Despite the gulf between Liverpool and Southampton this season, Arne Slot wants his players to treat their Premier League tie as the first of "three finals" this week.

Liverpool play Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last-16 second leg on Tuesday before facing Newcastle United in the EFL Cup final at Wembley next Sunday, as they bid to win their first trophy under Slot.

However, before that, they have a chance to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table to 16 points with a win over Southampton on Saturday, with Arsenal not playing until Sunday.

Liverpool snatched an impressive 1-0 victory over PSG in the first leg on Wednesday, and though Slot admitted that could affect his players, he was confident they would be ready.

"It's definitely something you take into account because you can only look at the data and probably then they run just as much as some other games," Slot said.

"I have to convince my players that we play three finals, like I said now a few times. A week to look forward to for every Liverpool fan, and I know the final is there and everybody is already talking to me about how the atmosphere will be on a Champions League night.

"But I hope, I hope, I truly hope, that our fans will be loudest [on Saturday]."

Meanwhile, Southampton sit at the other end of the table on just nine points, 13 adrift of 17th-place Wolves.

The Saints have won just one of their last 17 Premier League matches, losing each of the last three, which includes back-to-back 4-0 defeats to Brighton and Chelsea.

There have been rumours in recent weeks that Ivan Juric may not be the Southampton boss after this season, but after brushing off those rumours, he acknowledged they needed a big improvement to give themselves a chance.

When asked what he expects from the last 11 games, he said: "That we are much better than in the past two games.

"[It was a] really bad game against Chelsea, even though we did such good things. I don't want to repeat the Brighton game - I think that is the worst game I have coached."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Liverpool – Mohamed Salah

Mohamed Salah has scored or assisted a goal in 12 of Liverpool's 13 Premier League games at Anfield this season, including each of his last 11 in a row since the Reds’ only league defeat of the season so far against Nottingham Forest in September.

Only two different players have ever had a longer run of goal involvements in home games within a single Premier League season: Alan Shearer twice (13 in 1995-96, 15 in 1996-97) and Thierry Henry (12 in 2002-03).

Southampton – Paul Onuachu

Only Jean-Philippe Mateta (64) and Jorgen Strand Larsen (58) have attempted more hold-ups in the Premier League this season than Paul Onuachu (44).

Indeed, 31 of Onuachu's have come in 2025, the most of any player in the competition since the turn of the year.

MATCH PREDICTION: LIVERPOOL WIN

Liverpool have won 11 of their last 13 Premier League games against Southampton, with the exceptions being a 1-0 loss in January 2021 and a 4-4 draw in May 2023, both at St Mary's Stadium.

Liverpool won 3-2 against Southampton in the reverse fixture with the Reds top and Saints bottom of the table. This will be the fourth time in Premier League history both meetings between two sides have been as the top and bottom side in the division.

Indeed, there are 58 points between Liverpool (67) and Southampton (nine) coming into this match. It is the biggest points difference between two sides coming into a Premier League meeting since July 2020 when Liverpool (86) beat Aston Villa (27) 2-0 at Anfield (59).

Slot's side are unbeaten in each of their last 24 Premier League games (W17 D7). There is only one occasion of a team having a 24+ game unbeaten run ended by the team bottom of the table, with Manchester United losing to Wolves in February 2011 while on a 29-game streak.

Southampton are winless in their last nine Premier League away games against Liverpool (D2 L7), losing their last six visits to Anfield by an aggregate score of 19-1.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Liverpool – 78.9%

Draw – 12.5%

Southampton – 8.6%