LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, December 14, 2019: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring the second goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Watford FC at Anfield. (Pic by Richard Roberts/Propaganda)

Mo Salah is Liverpool’s good-luck charm in push to equal Nottingham Forest

Mohamed Salah could be Liverpool’s good-luck charm as they chase Nottingham Forest‘s unbeaten record, hosting Southampton this afternoon.

Bank on Salah

Salah has been on the winning side in each of the last 30 league games in which he has appeared for the Reds.

He has scored on five occasions in his five appearances against today’s opponents.

Only Robbie Fowler (eight) and Michael Owen (seven) have found the net for Liverpool against the Saints in the Premier League era more often.

 

Equalling Forest

LONDON, ENGLAND - Wednesday, January 29, 2020: Liverpool's manager Jürgen Klopp celebrates after the FA Premier League match between West Ham United FC and Liverpool FC at the London Stadium. Liverpool won 2-0. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Jurgen Klopp’s men are undefeated in 41 league games, amassing 113 points in that run.

Only two teams have ever gone on a longer run in the top flight: Arsenal 49 (2003-04) and Nottingham Forest 42 (1977-78).

They have suffered defeat in four of their last 91 matches in the top flight.

 

Alisson’s Influence

LEICESTER, ENGLAND - Thursday, December 26, 2019: Liverpool's goalkeeper Alisson Becker celebrates his side's first goal during the FA Premier League match between Leicester City FC and Liverpool FC at the King Power Stadium. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Going into this weekend’s round of fixtures Liverpool have kept more Premier League clean sheets than any other club this season (10) despite having kept only two at the beginning of December.

In the Reds’ last home game Alisson equalled Pepe Reina’s club record by keeping a 28th clean sheet in his 50th full league start for the club.

 

A Year of Victories

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Thursday, January 2, 2020: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (L) celebrates scoring the first goal with team-mates during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Sheffield United FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

It is a year and two days since Liverpool failed to win a home game in the league, since the 1-1 draw with Leicester.

Since then they have won 19 successive home league games, a tally which is only two short of the club record set between January and December 1972, which is also an English top-flight record.

A win today would equal the best in the Premier League era set by Man City (20).

In their current 19-game run Liverpool have been behind for a total of 85 minutes and in just three games.

 

Ex-Saints

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Saturday, November 28, 2015: Southampton's Sadio Mane in action against Manchester City during the Premier League match at the City of Manchester Stadium. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Sadio Mane made 75 appearances for Southampton scoring 25 times, including 21 goals in 67 league games.

In one of those games he scored and was later sent off at Anfield in Jurgen Klopp’s first Anfield league fixture in charge of the Reds.

Adam Lallana played for Southampton from 2006 to 2014 in three different divisions, scoring 60 times in 265 appearances in all competitions.

Dejan Lovren had a single season at Southampton (2013/14) making 31 appearances netting twice.

His debut for Liverpool came against the Saints here in August 2014, a year after he had scored the winner in a 1-0 win on the same ground.

Southampton's Virgil van Dijk celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game during the Premier League match at St Mary's, Southampton.

Virgil van Dijk played 80 times for Southampton from 2015 to 2018, scoring seven times.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain began his career with Southampton, playing 43 times and scoring 10 goals.

When making his debut for the club in March 2010 he became the Saints second youngest-ever player after Theo Walcott, aged 16 years 199 days.

He has never scored against the Saints in 14 career appearances.

 

Southampton’s Away Dominance

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - Friday, April 5, 2019: Liverpool's manager Jürgen Klopp embraces Southampton's manager Ralph Hasenhüttl after the FA Premier League match between Southampton FC and Liverpool FC at the St. Mary's Stadium. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Southampton have won each of their last four away league games, beating Aston Villa (3-1), Chelsea (2-0), Leicester (2-1) and Crystal Palace (2-0).

It is only the second occasion in the Premier League era that they have achieved the feat—the other during the period December 2014 to February 2015.

As well as the four away victories listed above, the Saints have also won at Brighton (2-0) and Sheffield United (1-0). That is twice as many wins than they have amassed in front of their home fans.

The 12 points they have gathered form the last four away games matches the tally they had accrued in the previous 12.

Southampton have scored in each of their last 11 away league games this season since losing 3-0 at Burnley on the opening day.

Sixty-five percent of the points they won this season have come away from home, 20 out of 31.

Southampton have won more away games in the top-flight (six) and scored more goals (18) than any other team outside of the top four.

 

This Season’s Scorers

Liverpool's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain celebrates scoring his side's second goal of the game with team mate Roberto Firmino during the Premier League match at London Stadium. PA Image: Adam Davy/PA Wire.

Liverpool: Salah 16, Mane 15, Firmino 10, Oxlade-Chamberlain 6, Origi 5, Milner 4, Van Dijk 4, own goals 4, Keita 3, Wijnaldum 3, Alexander-Arnold 2, Henderson 2, Jones 2, Matip 2, Robertson 2, Fabinho 1, Hoever 1, Lallana 1, Lovren 1, Shaqiri 1

Southampton: Ings 16, Redmond 4, Ward-Prowse 4, Armstrong 2, Djenepo 2, Obafemi 2, Stephens 2, Cedric 1, Vestergaard 1, Bednarek 1, Bertrand 1, Boufal 1, Long 1, Smallbone 1, Vokins 1


  • Statistics courtesy of LFC statistician Ged Rea (@ged0407).