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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Paul Wheelock

Liverpool predicted line-up vs Southampton as Darwin Nunez unleashed and swansong given

Southampton v Liverpool, then. A match sadly, for both sets of supporters, with absolutely nothing riding on it.

The already-relegated Saints will finish bottom while Manchester United's win over Chelsea on Thursday night confirmed the expected - Liverpool will finish fifth and with it Europa League football next season.

Little wonder, then, that Reds boss Klopp hinted at his press conference earlier today that he will ring the changes for his side's final Premier League game of the campaign on Sunday.

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"I think it makes sense that we make changes, to be honest, just to get fresh legs on the pitch," said Klopp. "And players who want to show something, besides the fact that we anyway want to win the game, that’s clear.

"I’m not used to games on the last matchday where everything is sorted before, I cannot remember when that last time was the case, usually we play until the last matchday and everything is at stake pretty much.

"But football, we only play this game to win the game, that’s the only reason we meet. And we have to make sure that I find a line-up with good legs, a lot of desire. And we have to see."

With Klopp keen to end on a high - with an eighth win in nine matches - then we can expect Alisson Becker in goal, denying Caoimhin Kelleher a first Premier League appearance of the season and perhaps his final appearance for the club given interest is expected to ramp up for a keeper his manager believes is the best No.2 in the English top-flight.

Given the form of Trent Alexander-Arnold, he is sure to start, and with doubts over Ibrahima Konate, who has been ill, so is Virgil van Dijk.

Joe Gomez or, more likely, Joel Matip, will partner the Dutchman, while at left-back Kostas Tsimikas is given a chance given Andy Robertson underwent a scan on his groin earlier this week and will surely not be risked.

Midfield is where it gets more interesting. James Milner, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and the on-loan Arthur Melo will all leave the club after Sunday's St Mary's showdown. But while the injured Keita will play no part, Milner, Oxalde-Chamberlain and the rarely-seen Arthur could be handed swansongs.

But with Klopp unlikely to be guided completely by sentiment, only Milner starts, and with Jordan Henderson on the bench, the veteran will be handed the captaincy on what will be his 332nd and last appearance for the club.

Around Milner will be the young legs of Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones, who is ending the season in impressive form.

After his emotional reaction to the Reds missing out on Champions League football, Mohamed Salah will want to go out with a bang and break the 20-goal Premier League barrier once again. But who starts up front with him?

Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez have had frustrating seasons, for different reasons, but with the former now fully fit after his six-month injury lay-off, and the latter back in training this week after a toe complaint that ruled him out of Liverpool's last two games, they will be unleashed against Southampton.

That means Roberto Firmino will have to settle for a place on the bench again. But who would bet against him doing exactly what he did against Aston Villa as the curtain comes down on his glorious Anfield career?

Predicted Liverpool team: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Milner, Elliott, Jones; Salah, Nunez, Diaz.

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