Southampton boss Ronald Koeman has had a lot to celebrate this season
Southampton host Liverpool on Sunday at St Marys with both teams in the race to claim a top four finish this season.
However, when the Saints faced the Reds in the reverse fixture on the opening weekend of the season nobody could have expected the team from the south coast to be in the top four in February.
Form
In truth though Ronald Koeman’s team produced a very decent performance in a narrow 2-1 defeat at Anfield and the decent performances just kept coming.
In the following months Koeman’s side has been maintained and despite a few blips along the way, has basically carried on to this point in the campaign.
Former-players
The issue of former-players cannot be ignored when it comes to Southampton and Liverpool. In the summer the Reds seem to see Southampton as their very own Waitrose, as Reds boss Brendan Rodgers looked to strengthen his squad and spend big money.
The Northern-Irishman brought in playmaker Adam Lallana, centre-back Dejan Lovren and striker Rickie Lambert, who were all considered key players for Southampton in previous campaigns.
Lallana had been at the club his whole career and was captain. He had played for the Saints since the days of League One football and last season enjoyed a stand-out campaign with goals and assists. He moved to Merseyside in a deal worth £25million.
Striker Rickie Lambert was considered the team’s talisman for many years and was also with the Saints since Nigel Adkins helped the club out of the third tier of English football.
His rise from non-league football to Premier League and international football was a slow one, but he has certainly made an impact in the top-flight since Southampton’s promotion in 2012.
A move to boyhood club Liverpool was a dream one and one he could not turn down. The striker cost the Reds £4million. His move has not exactly been a resounding success and he recently admitted that he came close to a January move to Aston Villa, but decided to stay at Anfield.
Croatian centre-back Dejan Lovren arrived at Southampton from Lyon in the summer of 2013 and immediately looked like a player that added reassurance to the Saints backline. One good season at Southampton led to a reported £20million move to Liverpool.
The Saints doubled their money on the Croatian centre-back and he has honestly not been missed by the team from the south coast. He has not exactly been a universal success at Anfield either, as he has struggled for form and with injuries.
Replacements
The doom about Southampton losing players quickly disappeared, as the likes of Toby Alderweireld, Ryan Bertrand, Dusan Tadic and Graziano Pelle all became key players in the team.
The Southampton hierarchy and Ronald Koeman have done some very canny business in the transfer market to make their team even stronger than last season. The Dutchman could prove to be the best signing of them all.
Boss
When Argentinian boss Mauricio Pochettino left the Saints for Tottenham there was a similar sort of doom and gloom to that of their star players leaving. However, the Argentinian leaving the club has been a blessing in disguise and the Saints are now above their former-boss in the league table.
Koeman comes across as a very cool, calm and collected individual and he has instilled a confidence that has helped the Saints enjoy a very good season. The Saints success has lead Koeman being linked with a number of other jobs and the Dutchman has had to dismiss speculation over his future.
Solid
The Saints defence have conceded fewer goals than any team in the top-flight. The summer signings of goalkeeper Fraser Forster, full-back Ryan Bertrand and centre-back Toby Alderweireld have been a key to that defensive record.
Forster has made the step up from the Scottish SPL seamlessly and has proved to be one of the most solid goalkeepers in the top-flight this season.
Test
Southampton’s chances of finishing in the top four of the Premier League and claiming a place in the Champions League next season have been rubbished by many. However, the Saints continue look to have the staying power to stay in that top four.
The Saints could kick-off this game outside the top four of the Premier League with the likes of Tottenham and Arsenal playing earlier than the Saints this weekend. The game against a Liverpool team who are very hard to beat will be a big test for Koeman’s men.
Odds
This game is a major test of both teams top four Champions League credentials, but the way that the Saints have been playing this season it would be difficult to write-off the men from the south coast.
Could Southampton get the better of their former-stars?
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