Jürgen Klopp will discuss Virgil van Dijk’s return to Southampton with his No.4 - but the boss insists Liverpool will be focused solely on matters on the pitch on Sunday.

Van Dijk followed in the footsteps of his Reds teammates Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Nathaniel Clyne and Sadio Mane by swapping St Mary’s Stadium for Anfield last month and is set to play against the Saints for the first time since his transfer this weekend.

During his pre-match press conference at Melwood on Friday, Klopp was asked about the reception he expects the Dutchman to receive from the home crowd.

“I don’t know exactly but probably it will not be the most friendly,” the manager replied.

“The people in Southampton, since I am in, they were always really nice with Clyney, I don’t know exactly why; Adam Lallana, obviously they missed the most; Dejan Lovren; Sadio Mane I think was OK, I’m not 100 per cent sure, and then Virgil is the last one so that’s how it is.

“I really understand that but it’s nothing we really think about. It will be more normal in the future but now we have to go there and play football and nothing else. 

“I absolutely don’t think anybody in Southampton would say we’ve stolen him or something, it was a very public deal and the numbers - even when they are not 100 per cent right - I think OK, maybe they are really happy and they would say ‘thank you for all the money we have now’!”

When quizzed specifically on whether he plans to speak with Van Dijk prior to the game, Klopp continued: “Yes I will for sure talk to Virgil about it.

“With the other players I didn’t talk about it because I didn’t know where they were all coming from. I didn’t know about the special story [of several players moving from Southampton to Liverpool], but now I do. 

“Yes we will talk about it and we will see.”