Liverpool slump once again as a late Long goal takes Southampton to Wembley to set up a likely double Gameweek scenario for Arsenal and Alexis Sanchez.
Liverpool 0 Southampton 1 (0-2 on aggregate)
Shane Long (6.1) sent Southampton to Wembley with a 90th minute EFL Cup semi-final winner that a resolute Saints thoroughly deserved.
Liverpool dominated possession but rarely threatened, with Daniel Sturridge (9.7) missing the one clear chance they created when he volleyed over from just five yards out. The only other major scare for the visitors came when Fraser Forster (5.1) somehow slapped the ball off the goal-line from his own fumble.
Oriol Romeu (4.5) and Maya Yoshida (4.2) were superb for the Saints, who sat deep and yet always carried a threat on the break; a threat that finally bore fruit when Long smashed home from a Josh Sims (4.2) assist.
With the EFL Cup final taking place on Sunday, February 26, Southampton’s Gameweek 26 home match with Arsenal will now be postponed. If that translates to a double Gameweek 34 or 37, as it did in the previous two seasons, then the Saints will also face either a trip to Chelsea or Middlesbrough. Arsenal will entertain Sunderland or go to Stoke City.
There will be more time to assess the scenario in full. However, clearly, the immediate impact is that with Manchester United also favourites to progress to the final via tonight’s tie with Hull City, we face the prospect of being without both Alexis Sanchez and Zlatan Ibrahimovic for Gameweek 26 – the top two owned Fantasy Premier League assets.
While that will come as a blow, the preferred strategy will surely be to bench both and absorb their loss for that weekend.
In saying that, it’s worth bearing in mind that, should Arsenal and United both progress to the FA Cup quarter finals – which take place on the weekend of Gameweek 28 – Sanchez and Ibra could conceivably face two blanks over three rounds of fixtures.
The upside, of course, would be the subsequent doubles to follow as a result of rescheduling, making them key targets for the Triple Captain chip, or as part of a Bench Boosted squad.
Returning to Southampton’s triumph, skipper Virgil van Dijk (5.8) missed the Anfield tie as he continues to struggle with an ankle problem. Reports on Wednesday suggested that the Dutchman would be facing up to three months on the sidelines with the injury setback suffered against Leicester City on Sunday, although the club are yet to confirm that prognosis.
Claude Puel addressed Van Dijk’s situation post-match, to reveal that the defender is to undergo further scans and consult specialist advice. That would certainly indicate that we are unlikely to see Van Dijk for the Gameweek 23 trip to Swansea City.
Jack Stephens (4.0) was a more than able deputy for the Dutchman in Tuesday’s tie, one of just two changes Puel made to his side. Stephens, along with Yoshida, now represents a budget route into a Saints defence that, as demonstrated in last night’s tie, could offer real value as a source of defensive returns. However, that presumes that Puel will not move into the market prior to Tuesday’s transfer deadline.
Elsewhere for the Saints, both James Ward-Prowse (5.0) and Jay Rodriguez (6.3) were withdrawn with injuries, with the latter suffering an ankle problem which saw him swapped for Long at half-time. Both appear to be early doubts for Saturday’s FA Cup tie with Arsenal and the Tuesday meeting with the Swans.
Jurgen Klopp was more bold with his Liverpool line-up, bringing in four fresh faces, most notably Joel Matip (5.3), who replaced Ragnar Klavan (4.6) after finally being cleared to play following his bizarre club versus country issue.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (4.3) again came in for Nathaniel Clyne (5.8). The England right-back played the full match at the weekend, but a recurrence of his rib injury sidelined him against the Saints.
It has been a terrible January for the Reds, who have won just once in six attempts – and that was 1-0 at League Two Plymouth.
The return of Philippe Coutinho (8.3 and 18.7%-owned) has not borne fruit as yet – the Brazilian managed 87 minutes but again lacked any real spark– and Liverpool have sorely missed Sadio Mane’s (9.0) attacking verve.
To cap a miserable month, Mane’s Senegal finished top of their group in the Africa Cup of Nations 24 hours before the Reds’ EFL Cup exit, so his absence will be extended further.
With Chelsea and Spurs to come over the next three Gameweeks, any sign of an end to their 2017 slump could remain equally elusive.
Liverpool XI: Karius, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Lovren, Milner, Can (Origi 78), Henderson, Lallana, Firmino, Sturridge, Coutinho (Wijnaldum 87).
Subs not used: Mignolet, Klavan, Moreno, Lucas, Woodburn.
Southampton XI: Forster, Cedric, Stephens, Yoshida, Bertrand, Ward-Prowse (Hojbjerg 59), Romeu, Davis, Tadic, Rodriguez (Long 45), Redmond (Sims 81).
Subs not used: Lewis, Clasie, Martina, McQueen.
