Liverpool line-up vs Southampton and team news as fans have last chance to watch Milner and Firmino

Liverpool line-up v Southampton and team news as fans have last chance to watch Milner and Firmino

Saint Mary’s await Liverpool’s final game of the season, with the fate of both sides already decided.

Southampton are bottom of the table after being relegated to the league earlier this month, while Manchester United’s victory over Chelsea confirmed the Reds will finish the season in fifth place.
It offers Jürgen Klopp a rare opportunity to experience his side selection, after hinting at ‘fresh legs’ in his pre-match press conference. Liverpool had something on the final day of all but one of Klopp’s full Premier League seasons, with the title already wrapped snugly in the other!

This is how Liverpool could act.

Team news

This is what the manager told us on Friday morning:

Darwin Nunez is available after recovering from a toe injury

Ibrahima Konate has undoubtedly contracted an illness

Andy Robertson ‘felt something in his groin’ during training

Klopp told reporters: ‘It makes sense for us to make changes’

Liverpool XI vs. Southampton

After an emotional farewell at Aston Villa at Anfield, there’s room for feelings at Saint Mary’s.

Roberto Firmino and James Milner both came on as substitutes in the Reds’ last home game but could be considered to start in what would be their final appearances for the club.

The possible absences of Robertson and Konate also raise questions about who might fill their vacancies in light of the recent system adjustment. With that in mind, Liverpool could look like this:

Milner becomes team captain in his final appearance

Joe Gomez and Joel Matip replace injured defenders

Firmino leads the line past Cody Gakpo on final goodbye

Here’s how Liverpool would line up:

Alison; Alexandre-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Gomez; Fabinho, Milner, Jones; Salah, Jota, Firmino

The manager isn’t exactly the easiest man to predict at the best of times, but the nature of the game makes it even harder in this case.

Klopp could try to use the left-back to bring Milner onto the pitch as Kostas Tsimikas’ ability to occupy the left flank in the new system remains unclear.
Luis Diaz is also hoping to bounce back from a tough afternoon against Aston Villa as he continues his recovery from a knee injury.
As a result, we might see something like this instead:

Milner is expected to take Robertson’s place on the left side of the back four

Diaz and Gakpo join Mohamed Salah at the helm

Gomez will line up alongside Virgil van Dijk as a centre-back

Here’s what the alternate team might look like:

Alison; Alexandre-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dik, Milner; Fabinho, Henderson, Jones; Salah, Diaz, Gakpo

It’s a rare Sunday free-kick as we bid farewell to true Liverpool legends and look to end the season on a high.
A win would see the Reds end the season with eight wins from their last nine games, which certainly wouldn’t be a bad start to the summer.