LIVERPOOL manager Jurgen Klopp has given a glowing assessment of “tricky” Saints ahead of their meeting and called on his team and supporters to make an atmosphere to overcome their "big advantage."
Saints travel to Anfield on the back of a 2-1 defeat at Norwich but were unbeaten in four before that, with three wins.
Klopp knows how dangerous Ralph Hasenhuttl’s sides can be following Saints’ 1-0 victory over the Kop outfit at St Mary’s in January.
Liverpool played midweek in the Champions League, defeating Porto 2-0 at Anfield on Wednesday - something the boss has labelled as a "big advantage" for Saints.
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The popular German manager has given his assessment of the challenge they face.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Klopp said: “Ralph is obviously organising a proper team there for each game.
“Especially when they expect themselves to have probably not the majority of possession they are really organised, I have to say.
“It’s a 4-4-2, at least they start very often and from time to time they change in the game, but they are very organised, very well drilled team.
“That’s the problem you have so you need to be creative to break them down, they don’t concede a lot of shots on target.”
He continued: “That’s the thing, one of the issues we have to find solutions for. But that’s exactly why we meet on Saturday afternoons to find solutions for these kind of things.
“It will be again the last home game for a few days or longer and it is a home game so I hope we use that and enjoy that, creating the right atmosphere, as that will be essential.
“We need to be ready for tricky moments against Southampton because of their organisation, either you win the ball back immediately or you face a counter-attack – but they are not only a counter-attack team, with possession they do some really smart stuff.
“Really active full-backs, good footballing wingers who come more or less inside in the half-spaces.
“We don’t know who will be the strikers but all of them are good on the ball, a proper threat, it’s a good football team I have to say.
"Big advantage they obviously have is that they didn't play midweek while we did, we always say Wednesday-Saturday is not the best rhythm but we need to be as refreshed as is possible."
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