Hello and welcome to LIVE updates of the Premier League clash between Southampton and Liverpool. The match sees Virgil van Dijk return to St Mary's for the first time since he made his protracted move to Merseyside in January. Jurgen Klopp's men will be hoping to pick up a win which would see them move back above third-placed Tottenham, while the Saints are just a point above the drop zone and need a victory to maintain their recent good form. Kick off 16.30 GMT.

Pierre-Emile Højbjerg somehow wins a corner off Andrew Robertson, who tried but failed to let the ball run out next to the left byline. Fortunately for the left box, Liverpool repel the first delivery, with van Dijk mopping up the second with a smart header back to Karius.

KLOPP v SAINTS: The German boss has won just two and lost three of his eight matches versus the Saints.

Wesley Hoedt caught in possession by a terrible pass just outside his own box. Roberto Firmino latches onto it but tumbles far too easily. Play on, says the referee.

An early Liverpool corner from the right comes to nothing amidst the boos from the home crowd. Three former Saints have started for Liverpool this afternoon.

In contrast, Liverpool have lost just one of their last 17 league matches and have taken 38 points from 51 available. The odds seem stacked in the Merseysiders' favour, but they were when they lost that one game at Swansea a few weeks ago.

Southampton claimed a first victory in 13 at West Brom last week, but have not won a PL match at home since November. If they fail to triumph today they will equal their PL record of seven home matches without a win. If they do pull off the victory it would be the first time they have achieved back-to-back league successes since April 2017.

KICK OFF! Southampton get us underway. Liverpool are wearing their orange third kit.

JACK'S THE LAD: Jack Stephens has notched in his last three Southampton appearances after failing to get on the scoresheet in his first 38 outings.

Bad news for Southampton fans. Huddersfield's 4-1 win over Bournemouth coupled with Newcastle's surprise 1-0 success over Manchester United means the Saints start this game in 18th place.

DID YOU KNOW? The last Southampton player to score against Liverpool was Sadio Mane, back in March 2016. The Reds haven't conceded in their last three PL matches versus the Saints, but have won just one of the last six meetings in all competitions.

League head-to-head at Southampton: Liverpool 13 wins, Saints 19 wins, draws 10.

Mauricio Pellegrino: "Liverpool is a huge possibility for us but a really tough side. We want to learn and we want to improve from our experience away and we have to improve in different aspects in the way we play. Hopefully we feel at the end of the game that we are growing and we are continuing with this feeling."

As for the hosts, they make one chance from the 3-2 win at West Brom. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg replaces Sofiane Boufal.

Familiar faces.

Klopp has made three changes for Liverpool with Joel Matip, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Georginio Wijnaldum coming into the side. That means skipper Jordan Henderson has been left out ahead of the Champions League clash at Porto in midweek. Klopp explained his decision to the club's official website. He said: “He’s (Henderson) not injured but he gets a rest, I decided. He can do it today. It was hard to decide but it gives him the opportunity to make a real session instead of sitting on the bench today, because of the situation with Emre on Wednesday, that’s the truth.”

CONFIRMED TEAMS - SOUTHAMPTON: McCarthy, Soares, Stephens, Hoedt, Bertrand, Lemina, Romeu, Hojbjerg, Ward-Prowse, Carrillo, Tadic... Subs: Forster, Yoshida, Davis, Redmond, Boufal, Gabbiadini, Long. /// LIVERPOOL: Karius, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson, Can, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Wijnaldum, Mane, Firmino, Salah... Subs: Mignolet, Lovren, Moreno, Milner, Lallana, Ings, Solanke.