LFCTV GO subscribers can watch highlights and reaction from tonight's game by clicking here.

Or watch our 90-second summary of the action below.

Jürgen's verdict

After the game, Klopp spoke about the Reds' performance, Loris Karius' display and the return of Philippe Coutinho from injury. You can read the post-match thoughts of the boss in full by clicking here.

Klopp: "It was nice to see Coutinho back. You saw immediately how good he is."

Klopp: "A 1-0 defeat is the third-best possible result after a win and a draw! We need to react at Old Trafford on Sunday."

Jürgen Klopp has arrived for his post-match press conference

"The start was good, if we'd have played like that for 90 minutes it could've been a very different result," says the boss.

"We had not a lot of chances. The performance doesn't feel good of course, but for the final - everything is still open. We'll strike back at Anfield and it's still possible to go to Wembley."

Numbers game

Take a look at our Opta widgets below to see how that went for the Reds.

Coutinho shimmies at the edge of the box before an outside-of-the-boot attempt to find Sturridge instead finds touch.

Liverpool may be forced to settle for an aggregate deficit.

Redmond inches away from a second as he chips the ball back over Karius and it clips the bar.

Liverpool could do without taking a two-goal deficit to Anfield.

Clyne pulls the ball back to Coutinho at the edge of the box but the No.10's effort flies well over.

Liverpool lacking the sharpness in the final third that we're used to so far.

Match shot

Good to have you back, Phil.

Liverpool looking brighter now, with both Lallana and Firmino sending in efforts on goal.

Unfortunately, neither tests Forster in the Saints goal

Sturridge goes down in the box under the attentions of Van Dijk but the referee is having none of it. 

Liverpool struggling to break Southampton down.

Liverpool not enjoying the best start to the half, with Southampton having already won a free-kick in a dangerous position and a corner kick. 

Those two chances came to nothing, but the Reds won't want to give Claude Puel's side a sniff.

BETVICTOR says

Southampton 11/20
Draw 12/5
Liverpool 6/1

Click here to take advantage of those odds.

Match shot

Liverpool's man of the half?

Stats all, folks

Take a look at the numbers from that half with our Opta widget below.

Superb from Loris Karius.

Southampton work it will down the left before a low cross comes into Redmond, who has the goal at his mercy from close range.

His left-footed drive is somehow kept out by the visitors' No.1, though, as he produces a fine reflex save.

Coutinho emerges to warm up and gets a chorus of his name sung by the travelling supporters.

 The visitors could do with the Brazilian.

Rodriguez lines one up from distance and wins a corner with a deflected shot at goal.

Saints looking increasingly dangerous against an off-colour Reds.

Liverpool producing moments of pressure as they look to get back in the game but Southampton are only happy to sit deep and look for the counter.

The Reds need to be wary of pushing forward too much - there's still a second leg to come.

And now a chance for Southampton as a cross from the right finds Redmond but Karius gets out brilliantly to smother the shot.

A let-off for the Reds courtesy of some excellent goalkeeping.

Close!

Lallana heads a lofted ball down into the path of Firmino, but the Brazilian's shot is parried away by Forster.

The best chance of the game so far by some distance.

Match shot

Nathaniel Clyne takes a pop at goal from distance. Can't imagine many have him down as first goalscorer...

A short break in play as Van Dijk takes a breather after a meaty aerial duel with Sturridge.

The Saints centre-back is fine to continue, however, leaving the visitors free to continue dominating the early proceedings.

An early opportunity for the Reds to raid forward but Can lets the ball run too far after receiving a pass from Wijnaldum in the box. Unlucky.

Nearly there

The warm-ups are complete at St Mary's and we are just 10 minutes from kick-off.

The stadium still some way off full but this one is a sell-out so expect a good atmosphere come the start of the match.

Here's a reminder of tonight's two line-ups...

Behind the scenes

A sneak peak at the visitors' dressing room at St Mary's this evening.

More from the programme

Jordy Clasie knows tonight's hosts face a tough task in bettering the Reds over two legs to reach the final of the EFL Cup.

In his interview for this evening's matchday programme, the Dutchman has discussed the reasons why Jürgen Klopp's team are so difficult to stop.

He said: "This year, we got a draw against them in [the Premier League], maybe with a bit of luck, because they were the better team that day but it's football and anything can happen.

"I think the game [earlier in the season], we dropped too much back. I was on the bench, and in my opinion the first 10 or 15 minutes were okay and then, after that, I think we dropped too much back. 

"But, of course, it's also normal against a team that presses so high. They keep pressing for 90 minutes, so it's very hard to play against them, but against every team there are opportunities, so we have to go for them."

Saints boss Claude Puel's notes in the matchday programme make for interesting reading...

"Liverpool proved their quality during our Premier League meeting earlier in the season so we know it'll be a tough game," he writes.

Liverpool XI in full: Karius, Clyne, Lovren, Klavan, Milner, Lucas, Can, Wijnaldum, Lallana, Firmino, Sturridge.

Substitutes: Mignolet, Gomez, Moreno, Stewart, Coutinho, Woodburn, Origi.

TEAM NEWS

Daniel Sturridge leads the line for Liverpool at St Mary's, with Klopp making eight changes to the side that started against Plymouth last weekend. Philippe Coutinho makes a welcome return on the bench.

The stage is set...

Daniel Sturridge would love to make an impact at St Mary's and his track record in the competition bodes well, given he has scored eight times in six League Cup appearances for Liverpool.

On the prospect of the No.15 getting a run in the side, Klopp said: "If he stays on this fitness level and improving as he always should, that is perfect. It is perfect news for him and for us that he can perform. It would be cool if we could speak like this for the next few weeks and months."

The key men

Who will they be this evening? Use the Opta tool below to see how individual players have performed for the two teams in the league so far this season...

Remember this?

On this day in 2005, Steven Gerrard scored the only goal of the game as Liverpool beat Watford 1-0 at Anfield in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final.

The legendary midfielder also bagged the solitary strike of the return leg at Vicarage Road a fortnight later to send the Reds to Cardiff.

What are the odds?

Our partner BetVictor is offering the following prices for the game. Click here if you fancy a flutter.

Southampton - 9/4
Draw - 12/5
Liverpool - 13/10

A reminder that if you cannot watch tonight's game, we have the most passionate LFC commentary around available for free. Simply click here ahead of kick-off to listen in.

Emre's aim

Emre Can has particular motivation to make sure Liverpool navigate this semi-final successfully, having been denied in the competition's closing stages in each of the previous two seasons.

"Every year I have been here we have made the League Cup semi-final," said the No.23.

"In 2015 it was Chelsea and we lost. In 2016 it was against Stoke City and we made the final but lost on penalties. Now it is another semi-final against Southampton so it makes sense to go and win it! This is our aim, of course."

Watch Klopp's preview to tonight's tie in full on LFCTV GO...

On this day...

... five years ago, Liverpool were also in League Cup semi-final, first-leg action.

Manchester City were the opponents that night, at the Etihad Stadium, and an early Steven Gerrard penalty laid the foundation for the Reds progressing to Wembley and ultimately winning the trophy.

The road to the semi-finals

Liverpool have played one game more than Southampton to reach the final four, having kicked off their campaign with a 5-0 win at Burton Albion back in August.

Derby County were then eliminated with a 3-0 result on the road, before successive Anfield victories over Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United saw Klopp's team through.

The Saints, meanwhile, have beaten three fellow Premier League clubs - Crystal Palace, Sunderland and Arsenal - to progress to this stage of the competition.

Fonte won't feature

Southampton will be without captain Jose Fonte tonight, with the defender's future currently uncertain.

"Jose doesn't participate in this game," said Saints manager Claude Puel. "We will see for the next game. But, for the moment, and with the situation of Jose, it's important to keep the stability in defence."

Virgil van Dijk is set to skipper the south coast side in Fonte's absence.

Adam Lallana will hope to continue his stellar form this season when he returns to St Mary's this evening - and the No.20 will step onto the pitch with words of praise from the manager behind him.

"With his quality, I can imagine everybody at Southampton thought he could be the player for the next 10 to 15 years to build a team around. That is how it is," said Klopp.

"But actually I'm really happy he decided differently and wanted to see something else and wanted another challenge and experience. He has made outstanding, big steps from an already high level."

As mentioned below, Divock Origi struck a hat-trick in the last meeting between these sides in the League Cup at St Mary's. But can you remember the other 10 Liverpool starters that night? Click here to take our quiz.

Stat attack

Drop some of these into conversation today to impress your mates...

• The Reds are appearing in a record 17th League Cup semi-final
• They have failed to score in only six of their last 93 games in the competition
• Daniel Sturridge has netted eight times in his last six League Cup games for LFC

Here is a handful of more training shots from Monday's session at Melwood...

Team news

So, what do we know?

Jürgen Klopp revealed at his pre-match press conference that Philippe Coutinho could be back in the squad for tonight's game, with the Brazilian in need of minutes after returning to training following the ankle injury he suffered in late November.

Loris Karius is likely to be in goal again at St Mary's, with the manager continuing his goalkeeper rotation policy for cup competitions.

Sadio Mane is away on Africa Cup of Nations duty, of course, but Nathaniel Clyne, Adam Lallana and Dejan Lovren are set to return to their former club once more.

LFCTV GO subscribers can watch highlights of Liverpool's Premier League meeting at Southampton back in November below.

Below are all the stats from Liverpool's visit to St Mary's earlier this season when they played out a goalless draw with Southampton in the Premier League...

Relive what happened the last time Liverpool played Southampton in the League Cup at St Mary's in our free clip below...

Take a look at how the two teams have performed so far in this season's EFL Cup with the comparison tool below.

Morning all

Good morning and a warm welcome to our latest live matchday blog, as we build up to the first leg of Liverpool's EFL Cup semi-final with Southampton.

Kick-off is some 11 hours away, so settle in and stay on this page throughout the day for updates, previews and much more before the tie gets underway at St Mary's.