Liverpool’s Kelleher Warns Against Complacency Ahead Of Southampton Clash

Southampton, England – Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has urged his teammates to maintain their focus and intensity as they prepare to face Southampton at St. Mary’s on Sunday.

Despite Liverpool’s commanding 24-point lead at the top of the Premier League table and Southampton’s position at the bottom, Kelleher stressed the importance of treating every opponent with respect.

“We can’t take our foot off the gas,” Kelleher declared in a pre-match interview, highlighting the manager’s repeated emphasis on this point.

He acknowledged Southampton’s quality, stating, “They’re a really good team. I think they’ve just been a bit unlucky with results.”

He praised their style of play, emphasising their ball control and chance creation.

“We’re expecting a really tough game,” he added, dismissing any notion of complacency based on league standings.

Kelleher, set to start in goal again due to Alisson Becker’s absence, emphasised the need for a serious approach: “We know how good they are and the quality that these players have.
We’re going to prepare as if we’re playing Man City, Chelsea, or Arsenal.  We’ll give it our all.”

The 26-year-old goalkeeper, celebrating his birthday today, also reflected on his rapid rise through the Liverpool academy ranks.

He admitted that his career progression has been “really quick” and expressed his happiness with his achievements so far.

He added that while he occasionally takes time to reflect on his journey, his primary focus remains on future success.

Kelleher also discussed the positive impact of international football breaks, the joy of reuniting with former teammate Adam Lallana at Southampton, and the significant “hunger” within the current Liverpool squad to win trophies and compete at the highest level.

He highlighted the difference compared to the 2019-20 Premier League-winning side, emphasising that a large portion of the current squad hasn’t experienced such success.

Looking ahead to a busy fixture schedule, Kelleher reiterated the team’s commitment to maintaining their high standards, stating, “We’re not going to take anything for granted.

“We know we can’t take our foot off the gas for one second because we’ll get punished.”

The focus, he confirmed, is firmly fixed on securing a win against Southampton before turning attention to future matches.

The game kicks off at 2 pm GMT.  A Liverpool fitness update reveals that Alexander-Arnold, Alisson, Chiesa, Elliott, Jota, and Van Dijk are all currently injured.