Southampton host Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool tonight (7.45pm kick-off) in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final.

The Saints have struggled for form in recent weeks, and haven’t won a game since beating South Coast rivals Bournemouth 3-1 on December 18.

Since then, Claude Puel’s side have suffered three Premier League defeats in the space of six days, and they were then held by Championship outfit Norwich City in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday.

Nonetheless, Southampton have beaten three top-flight sides en route to the last four of the League Cup, and they’ll take confidence from those wins over Crystal Palace, Sunderland, and Arsenal into this evening’s clash.

However, it won’t be easy against Klopp’s Liverpool, who find themselves second in the Premier League having won 13 of their 20 league games thus far.

The Reds also drew in the FA Cup at the weekend – 0-0 at home to Plymouth Argyle – but their form in the first half of the season suggests that they will get back to winning ways soon.

In what is sure to be a fascinating encounter, here are THREE reasons why Southampton will get the win and indeed the upper hand in the tie this evening…

Confidence from draw with Reds in November

It may have been a tricky few weeks for Puel and his side, yet they can look back to their 0-0 draw with Liverpool in November as a confidence-booster ahead of tonight’s game.

The Reds had failed to score in just two of their preceding 11 games before traveling to the South Coast, but the Saints defended brilliantly and thwarted the likes of Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho.

Since then, Liverpool have scored in nine of their ten matches (the only one they didn’t was against Plymouth last weekend), so Southampton clearly know how to defend against Klopp’s side, and they’ll take that into this evening’s game.

And, with the way Liverpool have defended at times this season, you sense that you’ll get chances to score, so keeping it tight defensively could be the key for both sides this evening.

Yet to concede in League Cup

They’ve played three games, all against Premier League opposition, in this season’s League Cup, and Southampton have kept three clean sheets.

The Saints beat Crystal Palace 2-0 back in September before Sofiane Boufal’s wonder strike sealed a 1-0 victory over Sunderland in round four.

Yet it was their win at Arsenal in the quarter-finals that was hugely impressive, as they went to the Emirates and outplayed Arsene Wenger’s side, netting twice in the first half to secure a 2-0 success.

Puel’s men have been excellent defensively in the competition this season and, although they have struggled in recent weeks, they can look to their run to the last four as inspiration for a positive display and result against Liverpool tonight.

Best trophy chance

Three defeats in six days over the festive period has all but ended Southampton’s chances of finishing in the European places this season and, given that they very unlikely to get relegated, Puel can go all out to win the League Cup.

The Saints were also knocked out of the Europa League in the group stages back in November, so they haven’t got any European commitments to worry about between now and May.

Thus, the League Cup should become a priority.

This was highlighted by Puel making eight changes in their 2-2 draw at Norwich in the FA Cup on Saturday and, given that they are three games away from winning the club’s first ever League Cup title, that was hardly a surprise.

This is a great chance for Southampton to win a major title – they have deservedly given themselves a chance of doing so, and it’s now up to them to make the most of it.