lineups, Prediction, Tactics, Team News & Key Stats

“He [Nunez] trained yesterday, fully. Ibou was ill yesterday. Robbo felt something in his groin yesterday, he had a scan, that was fine but we anyway have to see how we can deal with that,” the Reds’ boss said.

Liverpool are likely to shape up in a 4-3-3 formation, with Alisson Becker in goal. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Kostas Tsimikas are likely to start as the full-backs, and they will look to help out in the attack and keep the side defensively compact. Joel Matip will start alongside Virgil van Dijk with Konate likely to be rested.

In the midfield, Jordan Henderson will join Curtis Jones and Fabinho in the trieee. Jones will look to add creativity and goals to the side. Fabinho will look to break up the opposition attacks and Henderson will provide defensive cover and work rate in the middle.

Meanwhile, Roberto Firmino is likely to lead the line in his last-ever game for the Reds. Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz are likely to be deployed as the wingers here. So Nunez and Cody Gakpo should be among the backup options on the bench on Sunday.

Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, van Dijk, Tsmikias; Henderson, Fabinho, Jones; Salah, Firmino, Diaz

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Liverpool boss Klopp: We must reinvent ourselves after top 4 failure

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp concedes missing their Champions League qualifying cash could be a problem this summer.

It’s predicted Liverpool face a £50m hole next season after missing the top four.

Klopp said: “It has to. We all think like that. This is not the season we want. We know that for a while.

“I really think this was not a season we will talk about. Yes we failed to give the people more to enjoy but we had our moments.

“It would have been a ‘normal’ season if we ended up fourth, not great but still qualification for the Champions League, but that is the big disappointment.

“I am here for seven and a half years – it is a really long time – and that things always go in the right direction is not likely, there are dips. Usually after three years you change manager. It is a really good thing I am here for that long but a challenge as well as you have to invent yourself new, that is what we started now, and that is super-exciting.

“In a difficult year I felt the unity between us and the supporters, it is so important people really appreciated it.

“This season was not great and from a financial point of view that is actually the only problem but a big problem in football.

“But we have European nights next year but instead of Tuesday or Wednesday it’s a Thursday. Who cares?”