Paul Merson says Mario Lemina will probably sign for Liverpool
The Southampton midfielder has impressed since joining from Juventus in a £15m deal this summer.
And Merson reckons Lemina, 24, could follow numerous ex-Saints stars and join Liverpool.
“Yeah I know (he’s been at Juventus) but he couldn’t have done that great because he’s at Southampton,” Merson told Sky Sports before Southampton played Manchester United.
“What I saw there he was very good, this is his test today, playing at home against a good Man United midfield.
Mauricio Pellegrino has set his side the target of continuing their season in the spirit of their second half display against Manchester United.
Saints were beaten 1-0 at St Mary’s by United, but appeared to have little hope after Jose Mourinho’s men cruised through much of the first half, with Romelu Lukaku scoring on 20 minutes.
However, Saints produced a stirring fightback after the break and had United desperately clinging on and even changing formation to try and contain them.
It was a still a ninth blank at home in the last ten for Saints, but Pellegrino believes that if they keep going in that manner they will do well.
He said: “Every single game is different but for me to play in this way with this spirit, with this football, in this way, we will win more games than we lose I am sure.
“This is the best thing for us and we have to continue in this way.”
Pellegrino felt that Saints deserved at least a point and added: “Yes. The football is efficiency and you have to score goals.
“I don’t like to talk about good luck or bad luck because we have to score goals and we couldn’t, but at the same time I think we play a good game.
“In general we control the game against Man U that is a team that it is really difficult to control even when they are defending because in counter attack they are really good, they have got pace, they are in direct play really strong.
“I think we did 90 per cent of the thing we were working really well and against these type of teams you have to play really well, really close to excellent to win games.”
Saints certainly rocked United and put them on the back foot, quite an achievement given that Mourinho’s side have blitzed a number of teams having yet to be beaten in their opening six games of the season, but Pellegrino knows his men need more goals.
“I think our team was getting better and we believed in every single action we put them under pressure but they weren’t comfortable with five defenders and we put them under pressure,” he reflected.
“We had our chances and we were really close to at least scoring one goal but I repeat we have to put the ball in the net and we couldn’t.
“I think they realised that we were playing well and when you are better than the other you have to defend to try to be there, to control, this type of football too.
“Not always you can play really really well and the best team in the world, or the good team, is when you are adapting your play in every single situation.”
Jack Stephens was left out of the Saints squad to face Manchester United as a precaution.
Mauricio Pellegrino reported that the centre half had been feeling a groin injury in training and so he opted to rest Stephens with Jeremy Pied amongst the subs for the first time this season.
He said: “I decide to put Jeremy Pied on the bench because he (Stephens) said he was this week a little bit with some issues with his groin and just for this reason.”
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