A round-up of the latest Liverpool news as Paul Merson makes his prediction for the Premier League game at Southampton and Arne Slot provides a bleak injury update.
Liverpool have not made a bid for Rayan Cherki’s transfer from Lyon
Liverpool are well-informed of the talent Rayan Cherki boasts but suggestions the Reds have already made Lyon an offer for a transfer are wide of the mark. That is according to Graeme Bailey, who exclusively tells Rousing The Kop that the Reds have not made any approach yet.
Cherki is one potential option on Liverpool’s radar and he is also a leading transfer target for several European teams. But while the Anfield outfit have scouts monitoring the 21-year-old this term, no talks have taken place about the France U21 midfielder moving to Merseyside.
Lyon are at risk of having to sell some or most of their prized assets in January or at the end of the season after being provisionally relegated to Ligue 2 next term. Cherki has provided a glimmer of hope for Les Gones, though, with two goals and three assists in 11 appearances.
Read more about Liverpool’s interest in Cherki’s transfer from Lyon, here.
Arne Slot rules Alisson Becker and Diogo Jota out through injury for Liverpool at Southampton
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot fears goalkeeper Alisson Becker and star forward Diogo Jota will not be fit to face Southampton on Sunday or Real Madrid in the Champions League. He is also uncertain if the Reds will welcome Trent Alexander-Arnold back for either encounter.
The Anfield natives go to the south coast this weekend to resume their Premier League title bid. Liverpool lead the way through 11 games with 10 wins but will need to rely on back-up shot-stopper Caoimhin Kelleher to deputise for Alisson again owing to his hamstring injury.
Alisson has not featured since Liverpool beat Crystal Palace 1-0 on October 5. Jota has even been absent owing to a heavy collision he suffered in a 2-1 win over Chelsea on October 20. Alexander-Arnold sustained a hamstring injury as Liverpool beat Aston Villa on November 9.
The injury forced Alexander-Arnold to withdraw from representing England during the final international break of 2024. But Liverpool need to see more progress from the 26-year-old so they can rule him fit to visit Southampton or face Real Madrid at Anfield on Wednesday.
Slot said during his presser on Friday: “The last few days of the recovery is always the most tricky. So, for me, it’s difficult to judge if it will be one or two or three days or a bit longer.
“The only thing I can say is that with Alisson and Jota, I don’t expect them to be fit for that game [against Real Madrid]. With Trent, it’s going to be in-between.”
Read more about what Slot has said about Liverpool’s injury situation, here.
Paul Merson predicts Liverpool to beat Southampton in a 3-0 ‘rout’
Arsenal icon Paul Merson has predicted Liverpool will beat Southampton 3-0 when the Reds visit St Mary’s on Sunday. He is confident Arne Slot’s team can prevent a repeat of their only Premier League defeat against Nottingham Forest, which came after an international break.
The City Ground squad stunned the Anfield outfit when Nuno Espirito Santo’s side travelled to Merseyside in September. A sole goal from Callum Hudson-Odoi punished Liverpool, who did not score for the sole time thus far and have won all but one of their seven games since.
Merson cannot see Southampton stunning Liverpool like Nottingham Forest, however, as he expects the Saints to “shoot themselves in the foot”. Russell Martin’s squad sit rooted to the bottom of the table with one win in 11 fixtures and have conceded 21 goals to seven scored.
“I can’t see anything but a Liverpool win here,” Merson told Sportskeeda. “The only game they lost this season was after the international break in September, but I doubt that will happen again.
“I can’t see Southampton passing the ball around like they do for 90 minutes and not shoot themselves in the foot.
“I have a feeling Southampton will score, though. But over the 90 minutes, they will get hammered. If Liverpool can take their chances, it could become a rout!”
Read more about what Merson has predicted for Southampton vs Liverpool, here.
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