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And read Arne Slot on Russell Martin
If you’re a manager, you have to believe in something and you have to stick to that plan. Russell has his own style and he believes in it. There is no one that knows for sure that if he or the club wants to change the playing style, that that would lead to much more points.
He brought them back up and he makes it really hard for every team to play against them. Normally, these teams that go up, they need some time to adapt to the new league. If you then have a good idea about football and a good gameplan, then results will come.
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Read Jonathan Wilson on Russell Martin
The way in which the relationship between players and coach maps on to religious language is itself significant, a means by which the discourse subtly shapes expectation. Modern managers are expected to have philosophies, and to evangelise them in their dealings with the media. Pep Guardiola, say, has spoken of how Johan Cruyff “built the cathedral” at Barcelona and it being the job of subsequent coaches to maintain it.
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Both teams are without a number of first-choice players. Alex McCarthy replaces the injured Aaron Ramsdale in goal for Southampton, one of five changes from the defeat at Wolves a fortnight ago. Ryan Fraser, Tyler Dibling, Paul Onuachu and Flynn Downes replace Ryan Manning, Joe Aribo, Cameron Archer and the injured Jan Bednarek.
Liverpool make three changes from the 2-0 win over Aston VIlla. Conor Bradley covers for the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back; Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai are preferred to Luis Diaz and Alexis Mac Allister.
Southampton (possible 4-2-3-1) McCarthy; Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Stephens, Fraser; Downes, Lallana; Dibling, Fernandes, Armstrong; Onuachu.
Substitutes: Lumley, Manning, Bree, Sugawara, Aribo, Sulemana, Ugochukwu, Brereton, Archer.
Liverpool (4-3-3) Kelleher; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Jones; Salah, Nunez, Gakpo.
Substitutes: Jaros, Davies, Gomez, Quansah, Endo, Mac Allister, Elliott, Morton, Diaz.
Referee Samuel Barrott.
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Hello and welcome to live, minute-by-minute coverage of Southampton v Liverpool at St Mary’s. Arne Slot’s side will go eight points clear if they, a helluvan advantage even with 26 games to go.
The match is bottom v top and will stay that way regardless of the result as Southampton are four points adrift. They are chasing a rare feat: it’s 13 years since bottm beat top in the Premier League.
Kick off 2pm.
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