LIVERPOOL boss Arne Slot insists that Southampton have been ‘unlucky’ this season and are undeserving of their league position .
The Dutchman brings his side to St Mary’s for the first time under his leadership this weekend, with 24 points and 19 positions separating them in the table.
However, despite winning 15 of the 17 he has taken charge of this season – losing just once – and facing Real Madrid and Manchester City within the same week, Slot insists that he will not underestimate Saints and that his players are fully focused on Sunday.
Speaking ahead of the game in his press conference, he said: “If we want to stay where we are [top of the league], we have to keep bringing the results in and this isn’t going to be easy, starting Sunday.
“They are bottom of the league at the moment, but they do not play anything like this. They made it very difficult for the teams in the top five, their playing style is very interesting and it is a joy to watch because it is an interesting and nice way to play.
“They are a more than capable team, they’ve shown this against teams like us and, in my opinion, they’ve been very unlucky because their playing style is excellent and they could have got a result in almost every game they have played.
“Everyone is looking at the Real Madrid and Manchester City games, but Southampton is going to be a difficult one as well.”
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Both sides will have a key players missing ahead of this clash, with Slot confirming that Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Harvey Elliot, Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa will all be unavailable for their trip to the south coast.
However, the Reds will have former Saint Virgil van Dijk available despite the Dutchman returning to Liverpool early from international duty on medical grounds.
As for Southampton, goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale will be out until Christmas after requiring surgery on a broken finger, while Jan Bednarek will be unavailable for a few weeks due to a knee ligament problem.
