Liverpool host Southampton in the third round of the Carabao Cup tonight.
The Premier League holders boast a flawless record of six wins from six in 2025-26 as they begin their quest to return to the final of the league cup, a stage on which they were beaten last season.
CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW LIVERPOOL VS SOUTHAMPTON LIVE!
However, in the wake of last weekend’s Merseyside derby victory Arne Slot has already revealed that several of his key players - including Mohammed Salah and Virgil van Dijk - will be handed a midweek rest against Saints, who may now view Tuesday’s clash as a chance to pick up a shock win that jumpstarts their campaign.
Will Still’s men are currently 19th in the Championship after picking up just one win from their first six games back in the second tier - a poor run that includes a 3-1 loss to Hull on Saturday.
With that gulf in form plus the depth Liverpool have at their disposal, a trip to face the record 10-time league cup winner at their Anfield home won’t have been Southampton fans’ first choice fixture this early in the competition.
After all, Slot can still call on the likes of Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz - both of whom were benched over the weekend - and Hugo Ekitike as well as multiple promising youngsters.
The Reds have also lost just once in all competitions against the St Mary’s club since 2017. But this is still cup football, and anything can realistically happen in a 90-minute win-or-go-home tie.
How to watch Liverpool vs Southampton
TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on ITV, which is free-to-air and Sky Sports. Coverage begins at ITV1 at 7.30pm BST but at 7pm on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Ultra HDR ahead of the 8pm kick-off.
Live stream: Sky Sports subscribers can watch the match live online via the Sky Go app, while ITVX will offer a live stream service.
Live blog: You can also follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog.
