Liverpool host Southampton on Wednesday night (7.45pm kick-off) hoping to overturn a one-goal deficit in their League Cup semi-final.

Jurgen Klopp’s men were outplayed by the Saints in the first leg at St Mary’s a fortnight ago, but are still in the tie thanks to the frame of the goal, and indeed some excellent goalkeeping from Loris Karius.

Nonetheless, Nathan Redmond did get the all-important goal for Claude Puel’s men on the night, so the Reds will have to be at their best on Wednesday to reach a 13th League Cup final, and second in two seasons.

However, Klopp’s men will have to improve upon a sluggish start to 2017 which has seen them win just one of their five games, and that was a narrow 1-0 success away at League Two high-flyers Plymouth Argyle in an FA Cup third round replay last week.

They have drawn three of the other four, but their most recent result was their most disappointing, as they lost 3-2 at home to struggling Swansea on Saturday to fall ten points behind league leaders Chelsea.

Yet, as the Reds proved last season by reaching two cup finals, the one-off game is something Liverpool relish, so here are THREE reasons why they will overturn the deficit and reach the League Cup final…

Somehow still in the tie

Redmond celebrates giving Saints a first-leg lead at St. Mary’s

Southampton dominated Liverpool in the first leg at St Mary’s two weeks ago, but the Saints only have one goal to show for it.

Reds goalkeeper Loris Karius made several good saves to keep the scores down, with Nathan Redmond in particular wasteful in front of goal.

Thus, Liverpool will go into Wednesday’s game knowing that they are fortunate to still be in the tie, and that they have been given a chance by goalkeeper Karius and indeed the frame of the goal in Wednesday’s second leg.

One goal didn’t do Southampton justice on the night, yet that is what it is, so Klopp’s men will have renewed belief that they can turn it around at Anfield.

Given they have only failed to score twice at home this season, they’ll fancy their chances of over-turning the deficit.

Always carry a goal threat at home

Photo: Simon Stacpoole / Offside.

Liverpool have scored 51 goals in the Premier League this season, the most of any side in the division, so they’ll expect to get themselves the goals necessary to get back into the tie on Wednesday.

Although they haven’t hit the form of earlier in the campaign so far in 2017, they have still registered five goals in all competitions, and the return to match fitness of Philippe Coutinho will give everyone a huge boost, especially given that Sadio Mane will remain on African Cup of Nations duty for a while yet.

The Reds have scored 32 goals in 13 games at Anfield this season, and with the attacking talent they’ve got on show in Coutinho, Roberto Firmino, and Adam Lallana, as well as Divock Origi and Daniel Sturridge, they will fancy themselves to get the goals to progress.

Need major silverware

Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

Liverpool have won just one piece of silverware since that dramatic FA Cup final victory over West Ham in 2006, and that’s just not good enough for a club of its stature.

That was the League Cup in 2012, but that was one of just two finals they reached prior to Klopp taking over in October 2015.

Two semi-final losses to Aston Villa in the FA Cup and Chelsea in the League Cup in 2014/15 will also hurt many a Liverpool fan, and if you add in the fact that Klopp saw his side lose both the League Cup and Europa League final last season, he and the club will be hungry for success in the competition this time round.

With the league looking likely to be out of reach this season, the League Cup represents a great chance of silverware, and it’s a chance Liverpool must seize this season, starting on Wednesday.