Liverpool return to the pitch tonight as they host Southampton in the FA Cup fifth round with the aim of keeping their hopes of a quadruple alive. The Reds triumphed in a tantilising 1-0 win against Chelsea in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final, though Jurgen Klopp had to rely on a subs bench of teenagers, plus Virgil van Dijk, to get them over the line. With the squad still injury-stricken and a quick turnaround between these two matches Liverpool look vulnerable against Championship side Southampton.
The Saints, who have their sights set on promotion back to the Premier League, are well-placed to push for a spot in the Championship playoffs after an impressive first half to the season. They are currently fourth in the second tier just five points off the automatic promotion spots.
Follow all the action from Anfield below plus get the latest FA Cup odds and tips right here:
Liverpool vs Southampton LIVE
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Liverpool host Southampton in the FA Cup fifth round
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Liverpool XI: Kelleher, Gomez, Quansah, Van Dijk, Tsimikas, McConnell, Elliott, Clark, Bradley, Gakpo, Koumas
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Southampton XI: Lumley, Bree, Stephens, Bendarek, Manning, Charles, Rothwell, Aribo, Edozie, Mara, Kamaldeen
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Goal – Koumas scores on his Liverpool debut right before half-time (1-0)
Liverpool FC 1 – 0 Southampton FC
HT – Liverpool 1-0 Southampton
20:48 , Karl Matchett
And that’s the whistle right away afterwards – the Reds are ahead despite Saints’ excellent start. Eventually the pressure has told in terms of positional play, though it was only Liverpool’s second shot on target of the half.
Kelleher has saved a couple of big chances at one end and Sulemana hit the post earlier too.
GOAL! 44’ – Liverpool 1-0 Southampton
20:46 , Karl Matchett
Liverpool ahead!
Clark fizzes a pass in to Koumas, he drifts in past his man once more and shoots early – it flicks off the defender’s heel and rolls into the bottom near corner! Liverpool 1-0 up.
42’ – Liverpool 0-0 Southampton
20:45 , Karl Matchett
Quansah’s interception sparks a counter and Bradley wins a corner.
Elliott lines up a shot and drills one on target from 25 yards – Lumley gets a hand to it to tip it wide! First one between the sticks tonight for the hosts.
40’ – Liverpool 0-0 Southampton
20:40 , Karl Matchett
Bradley having a bit of a stretch after a slip, looks a little uncomfortable running.
Sulemana takes advantage of that to sprint away behind Bradley, beats Quansah and shapes to shoot – Kelleher makes another save, this one more comfortable, down to his left.
Into the final five minutes of the half and the Reds haven’t yet had a shot on target.
36’ – Liverpool 0-0 Southampton
20:38 , Karl Matchett
Koumas twists his way into the box, then back out of it. Tsimikas’ cross is blocked and Southampton break away, Mara facing up Van Dijk..and that’s not usually the smart option. The defender stands his ground and clears well.
32’ – Liverpool 0-0 Southampton
20:35 , Karl Matchett
On the Saints bench, Russell Martin is looking animated. He’s got to be happy with the start they made, but Southampton did spurn a few chances and haven’t had much of the ball in the last 10-15 minutes.
About 15 minutes until the break.
28’ – Liverpool 0-0 Southampton
20:32 , Karl Matchett
Saints pass around Liverpool’s press and Sulemana beats Bradley down the left – but Quansah is in place for a second time in the last ten minutes to deny the winger. Good positioning from the centre-back.
Elliott then leads a counter for the Reds after a Saints corner and Clark lines up a shot – but slips as he does so and it wobbles wide.
24’ – Liverpool 0-0 Southampton
20:28 , Karl Matchett
The home side turning the screw now and Saints unable to really get out over the last five minutes.
Gakpo, Elliott and Bradley are keeping pressure up pretty relentlessly in terms of buildup play into the box, but there’s no clear route to goal and Saints are defending well so far.
20’ – Liverpool 0-0 Southampton
20:22 , Karl Matchett
Rothwell’s turn to dip in from the flank, take on his man and look to shoot – he’s off-balance though and skews his shot wide.
Koumas then does likewise at the other end of the pitch, drifting past his man…until a big senior, meaty arm brushes him out the way. Stephens barges him to ground but in a perfectly valid manner, no penalty.
Gakpo is then played in and he surely has to score – he dallies on the turn and is tackled by a recovering defender.
16’ – Liverpool 0-0 Southampton
20:18 , Karl Matchett
Gomez takes a touch and tees himself for a shot, urged on by the crowd…and almost clears the Anfield stands! Bit of a laugh from Klopp on the touchline and Konate has his head in his hands on the bench. Gomez, no career goals. That’s why. He has been getting closer this year in fairness but not that time!
Liverpool looking more dominant about their play now, anyway. Bradley twice tries to burst into the box, one cross is blocked and then he fouls Manning.
Southampton being extremely brave (or risky, if that’s your perspective) in playing out from the back through a relentless Liverpool press.
12’ – Liverpool 0-0 Southampton
20:16 , Karl Matchett
Another opening which sees Kelleher rush out and block Mara’s shot – then the forward is flagged offside.
Gomez has been caught in possession a couple of times in that role early on – needs a bit of settling down and a bit more tempo to his passing under this Southampton pressure.
8’ – Liverpool 0-0 Southampton
20:10 , Karl Matchett
Very busy start to this game – Saints are ruffling some feathers and playing some really nice stuff. One unexpected switch for Liverpool is Joe Gomez anchoring the base of midfield, Clark and McConnell ahead of him. That leaves Elliott right wing and Bradley right-back.
The Reds just starting to try and get their foot on the ball in the centre of the park now and pass their way around Saints’ press.
4’ – Liverpool 0-0 Southampton
20:08 , Karl Matchett
Nearly scoring chance at one end – woodwork at the other!
Tsimikas overlaps Gakpo down the left and Clark is waiting centrally – but the Greek defender is just offside and the chance is gone.
Up the other end, Sulemana is played in on the left side of the box and side-foots at goal, beats Kelleher…and strikes the outside of the post! Great effort just off target.
One moment later Mara robs McConnell of the ball and shoots low – big Kelleher save to his right this time!
1’ – Liverpool 0-0 Southampton
20:02 , Karl Matchett
Kick-off at Anfield…and the ball is in the net!
Sekou Mara runs through and buries his shot inside 20 seconds but he’s a good five yards offside. Nobody really bothered to run with him – a fairly clear call. Start of intent from Saints though!
Liverpool vs Southampton – LIVE
19:55 , Karl Matchett
A very youthful line-up for the Reds tonight at Anfield.
Quansah is 21 in defence, in midfield it’s two 19-year-olds in Clark and McConnell, then up top Bradley is 20 and Koumas is 18. It is in fact a senior debut for the latter, who starts on the flank in attacker.
Liverpool vs Southampton – LIVE
19:45 , Karl Matchett
Route to the fifth round:
Liverpool beat Arsenal 2-0 away and Norwich 5-2 at home.
Southampton beat Walsall 4-0 at home, drew at Watford 1-1 and won the replay at home 3-0.
Liverpool vs Southampton – LIVE
19:40 , Karl Matchett
FA Cup full quarter-final draw
Wolves or Brighton vs Coventry City
Nottingham Forest or Manchester United vs Liverpool or Southampton
Chelsea or Leeds United vs Leicester City
Manchester City vs Newcastle United
Liverpool vs Southampton – LIVE
19:36 , Karl Matchett
The draw has taken place for the FA Cup quarter-final – the winner from this game will head to the City Ground or Old Trafford.
Nottingham Forest or Manchester United vs Liverpool or Southampton
Wataru Endo’s Wembley masterclass completes rapid redemption arc at Liverpool
19:18 , Karl Matchett
There were two World Cup winners in the middle of the pitch at Wembley and two midfielders who cost in excess of £100m, but the best one on the park was a £16m signing from Stuttgart.
As Liverpool slowly ran out of senior players and replaced the legs of those who did start but ran out of steam, the same indefatigable presence continued to cover the ground, keep the Reds on the front foot and outshine, outrun or outfight anybody in blue he happened to come across.
Wataru Endo’s first trophy in European football might not be the biggest one on offer, but it was certainly merited and, along with matchwinner Virgil van Dijk and goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, the Japanese international was arguably the biggest reason for the Reds’ success in the Carabao Cup final.
Karl Matchett on the Reds’ midfield hero:
Endo’s Wembley masterclass completes rapid redemption arc at Liverpool
Liverpool vs Southampton – LIVE
19:10 , Karl Matchett
Jurgen Klopp has sprung to Chelsea’s defence by insisting they did not “bottle it” in the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool.
Mauricio Pochettino’s team came in for heavy criticism after losing in extra time to a Liverpool side featuring the teenagers Bobby Clark, James McConnell and Jayden Danns and doing too little to win the game after Klopp brought on rookies.
Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville branded the big spenders “blue billion-pound bottle jobs” but Klopp disagreed with that assessment.
He drew on his own experience of being beaten in finals – including his first three with Liverpool and the 2013 Champions League final with Borussia Dortmund – to stand up for Chelsea.
Klopp defends Pochettino and Chelsea from Neville’s ‘bottle jobs’ tag
Liverpool vs Southampton – LIVE
19:02 , Karl Matchett
Confirmed lineups for tonight are in!
Liverpool XI: Kelleher, Gomez, Quansah, Van Dijk, Tsimikas, McConnell, Elliott, Clark, Bradley, Gakpo, Koumas
Southampton XI: Lumley, Bree, Stephens, Bendarek, Manning, Charles, Rothwell, Aribo, Edozie, Mara, Kamaldeen
Liverpool vs Southampton – LIVE
18:55 , Karl Matchett
The FA Cup fifth round takes place this week – with an important change to the rules of the competition.
The old tradition of drawn Cup ties being replayed still applies to the third and fourth rounds, but fifth-round replays were scrapped during the 2018-19 season as part of a gradual slimming down of the tournament.
So every round from the fifth onwards will be decided by one tie, with extra-time and a penalty shootout available to settle drawn games.
The topic of FA Cup replays remains one of some controversy. For clubs participating in European competition after Christmas, the fixture congestion can become almost unmanageable, particularly given that Carabao Cup semi-finals are still played over two midweek legs. Fitting in FA Cup replays can be a challenge.
More here on the scrapping of replays:
Are there replays in the FA Cup fifth round?
Liverpool vs Southampton – LIVE
18:45 , Karl Matchett
Jurgen Klopp may have to start with Liverpool’s Carabao Cup-winning kids to try and keep their quadruple bid going against Southampton in the FA Cup.
Jayden Danns, who has never begun a first-team game, and James McConnell and Bobby Clark, who have only started one each, all came off the bench against Chelsea at Wembley on Sunday, along with 20-year-old Jarell Quansah.
And with Ryan Gravenberch added to Liverpool’s lengthy injury list and Klopp admitting he may need “miracles” for others of his senior players to be available on Wednesday, he could field an inexperienced side at Anfield on Wednesday.
Team news is up soon – here are Klopp’s hints ahead of kick-off.
Jurgen Klopp gives update on Liverpool injuries ahead of Southampton FA Cup tie
FPL GW27: Kelleher and five transfer tips for players to sign this week
18:35 , Karl Matchett
After a week of Fantasy Premier League managers juggling their squads to account for teams not in action and the Carabao Cup final, it’s back to the grind for gameweek 27 – which started after Monday night football.
It’s a straight-up, everybody-plays-once gameweek this time around to make matters more simple, though for bosses considering transfers, next week again sees two clubs face double gameweeks so our transfer tips this time around have that in mind as well.
FPL GW27: Solanke and five transfer tips for players to sign this week
Liverpool vs Southampton – LIVE
18:25 , Karl Matchett
There are plenty of times when Jurgen Klopp scarcely has the feel of a 56-year-old: when he is bounding about on the touchline or berating fourth officials, when he is at the centre of celebrations with men decades his junior, when, last week after beating Luton, as his captain Virgil van Dijk smiled on benevolently, it was Klopp who turned to all found stands of Anfield to perform his trademark fist pumps.
There are occasional other moments when perhaps he does: when in November he realised his energy was not endless and concluded this had to be his final season at Liverpool or when he was pictured on the plane back from Wembley, dozing with the Carabao Cup in his arms; for the record, Klopp insists he only had a sip of beer.
Rich Jolly on the Cup-winning boss:
‘Impossible’: Liverpool’s ‘unforgettable moment’ makes Jurgen Klopp believe
Liverpool vs Southampton – LIVE
18:15 , Karl Matchett
Liverpool completed the opening leg of their quadruple attempt this season when they defeated Chelsea in extra-time in the EFL Cup final at Wembley. Next on the agenda for Jurgen Klopp’s side is the FA Cup and a fifth round tie against Southampton on Wednesday evening (8pm, ITV1).
The Merseyside club defeated Arsenal 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium and then blew Norwich away 5-2 at Anfield to reach this stage of the competition. With a home draw against a Championship club, they will fancy their chances of booking a spot in the last eight.
Liverpool are second favourites in the FA Cup odds for the trophy this season. The eight time winners last lifted the FA Cup in 2022 when they beat Chelsea on penalties in the final.
Here are the latest odds and pre-match tips:
Liverpool vs Southampton predictions: FA Cup betting tips, odds and free bets
Liverpool vs Southampton – LIVE
18:05 , Karl Matchett
Liverpool will look to keep their faint hopes of a quadruple alive when they host Southampton in the FA Cup fifth round on Wednesday.
Fresh off their dramatic 1-0 win against Chelsea in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final, Jurgen Klopp’s injury-stricken side face a quick turnaround before their latest cup clash against Championship side Southampton.
The Saints, looking to bounce straight back to the Premier League after last year’s relegation, are well-poised for a playoff push after an impressive start to the season.
Russell Martin’s side, though, have lost three of their last four league games, including a disappointing 2-1 defeat at home against relegation-threatened Millwall.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Is Liverpool vs Southampton on TV? Channel, kick-off time and how to watch
Liverpool vs Southampton – LIVE
17:01 , The Independent
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