Slot could unleash Liverpool’s “magic” secret weapon

It’s the infamous top-versus-bottom fixture in the Premier League today, with title-chasing Liverpool journeying to Southampton to face Russell Martin‘s bottom-placed side.

Southampton secured an instant return to the top flight last season but have struggled to translate their ball-focused style. Actually, they’ve had no problem enforcing the system, it’s just not bred the results needed, with one win and nine losses from 11 matches.

The Premier League loves to throw out a surprise though, and Liverpool will need to be wary against a Saints side that desperately need to improve.

Arne Slot‘s Redmen currently sit at the top of the table but must ensure that their fluency is still intact after the November international break.

Unfortunately, there are some damaging injuries for the visitors to contend with.

Liverpool team news

Liverpool will be without Trent Alexander-Arnold as he completes his rehabilitation from a hamstring injury suffered against Aston Villa two weeks ago.

The same for injury-prone duo Diogo Jota and Alisson Becker, who, unlike Alexander-Arnold, stand no chance of recovering in time for the Champions League contest against Real Madrid in midweek.

Virgil van Dijk, however, is set to start despite returning from Netherlands duty early last week. It was precautionary. Liverpool signed the 33-year-old from Southampton for £75m in January 2018, perhaps the most transformative winter acquisition in Premier League history.

Elsewhere, Federico Chiesa is training but not yet ready for match action. Thankfully, Liverpool have another right-sided forward who might fancy their chances against today’s opponents.

Mohamed Salah’s start to the season

Mohamed Salah has scored eight goals and assisted six more across 11 Premier League appearances this season, also averaging 1.9 key passes, 1.6 dribbles and four successful duels per match, as per Sofascore.

Some player. Saints defenders must be quaking right now. He’s obviously ravenous for the shiniest successes this season and will stop at nothing to achieve his goal.

He’ll be the linchpin against Southampton. With seven goals and four assists from 11 appearances against the foe, he’s no stranger to silencing Saints song. That said, though, Salah has gone five matches since scoring against them, albeit notching three assists in that timeframe.

Liverpool are purring, and Salah is basking in the success of the high-flying system. However, Slot might be tempted to make a change that could benefit his Egyptian machine.

Indeed, Harvey Elliott is believed to be fit once again, and he could be Liverpool’s secret weapon.

Harvey Elliott could be Slot’s secret weapon

Salah’s dribbling output has decreased in recent years, though his numbers in that regard have interestingly seen an upswing under new management.

He’s more intelligent and more effective. The cultured forward is hardly starved for service but Alexander-Arnold’s absence will pull away some supplementary numbers for him, and Elliott could compensate and then some from the middle of the park.

The 21-year-old was an unused substitute on the opening day of the campaign, as Liverpool beat Ipswich Town, and managed just seven minutes against Brentford before sitting out during the demolition job over Manchester United at Old Trafford. That remains his only outing in 2024/25.

Opportunity abounded in front of him, though, and how cruel that he should fracture his foot with England U21s in September and only now be ready for match action.

Right-sided, the English maestro has a seemingly innate connection with Salah, a collective understanding regarding position and movement.

He also came into his own at the backend of the 2023/24 season, posting a goal and four assists across the final six Premier League fixtures under Jurgen Klopp.

Former Liverpool U18s head coach Neil Critchley once hailed Elliott for producing “some real bits of magic on the ball” as he sought to make a name for himself and earn a call-up to Klopp’s senior side.

It’s fair to say that his ball-playing wizardry has been translated to the major stage, for Elliott ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists and shot-creating actions, the top 7% for progressive passes and the top 3% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.

To be sure, the £40k-per-week talent has things to improve, but the raw quality that was so patent from the beginning has been moulded into something productive and impactful over the past year.

It’s unfortunate that he was cruelly struck by injury woe at the start of Slot’s tenure. However, Elliott has weathered adversity before and is back in a position to make an impact as his side’s attacking midfielder, whereby he can provide his wonderful creativity.

The up-and-comer, who has already amassed 120 appearances and clinched 24 goal contributions, said in December 2023 that he does not like the ‘super-sub’ tag that he has somewhat adopted, and instead wants to nail down an unmoving starting berth for Liverpool. Now, Slot can give him the opportunity to prove that he indeed deserves a prominent role.

With Alexis Mac Allister having played for Argentina in midweek, perhaps it would be wise to bench him and play Elliott alongside Ryan Gravenberch and Curtis Jones, though this would also mean that Dominik Szoboszlai would be benched.

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In any case, Liverpool have the tools to defeat Southampton. Elliott must be chomping at the bit to make an impression under Slot’s wing, and with such exciting playmaking properties, could be the man to ensure Salah keeps on firing too.

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