Southampton will begin a new chapter without Russell Martin as they prepare to host Liverpool at St. Mary’s in the EFL Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday. The manager was sacked after Sunday’s crushing 5-0 Premier League loss to Tottenham Hotspur, leaving Simon Rusk in interim charge.
December proved to be a brutal month for Southampton, with heavy defeats to Chelsea and Spurs sealing Martin's fate. Sunday’s humiliation, where Spurs scored three times in the opening 14 minutes and five before halftime, prompted fans to leave St. Mary’s early and call for the manager’s dismissal—a decision the club confirmed later that evening.
The Saints now sit firmly at the bottom of the Premier League table, nine points adrift of safety after 13 losses in 16 games. The only bright spot under Martin this season has been Southampton’s EFL Cup run, which saw them net nine goals in victories over Cardiff City, Everton (via penalties), and Stoke City.
This represents a stark improvement from last year when they were knocked out in the first round by Gillingham. Now, the team will aim to reach the semi-finals for the second time in three years, having been finalists in 2017.
However, Southampton face a daunting challenge against Liverpool, the current EFL Cup holders, 10-time winners, and Premier League leaders. Adding to the drama, the Saints eliminated Liverpool in the 2017 semi-finals, a revenge victory following a 6-1 quarter-final thrashing at St. Mary’s the year before.
Liverpool, now under new manager Arne Slot, continue to set the standard in the EFL Cup. Slot has seamlessly carried the torch from Jürgen Klopp, who led Liverpool to two EFL Cup titles in the last three seasons. Despite rotating his squad, Slot has guided his team past Premier League opponents West Ham United and Brighton & Hove Albion with ease, solidifying their position as competition favorites.
The Reds recently visited St. Mary’s just last month, emerging victorious in a thrilling 3-2 encounter despite falling behind early in the second half. However, they’ve hit a rare domestic speed bump, failing to win their last two league matches.
On Saturday, Liverpool fought back for a 2-2 draw against Fulham after Andy Robertson was sent off early, with Diogo Jota delivering a crucial late equalizer. That followed the postponement of the Merseyside derby and another draw at Newcastle United, allowing Chelsea to narrow the gap at the top of the table to just two points.
As Southampton look to salvage their season with an upset and Liverpool aim to reaffirm their dominance, all eyes will be on St. Mary’s for what promises to be a captivating quarter-final clash.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale has hinted that he could return to action this week, offering some much-needed stability in goal. Joe Lumley and Alex McCarthy have struggled to impress during their recent appearances, leaving the position unsettled in Ramsdale's absence.
Defender Jack Stephens will miss out as he serves the final match of his three-game suspension after being sent off against Chelsea. On a brighter note, Jan Bednarek made his return over the weekend after recovering from the knee injury he sustained while on international duty with Poland.
In the last round, former manager Russell Martin fielded a near full-strength lineup to secure a win against Stoke. While Southampton's battle for Premier League survival now takes priority, interim boss Simon Rusk could opt for a strong squad to boost morale in the wake of recent struggles.
For Liverpool, Andy Robertson is unavailable after his red card over the weekend, but Alexis Mac Allister is set to return after serving suspensions in two separate competitions. Diogo Jota, who marked his return with a goal against Fulham, is unlikely to start here due to lingering discomfort after the match. Manager Arne Slot might have hoped to use this game to build Jota’s fitness, but caution seems the more likely approach.
Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, who have been rested throughout Liverpool’s EFL Cup campaign so far, could feature this time. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Alisson may be replaced by Caoimhin Kelleher, despite the Brazilian recently returning from a two-month injury layoff.
Defensive options remain limited for Liverpool, with Ibrahima Konaté, Conor Bradley, and Kostas Tsimikas still sidelined. This could force Slot to field a backline that includes Van Dijk, Joe Gomez, and young Jarell Quansah, as Liverpool seek to maintain their momentum in the competition.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Southampton possible starting lineup:
Ramsdale; Sugawara, Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Manning; Aribo, Ugochukwu, Fernandes; Dibling, Onuachu, Armstrong
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Van Dijk, Gomez; Mac Allister, Endo, Jones; Elliott, Gakpo, Nunez
EXPERT PREDICTION
Southampton 1-3 Liverpool
Southampton will be hoping for a spark after Martin's dismissal, but they face a daunting challenge against one of the toughest opponents imaginable. Even with Slot likely to rotate his squad, Liverpool should have the quality to secure a convincing victory.
Goals are likely to feature prominently once again. The five scored in last month's league clash brought the total in this fixture to an impressive 48 across the 14 meetings at St. Mary’s since Southampton’s promotion in 2012.
