LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, August 27, 2017: Liverpool's Dejan Lovren during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Confirmed Liverpool lineup vs. Southampton: Lovren replaces injured Matip in defence

Jurgen Klopp has made four changes to his Liverpool side as they return from the international break to take on Southampton in the Premier League.

The Reds head back to Anfield after departing for World Cup qualifiers and friendlies, taking on familiar opposition in Mauricio Pellegrino’s Saints.

Liverpool have signed five players from Southampton in the past three years, while Pellegrino spent two-and-a-half years on Merseyside, first as a player and then as assistant manager.

Klopp was unsuccessful in his efforts to sign Virgil van Dijk last summer, leaving the Dutchman to line up against his suitors on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Klopp has largely kept faith with the side that won 4-1 away to West Ham before the break, though he has been forced to deal with the absence of Joel Matip through injury.

Simon Mignolet takes up duties in goal, behind a back four of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dejan Lovren, Ragnar Klavan and Alberto Moreno.

In midfield, Jordan Henderson is joined by Georginio Wijnaldum and Philippe Coutinho, and Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino will operate in Klopp’s forward line.

Buoyed by the improving fitness of his squad, Klopp has been able to name Emre Can, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Daniel Sturridge among his substitutes at Anfield.

Adam Lallana, who has returned from a long-term thigh injury, is not part of the squad.

Liverpool are currently on a three-game winning streak, and with 13 games over the next 45 days, including 11 outings in the league, another victory is essential on Saturday.

Liverpool: Mignolet; Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Klavan, Moreno; Henderson, Wijnaldum, Coutinho; Salah, Mane, Firmino

Substitutes: Karius, Gomez, Milner, Can, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sturridge, Solanke

Southampton: Forster; Cedric, Van Dijk, Hoedt, Bertrand; Romeu, Davis; Tadic, Boufal, Redmond; Long

Substitutes: McCarthy, Yoshida, Targett, Hojbjerg, Ward-Prowse, Gabbiadini, Austin

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