Can Southampton protect their narrow EFL Cup lead when they travel to Liverpool, at 8pm on Sky Sports 1?

The Saints were unlucky to only end the 1st leg with just a one goal lead. Claude Puel’s side were all over Liverpool a fortnight ago, yet could only manage to convert Nathan Redmond’s strike midway through the first half. That could come back to haunt them on Wednesday, a 1-0 deficit all too easy for the Premier League’s top scorers to overcome.



At least Southampton showed a bit more prowess upfront at the weekend. Having lost 4 league games in a row the Saints were in desperate need of a win; fortunately they faced the similarly struggling Leicester. The defending champions capitulated at St Mary’s, allowing Southampton to romp to a reinvigorating 3-0 victory. However, that win came with a price – star defender, and constant transfer target, Virgil van Dijk was forced off in the 55th minute through injury, and may end up missing the 2nd leg at Anfield. That’s a huge blow to the Saints, especially since, as mentioned, Liverpool can be pretty terrifying going forwards.

If van Dijk is absent it means that Southampton will have to be a bit more diligent at taking their chances. Jay Rodriquez heads into the semi-final at a Super Mega PGM of 13-17, followed by Shane Long and Dusan Tadic, both at 12-16, and Nathan Redmond at 7-10.

As for the Reds, well, 2017 hasn’t left them the happiest bunch. They’ve picked up just 1 win in 6 games, and even that was a limp 1-0 affair in their FA Cup replay against Plymouth. Most recently Liverpool suffered a shock against Swansea; after coming back from 2-0 down they were gazumped by Gylfi Sigurdsson, a defeat that not only pushed them into 4th place but saw them fall 10 points behind league leaders Chelsea.

However, with Joel Matip finally set to return after 6 weeks of debate between the club, FIFA and Cameroon Liverpool should be a bit sturdier at the back, freeing the side to go hell for leather up front. Roberto Firmino, who nabbed both goals in the thwarted comeback against Swansea, sits at a Super Mega PGM of 33-39, the same spread as Divock Origi, while Daniel Sturridge is at 38-44.

The semi-final 2nd leg also comes at a pretty sticky time schedule-wise for both sides. Given that their Premier League season is a bust Southampton will want to do well in the FA Cup, something that is made more difficult by the fact they host Arsenal on Saturday. For Liverpool, their FA Cup fixture is against the ostensibly inferior Wolves, though one imagines Klopp has learnt his lesson after the Plymouth debacle; the real focus, however, is the visit from Chelsea next Tuesday, a game that could spell the end of the Reds’ title hopes if they fail to pick up a win.

Nevertheless, that will have to all be put aside on Wednesday as the Reds aim to both overturn that 1st leg deficit and get their season back on track, with Spreadex offering a Liverpool/Southampton Goal Supremacy spread of 1.15-1.35 alongside a Total Goals spread of 2.7-2.9.