Liverpool predicted line-up vs Southampton as Jurgen Klopp demands Darwin Nunez change

Liverpool host Southampton in their final match before the Premier League takes a break for the World Cup, with boss Klopp hoping for record signing Nunez to show an improvement

Jurgen Klopp has demanded an improvement from Darwin Nunez (

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Darwin Nunez looks set to start up front alongside Mohamed Salah for Liverpool’s clash with Southampton.

Salah, who is not going to the World Cup in Qatar, will play alongside Nunez up front with Firmino in behind. Klopp is looking for more signs of a developing relationship between Andy Robertson and Nunez on the left flank, and the German has called for the Uruguayan to work more on his defensive role.

“We know Darwin can be a real threat offensively but defensively there is room for improvement,” said Klopp. “We don’t want to talk to him all the time about defending and all of a sudden he forgets to attack so we want to give him the freedom to feel like a striker.”

Klopp expressed amazement that Brazil have left Roberto Firmino out of their World Cup squad calling it “madness”. And he has warned Southampton to brace themselves firmly for a backlash this afternoon.

The Liverpool boss has demanded his side end part one of this split season in a positive manner when Nathan Jones marches his Saints north. And in Firmino he believes he has a player with a point to prove after a difficult week.

“It is a blow for him definitely,” he said. “You couldn’t see it in training but you could see. And it was a blow for me. He deserves it, I think he deserves everything in the world. It shows just how incredibly good and talented this Brazil squad is if you can leave a player like Bobby out.

“It’s madness. He is fine but very disappointed.”

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Liverpool’s expected starting line-up against Southampton (

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Mirror Football)

Contrasting emotions will be coursing the Liverpool dressing room this afternoon with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson, Virgil van Dijk, Jordan Henderson, Darwin Nunez and Ibrahima Konate called up and others missing out.

According to Klopp, Alexander-Arnold and Konate have not stopped beaming since getting the Qatar call up for England and France respectively. Harvey Elliott, who Klopp described as “an incredible player and talent”, looks set to play on the right side of a midfield trio with Fabinho and Thiago.

Fresh from being called-up by Brazil for the World Cup, Alisson will start in goal at Anfield. Alexander-Arnold will line up at right-back, with Konate and Virgil van Dijk selected at centre-back.

Robertson will be selected at left-back as Klopp searches for signs of his partnership with Nunez. The Liverpool boss is hoping his side can “finish on a high” in their final outing before the Premier League breaks for the World Cup.

“If Southampton showed anything, there was for sure attitude, they were a highly motivated team, they were really going for it and these kinds of things. So, now, yes, with the manager it might be an extra few per cent – that’s possible,” Klopp said.

“For us, it is not our problem because we always expect a really motivated opponent but, of course, we have no real clue. There is now not a lot of time to change a lot of things but what we saw… in our analysis meeting we had it was half Southampton and half Luton just to see what he is doing.

“Because we don’t know, we have to focus on ourselves and that’s what we do [and] that’s what we try. We expect from ourselves a really good game, a game you can win, not because [of] the opponent but because we have to show up. It is the last game for a long time and that’s why we want to finish on a high.”

Liverpool predicted line-up: Alisson; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil Van Dijk, Andy Robertson; Harvey Elliott, Fabinho, Thiago; Roberto Firmino; Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez