Speaking ahead of Southampton‘s Premier League match against Liverpool this weekend, Saints coach Ronald Koeman has insisted his side must claim all three points if they are to keep their European hopes alive.
The south-coast club currently sit in seventh place on 44 points in the table, one place ahead of Liverpool, who are tied with their weekend opponents on 44. Southampton are ahead of the Reds on goal difference alone, enjoying a GD of +8 compared to the Merseysiders’ +6.
As well as enjoying home advantage when the pair go head to head on Sunday, Southampton’s form is improving, and Koeman’s side put back-to-back defeats behind them to take a point against Sunderland before an impressive 2-1 away victory over Stoke City.
While the Dutch manager will surely be keen to look forward and potentially seek to overhaul sixth-place Manchester United—who face neighbours Manchester City on Sunday—he has insisted that it is imperative his side take the three points from Liverpool first.
“We knew our situation before the Stoke City game. It was a must-win game and I think the same is for this weekend, because we know the position in the table,” the manager told Southampton’s official You Tube channel [as per the official club site], “we know the points and if we’re still fighting for Europe I think we have to win.
“It’s a tough one, a huge game to play and also an important one.”
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