Liverpool will be facing a “brave and aggressive” Southampton team when the two sides meet on Wednesday night, insists manager Russell Martin.
The Saints travel to Anfield looking to cause an upset in the fifth round of the FA Cup, just days after the Reds claimed the EFL Cup with a 1-0 extra-time win over Chelsea at Wembley.
It’s a daunting task for the Championship outfit, but one that Martin is not shying away from as he prepares to outwit the “incredible” Jurgen Klopp in the opposite dugout.
“It’s a brilliant opportunity for us to go there and see how far we’ve come,” the 38-year-old said during Tuesday’s pre-match press conference.
“I’ve got so much respect for Jurgen Klopp. He and Pep Guardiola are two of the best and to play at that high level so often is incredible.
“I’m really looking forward to going up against Klopp.”
Southampton have lost ground in the Premier League promotion race in recent weeks, losing three of their last four matches to drop out of the twop two in the Championship table.
As much as this upcoming game could be considered a distraction from their bid to get back to the top flight at the first time of asking, there is no suggestion from Martin that they are treat this game as such.
“There’s always pressure,” he said. “No one will expect us to get anything outside of this building and the challenge is for us to be us.
“They have just won a cup and it’s a big challenge for us to embrace. If you’re not looking forward to it then you’re in the wrong game.
“We want to go there and be brave and aggressive. We’ll have 5,000 fans at Anfield on a Wednesday night and it’s exciting.”
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