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On Wednesday, Southampton will face Liverpool in the quarterfinals of the EFL Cup at St. Mary's, marking the beginning of life without Russell Martin.
The humiliating 5-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur at home in Sunday's Premier League match led to Martin's dismissal, and Simon Rusk has been named temporary manager.
Previous Matches and Head-to-head
Southampton had a problematic December schedule, but Martin was brought down by how his team lost, particularly at home to Spurs and Chelsea.
Many home fans demanded the manager's dismissal after going 3-0 down in the first fourteen minutes and letting five goals in before halftime on Sunday night. Eventually, their desire came true later that night.
With their 13th loss in 16 Premier League games this season, Southampton are now nine points below safety after losing to Spurs.
With nine goals scored in three cup victories over Cardiff City, Everton (on penalties) and Stoke City, Martin's season was marred by negativity.
After losing in the first round of the EFL Cup to Gillingham last season, the Saints will be looking to make it to the semi-finals for the second year.
Southampton last made it to the finals in 2017, when they revenged a 6-1 home loss to Liverpool in the quarterfinals the previous season by defeating Liverpool in a two-legged semi-final.
Hosts face current holders, 10-time champions, and Premier League leaders—a formidable opponent.
Following in the footsteps of Jurgen Klopp—who guided Liverpool to back-to-back EFL Cup victories—new manager Arne Slot will aim to win the tournament despite playing in the top division.
Despite Slot's heavy rotation, both West Ham United and Brighton & Hove Albion were eliminated, making them the favorites to win the tournament.
Last month, Liverpool prevailed at St. Mary's after falling early in the second half in a five-goal thriller. However, they are now on a two-game losing run domestically, which is quite disappointing for Slot, considering his impressive start.
Diogo Jota scored the game-winning goal in the 92nd minute at Anfield, allowing Liverpool to rally from a goal down against Fulham last weekend despite being down to 10 men early in the match due to Andy Robertson's expulsion.
Following the delay of the Merseyside derby and Liverpool's late loss to Newcastle United, Chelsea has been able to pull level with the league leaders, reducing the lead to two points.
Southampton x Liverpool Team News
After Joe Lumley and Alex McCarthy failed to impress during their time in goal, Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale hinted over the weekend that he may be back in the lineup this week, adding consistency to that position.
After receiving a red card against Chelsea, Jack Stephens will serve the last game of a three-game suspension. On the other hand, fellow defender Jan Bednarek returned from a knee injury he sustained while playing for Poland over the weekend.
Rusk may still choose a powerful squad to boost morale, despite Premier League safety now being the first concern, after Martin used almost a full roster in the previous round's victory against Stoke.
Robertson will be absent for Liverpool due to his red card from the weekend. At the same time, Alexis Mac Allister, suspended for two tournaments and missed Liverpool's matches against Fulham and Girona, will be available to play again.
Slot may use this match to help Jota get in shape for a busy schedule around the new year after he scored on his return to the team over the weekend.
So far in this tournament, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah have had rests, and Alisson, who returned from a two-month break last week, may also make way for Caoimhin Kelleher.
The Reds' injury list is lengthy, missing Ibrahima Konate, Conor Bradley, and Kostas Tsimikas; as a result, Slot has very little defensive flexibility; Joe Gomez, Jarell Quansah, and Van Dijk will likely start at right back.
Our predictions
Liverpool to win and over 2.5 goals @ 1.65 on Sky247.ng
After losing Martin, the hosts will be looking for a rebound, but they've gotten themselves a very tough opponent. Despite Slot's possible rotation, Liverpool should have enough chances to secure an easy victory.
There should also be goals; with five in last month's league encounter, the total number of goals scored in this matchup at St. Mary's since Southampton's promotion in 2012 is 48.
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