Mauricio Pellegrino knows Southampton will have to produce a “perfect” display to get the better of Liverpool at St Mary’s Stadium.
And while he’s vary of the threat Mohamed Salah poses, he’s warned his team not to become fixated on stopping just Liverpool’s leading scorer who has 21 goals so far this campaign.
“He is a top-class player, but one player alone can do nothing when you don’t have a context, the connection and co-ordination with your team-mates,” the Southampton manager said.
“Salah is an important player, but so is their striker, their midfielder and defenders.
“Liverpool are a really good team and have a lot of capacity to create problems.”
Pellegrino spent a short spell with Liverpool under Rafael Benitez towards the end of his playing career, and also later worked there with the Spaniard as a first-team coach.
Having seen the Saints well beaten 3-0 on his Anfield return earlier in the season, the Argentinian coach is hoping for a better show this time around.
“For sure it is special for me to be in Southampton and playing against this team, of the biggest clubs, not only in the Premier League, but in the world,” he said.
“Now, though, I am representing Southampton and will try to do our best, to try to compete much better than we did away (against Liverpool).”
Pellegrino added: “To play one game well like the other day (at West Brom), that is important, but more so to be consistent in every single game.
“We always have to improve in some respects. When you don’t play well, it is about the small things, being more consistent, especially in our mentality.”
