MANCHESTER (REUTERS) - Liverpool's bid for their first title since the creation of the English Premier League continues on Friday (April 5) at Southampton, whose St Mary's stadium is a familiar place for a number of Juergen Klopp's side.
In recent years Liverpool have spent about £170 million (S$301.4 million) on signing players from the Saints, including key men Virgil van Dijk and Sadio Mane, both of whom are expected to start the match.
Liverpool raided Southampton heavily in the summer of 2014 when they brought in Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren and Rickie Lambert.
The following year full-back Nathaniel Clyne, currently on loan at Bournemouth, went for £12.5 million and then in 2016 Mane made the move for £34 million. The biggest deal - after a bitter wrangle - was van Dijk's £75 million move last January.
While the Dutchman has transformed Liverpool's defence, Mane's 17 goals this season make him a real threat to the Saints, who are only five points above the relegation zone.
Southampton defender Ryan Bertrand, who played with Mane at the club, knows exactly what to expect from the speedy Senegalese forward.
"He isn't showing any signs of slowing down. I am thoroughly looking forward to it," said Bertrand.
"I've been really impressed with him, I think he has been their main player. I'm sure the other attackers have still produced some fantastic numbers in terms of goals, but I think he has been the one that shines."
Liverpool trail league leaders Manchester City by a point, with Pep Guardiola's side in FA Cup semi-final action against Brighton on Saturday.
Bertrand says that, with the stakes high for both clubs, Friday's clash should be a pulsating encounter.
"It will be a big game. They are fighting to create history and to win the Premier League and we still need the points, so we will also be fighting," he said.
"The better teams are more clinical, more difficult and technically gifted, but at the same time, with that comes more opportunity where they might leave more gaps defensively. You have to take your chances."
The Saints will also have an eye on results elsewhere in the battle against the drop.
Huddersfield Town and Fulham are already relegated, with Cardiff City occupying the final relegation slot in 18th place, five points behind Southampton, Burnley and Brighton.
Though Cardiff do not play this weekend, Burnley visit mid-table Bournemouth while Newcastle United are at Crystal Palace. Newcastle are seven points clear of Cardiff but yet to secure safety.
In the battle for Champions League qualification, meanwhile, fourth-placed Arsenal and fifth-placed Chelsea are level on 63 points.
Arsenal have a tricky trip to Everton on Sunday and Chelsea are at home to West Ham on Monday.
On January 21, soccer player Emiliano Sala was traveling via a private plane between England and France when the aircraft suddenly disappeared over the English Channel. After 24 hours of searching and no sign of a plane or debris anywhere, the athlete was presumed dead.
Body found in wreckage of plane carrying soccer player Sala
" Shapers are the best coaching and development aid in years. Prior whiteboard sessions which involved basic positional and tactical information have now become engaging, hands on sessions where players show us they understand.
Brother Ekk: Thai coach who put players first right to the
Pele to have urinary tract surgery in Brazil: hospital AFP April 10, 2019 AFP No Comments Sao Paulo (AFP) - Pele will have an operation to remove a 'ureteral stone,' his doctors said Wednesday, a day after the football great returned to Brazil following treatment in a Paris hospital for an infection.
Pele To Have Urinary Tract Surgery In Brazil Hospital
newsblenda.com/post/football/pele-to-have-urinary-tract-surgery-in-brazil-hospital.html
Pele will have an operation to remove a 'ureteral stone,' his doctors said Wednesday, a day after the football great returned to Brazil following treatment in a Paris hospital for an infection. The 78-year-old was admitted to the Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo for more tests after arriving in Brazil early Tuesday.
Pele to have urinary tract surgery in Brazil: hospital
HE didn't say in so many words but he proved over two international "A" matches that he deserves a right shot to be the next full-time-appointed Singapore football coach. Nazri Nasir emphatically staked his claims in the Airmarine Cup final in Kuala Lumpur over the weekend where the 165-world-ranked Lions held world No 90 Oman to a 1-1
Singapore national football team - Howling Pixel
Cardiff City captain Sol Bamba dedicated his goal and a 2-1 victory over Southampton to Emiliano Sala after an emotional match for the Welsh club. Saturday's fixtures were the first round of
'Victory and goal for Sala', says Cardiff captain Bamba
Moscow city authorities have begun using comics with characters from Russian fairytales to explain to migrants how they should behave. They say a 100-page guide is needed to "maintain a positive
And Milner believes the Reds' last two results are proof of how they are coming on under the German boss. "The longer the manager is here, the better we will get," he added. "You can see his style in the team more and more every time we play - that's becoming second nature to the boys.
James Milner - Wikipedia
Fabio Quagliarella became the oldest ever player to score for Italy as the 36-year-old converted two penalties in a crushing 6-0 Euro 2020 qualifying win by the Azzurri over Liechtenstein on Tuesday.
Quagliarella becomes oldest goalscorer in Italy history
LONDON - Raheem Sterling's hat-trick in Manchester City's 3-1 win over Watford lifted the champions four points clear at the top of the Premier League after Tottenham Hotspur's challenge faltered again with a 2-1 loss at Southampton on Saturday.
Football: Man City surge clear through Sterling as Spurs suffer
Football News -SINGAPORE - The Fandi brothers are proving their fine vein of form is no fluke as both scored midweek for their respective clubs again.. Fandi brothers Irfan and Ikhsan score
Football: Fandi brothers Irfan and Ikhsan score again for BG
bigsportsnews.com/soccer/football-fandi-brothers-irfan-and-ikhsan-score-again-for-bg-pathum-and-raufoss-respectively/
Football: Fandi brothers Irfan and Ikhsan score again for BG Pathum and Raufoss respectively 05/16/2019 SINGAPORE - The Fandi brothers are proving their fine vein of form is no fluke as both scored midweek for their respective clubs again.
Football: Ikhsan Fandi scores in third successive match for
Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri has revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo should be fit for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Ajax this week. The Portuguese star has
Ronaldo fit for Juventus clash with Ajax - Allegri - Reuters
0 comments:
Post a Comment