Liverpool fan Rickie Lambert is unlikely to start for his boyhood club, although it would be surprising not to see him at any point on Sunday, meaning that Croatian centre back Dejan Lovren is likely to be the only former Saint in the Reds' starting line-up. One of Southampton's best performers last year, Lovren is likely to give an extra solidity to the Liverpool defence that Saints may find hard to break down, while their own pair of Jose Fonte and Maya Yoshida may find themselves somewhat more exposed than they were last year. Without Lambert or the injured Jay Rodriguez (who is linked with an impending transfer anyway), the task of getting past Lovren and scoring the goals for Saints will fall to new signing Graziano Pelle. The Italian was a regular scorer for Koeman's former team Feyernoord, but Southampton will have to wait to see whether that form can translate to the Premier League. If Southampton are going to get anything from this game they will need their new £8 million striker to break through a Liverpool defence marshaled around Lovren. Both players stand well over 6 foot tall, so this may prove a tough aerial battle for both.
