Liverpool stays top after drawing 0-0 at Southampton

The former Saints man was nearly in again as he burst into the box five minutes before half-time, but Southampton centre-back Virgil van Dijk was on hand to prevent a shot on goal with an excellent block. Dejan Lovren missed the Watford match with a viral infection, but recovered over the global break and will be good to go.

And it was that game against Hull that was pretty much symptomatic of their season so far.

Mane was the thorn in the Liverpool’s side during the last meeting between the two teams back in March as his two goals saw Ronald Koeman’s Southampton produce a stunning 3-2 comeback victory.

The latter was pictured at Spire Hospital, raising doubts about his fitness, but he was not an automatic starter for the game having played 170 minutes for his country in addition to his taxing travel schedule.

Lovren was one of two players returning, along with Coutinho, who had been a doubt after reporting back from worldwide duty with a tight hamstring.

Clyne was culpable when substitute Sturridge’s cross found the England full-back free at the back post.

Saido Mane faces his former club, but Adam Lallana may miss out through injury.

Lovren was jeered every time he received the ball in an early spell of Liverpool possession that forced the home side back towards their own penalty area.

Lallana suffered the injury while away on worldwide duty with England last week with the Reds midfielder forced off not long after giving Gareth Southgate’s side the lead during the first half of an eventual 2-2 draw with Spain at Wembley.

While Liverpool continue to challenge at the top of the table, Stoke are in 13th place after Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth – 15 points behind leaders Chelsea.

But if there is a team that can hold on to that top spot and maintain an impressive start to such a season whilst coming against a very tough opponent, it’s Liverpool.

“He was one of the four or five Premier League players previous year who I had personally met before”, Klopp said.

Southampton and Liverpool shared the spoils at St Mary’s after a frustrating Saturday contest for the visitors ended in a scoreless draw.

“That’s fine, brilliant, not a problem for me”. It was an away game at Southampton and a good performance – with a clean sheet. He said the only thing is we didn’t score, but sometimes in these games you can concede a goal and lose the game so the result was not that bad. “But then my mother says you have to be kind”.