Liverpool v Southampton: Live matchday blog
Liverpool were eliminated from the EFL Cup at the semi-final stage after Shane Long scored a stoppage-time goal at Anfield to give Southampton a 2-0 aggregate victory.
The manager's verdict
Jürgen Klopp spoke to the media after the game in his post-match press conference tonight. You can read the manager's verdict on Liverpool's EFL Cup defeat to Southampton by clicking here.
Does the boss fear a hangover from this result?
"Absolutely not," he replies. "Tonight it was a really good performance in difficult circumstances. But obviously I'm disappointed to go out."
Klopp: "The performance was absolutely OK, but in the end we are out."
Jürgen Klopp has arrived for his post-match press conference
"I'm disappointed, but congratulations to Southampton. It's really difficult to create good chances against them - we did, but we didn't take them," says the boss.
Full Time
And there's the final whistle.
Liverpool controlled the majority of the second half, with Emre Can going agonisingly close to levelling the tie before Daniel Sturridge shot over the bar twice from close range.
Divock Origi saw strong shouts for a penalty rejected by Martin Atkinson in injury time, and Shane Long then scored on the break to seal Southampton's place in the EFL Cup final.
Goal
Origi goes down in the area at one end, with the referee waving away appeals for a penalty, before Shane Long wraps up the tie at the other after a swift Southampton break.
Substitution
A second change for Liverpool, with Wijnaldum on for Coutinho
Time's running out for Liverpool here. Can the Reds force extra-time?
Substitution
A third and final sub for Southampton as Redmond is replaced by Sims.
Substitution
Klopp makes his first change, with Origi coming on for Can.
Coutinho dips in from the left and curls a trademark effort just wide of the far post. Nearly!
Action shot
More pressure from Liverpool, but Southampton are defending deep and well at the moment.
19 minutes for the Reds to find a goal...
A sensational passing move from Liverpool ends with Sturridge volleying over on the stretch from Henderson's cross.
Coutinho then miscues a volley of his own from Firmino's pass.
The Reds are in charge at present, and the home crowd are responding loudly...
So close!
Sturridge attempts a bicycle kick from close range but sees his effort go over the bar.
Substitution
Hojbjerg comes on for Ward-Prowse for the Saints
This is better from Liverpool.
There's more zip to the Reds' play in the early stages of the second half, and Coutinho sees a shot blocked after Lallana had set him up.
Somehow the ball stays out after Forster spills a powerful Emre Can shot and just keeps it from crossing the line at the second attempt.
Action shot
Substitution
Long replaces Rodriguez for the Saints
Kick-Off
The second half begins.
Southampton made a change at the break, with Long coming on for Rodriguez.
Half Time
And there's the half-time whistle.
Sturridge and Firmino have both tested Forster from distance, but it's the visitors who have had the game's clearest chances on the counter-attack.
Karius' fantastic save denied Tadic, before Davis shot high into the Kop from close range.
An inswinging Milner cross narrowly misses Firmino at the back post, after Ward-Prowse had shot wide at the other end.
The only one of the 22 players on the pitch not in Southampton's half for that passage of play was Loris Karius.
Can's downward header in the area just evades Sturridge, before Coutinho's attempted pass to Lallana runs out of play.
Now Romeu blocks Coutinho's volley, before Davis slices a shot over after more good work from Redmond.
This game's come to life in the last 10 minutes or so
Karius makes a brilliant stop to deny Tadic from close range after another swift Southampton break involving the dangerous Redmond.
Milner has to be alert to block a low shot from Davis after a rapid Saints break down the left.
The pattern of the match appears to be set. Liverpool are dominating the ball, with Southampton happy to sit in and counter when the opportunity arises.
A dangerous Alexander-Arnold cross is cleared before it gets to Sturridge.
Pressure is building from the Reds.
And now it's Firmino's turn to test Forster, as his shot from 20 yards - which came at the end of an excellent Liverpool move - is saved
The Reds have the game's first shot on target, with Sturridge cutting inside onto his left foot after collecting Coutinho's pass and drilling low at Fraser Forster.
The first real sign of a threat from Southampton, but Ryan Bertrand can only fire his cross into the side-neting after a good move from the visitors.
Alexander-Arnold, on the stretch, nearly makes it to a brilliant pass from Coutinho down Liverpool's right.
A decent start from the Reds.
Plenty of possession for the Reds early on, but both teams just feeling their way into the game at this point.
The atmosphere is fantastic, though, with both sets of fans making plenty of noise.
Kick-Off
After a spine-tingling 'You'll Never Walk Alone', Liverpool get us under way.
The Reds are attacking the Anfield Road End in this first half.
The atmosphere's building nicely here at Anfield, with kick-off fast approaching.
The players are in the tunnel, with Jordan Henderson and Steven Davis about to lead their teams out.
Here's a reminder of tonight's line-ups...
Out to warm up
Ready to go...
The Reds pictured arriving at Anfield a short while ago...
THE LFC TEAM IN FULL
Here’s the Liverpool team and substitutes in full…
Karius, Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Matip, Milner, Henderson, Can, Lallana, Coutinho, Firmino, Sturridge.
Subs: Mignolet, Moreno, Lucas, Origi, Klavan, Woodburn, Wijnaldum.
FOUR CHANGES FOR REDS
The team news is in at Anfield and it confirms Liverpool have made four changes from the side that started against Swansea City on Saturday.
In come Loris Karius, Joel Matip, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Daniel Sturridge to begin against the Saints.
Nathaniel Clyne misses out due to the recent rib/abdominal injury he sustained.
Coutinho speaks: In full
We've just published the full transcript of our exclusive interview with Philippe Coutinho on his new long-term Liverpool contract.
If you fancy reading it, click here.
Waiting on that all-important team news? We'll have it for you here at around 6.45pm - don't miss it.
And another one
The skipper’s thoughts…
Jordan Henderson has used his notes in tonight’s matchday programme to issue a rallying cry following Saturday’s disappointing defeat to Swansea City…
“One of the great things about football is that it always presents you with opportunities. In our case, the opportunity we have this evening is to make amends for what happened on Saturday and give everyone associated with Liverpool FC a reason to be proud and optimistic,” Henderson writes, in 'This is Anfield'
“The performance and result against Swansea was poor. We didn’t play as well as we know we can. We didn’t concentrate as hard as we can. We didn’t work together, as a team, in the way we know we can and have proved this season that we are capable of.
“[But] Let me make it clear: what I’ve said above doesn’t mean we are dwelling on what happened on Saturday or allowing it to affect us in a negative way – the opposite in fact. We have to use what happened on Saturday and how we all felt after the game to make sure we have a positive reaction.
“There is a Wembley final at stake tonight, but that is only one of the motivating factors going into this tie. The biggest one is that we have a chance to show we are better that recent results and performances and results have suggested.
“This evening is a big challenge for us. We are 1-0 down in a cup tie against a very good side, which is packed with international-quality players and is well-organised and managed. But we have total belief that we can come back and win this semi-final.”
Words of wisdom from the manager...
Inspirational words from Jürgen Klopp in his programme notes tonight as Liverpool look to overturn the one-goal deficit from the first leg and reach Wembley…
“We are presented tonight with the chance to reach a Wembley cup final. Ourselves and Southampton are the first two teams who will have this opportunity and I know we will both be greedy and hungry to take it.
“Of course, in terms of the tie, it is currently advantage Southampton. They had the home leg first and they used that to get a 1-0 lead. But it is only ‘half-time’ really and the second half tonight is played on our pitch, at our ground, in front of our supporters. These are big factors I think.
“So Southampton’s advantage maybe is on the scoreboard when we kick off, but our motivation is in the opportunity that is there tonight for all of us who care about LFC, to go and do something special.”
He continued: “Tonight is about us, as a team and club and how we respond and perform, together. Everyone knows their job tonight: the team, including players, management and staff. The supporters know the impact they can have on occasions like this. And we know what the prize is and what it would mean to reach a final, keeping alive the chance to win the competition. We approach tonight in a positive mood and with belief that we can win and achieve our goal.”
All of the lights
Anfield looking magnificent under the early-evening floodlights...
No doubt Coutinho would love to celebrate his new contract with a goal against Southampton later. Any strike would add to his sublime collection for the Reds - all of which can be watched for free below...
The power of Anfield
Liverpool will 'go full power' into this game, pledges Divock Origi, in the quest to wipe out Southampton's slender advantage from the first leg. Click here to read our exclusive preview with the striker in full.
What are the odds?
The early match prices from our partner BetVictor are as follows.
Liverpool - 1/2
Draw - 10/3
Southampton - 6/1
Click here for more information.
'We have to punch back hard'
There is something of a theme to the programme notes of the manager and captain tonight.
"It is in moments such as these, with the focus being on us, to see how we react to setbacks, where I believe these players will show their very best qualities," writes Klopp. "It is where we, as a club, can show our very best qualities. That we stay together, we stay positive, we stay optimistic and we come out and we punch back and punch back hard."
Henderson states: "We have a chance tonight to come out punching and every single player in our dressing room will be hungry and ready to take that chance. No-one will be feeling sorry for themselves. No-one looking for excuses. Everyone will be looking to take the responsibility on their shoulders."
Here's a sneak peek at tonight's matchday programme...
A good omen?
Liverpool have form on January 25 in the League Cup...
Five years ago today, a dramatic night at Anfield saw the Reds book a place at Wembley with a thrilling 2-2 draw against Manchester City, having claimed a 1-0 win in the first leg away from home.
Can anybody emulate Craig Bellamy tonight?
Explore all of the stats behind both sides' EFL Cup campaign this season...
Team news
Klopp was able to confirm no fresh injury concerns for his team ahead of tonight's decisive second leg, though he offered details of how Jordan Henderson is coping with a troublesome heel issue.
The Saints, on the other hand, have a concern with team captain Virgil van Dijk after he picked up an ankle problem at the weekend. The central defender will be assessed before this game.
A look through the pre-match stats gives cause for Liverpool optimism this evening...
- The Reds have never lost both legs of a League Cup semi-final, nor failed to score in each game
- Of the previous 16 League Cup semi-final ties at Anfield, the hosts have lost just one - and still prevailed against Stoke on penalties
- Liverpool have failed to score in only five of their 51 meetings with Southampton on home soil
Watch the manager's Southampton preview in full with LFCTV GO...
Inspiration from the gaffer
There was something of a rallying cry from Jürgen Klopp at his pre-match press conference as he called for his players to bounce back from the defeat against Swansea when they face Southampton.
"Life is no guarantee, only a big opportunity. The football season is exactly the same – you don't have guarantees. Everybody wants it. But we have the opportunity to do our best every day and my job is to tell the boys this and make sure they know about it. You can be sure I do this. Then, let's fight again, this time Southampton at home."
Take a look at how the Reds have been preparing for tonight's tie with our footage and photos from Monday's session at Melwood...
As mentioned, Liverpool need to come from a goal behind on aggregate if they're to reach Wembley after Nathan Redmond's strike gave Southampton victory in the first leg at St Mary's.
Watch quickfire highlights of that game below.
Check out the clip below to hear what Coutinho had to say directly to fans as the ink was drying on his new Reds deal.
And make sure you head over to the homepage for more quotes from the No.10 and the boss about the extension, plus photos, videos and a special quiz!
Here we go...
Can Liverpool reach the League Cup final for the second season in a row? We'll find out tonight as the Reds attempt to overturn a 1-0 deficit against Southampton at Anfield.
It has already been a good day for the club off the pitch, with the news that Philippe Coutinho has committed his long-term future by signing a new contract.
Will it be a joyous night on the pitch? Stick with us as we bring you all of the build-up to the game, before live updates throughout the 90 minutes (and potentially longer) and reaction from the stadium.