Liverpool's final match before the mid-season break sees them welcome an in-form Southampton side to Anfield on Saturday, report agencies. Jurgen Klopp's champions-elect continued their procession towards the title with a 2-0 win over West Ham United in their game in hand on Wednesday night, but face a Southampton side flying up the Premier League table.
The Reds' unbeaten run in the Premier League now stretches back to 41 games, and should they avoid defeat to Southampton on Saturday then they would equal Nottingham Forest's mark from 1978, with only Arsenal's Invincibles then left ahead of them in the annals of English top-flight football.
Klopp's side have not conceded at Anfield in any competition since December 4, keeping five clean sheets in row having begun the campaign without one in their first 12, and their home form is arguably even more daunting than their overall record.
It is now 52 outings since Liverpool last lost a league game in front of their own fans, while they have scored in each of their last 27 of those, which is their longest such run since a 38-game streak from May 1967 to February 1969.
Southampton will not be expecting too much from their trip up north, then, particularly given that they have only won four of their 40 Premier League away games on Merseyside against both Liverpool and Everton. After winning just two and losing eight of their opening 13 games, Ralph Hasenhuttl's side have now won seven and lost only three of their last 11, fully vindicating the board's decision to keep faith with a manager once dubbed the 'Alpine Klopp'.
Indeed, Southampton have won a higher proportion of their points away from home than any other team this season, and should they pull off a huge upset this weekend then it would be only the second time in their history that they have won five away league games on the bounce - and the first in the top flight.
Like Liverpool, Southampton have an FA Cup replay getting in the way of their mid-season break, but once they return to Premier League action after this weekend they have a kind run of fixtures to look forward to. Sadio Mane is expected to miss the visit of his former club as he continues to recover from the hamstring injury he picked up against Wolverhampton Wanderers, but he should be back after the winter break.
Divock Origi is likely to deputise again should he overcome the muscle cramps which forced his early withdrawal against West Ham, particularly with Adam Lallana and Xherdan Shaqiri also both doubtful for the match. James Milner has an outside possibility of featuring too, leaving Nathaniel Clyne as the only long-term absentee for the hosts.
Mohamed Salah will be looking to continue his fine record against Southampton, having scored five goals and created one more in his five such Premier League appearances. That record includes three goals in two games at Anfield, and no player has scored more Premier League goals on home turf than Salah's tally of 10 this season.
No Liverpool player can match the goalscoring feats of ex-Red Danny Ings so far this term, though, and the 14-goal striker is expected to lead the line for Southampton against his former club. Stuart Armstrong has scored in Southampton's last two away games but will miss this one due to a hip injury, while Arsenal-bound Cedric Soares would be unavailable even if his move to the Emirates fails to materialise before the deadline.
