Thursday 19 February 2015 17:53, UK
Southampton at home to Liverpool on Super Sunday is a fixture Saints fans have been looking forward to ever since the summer.
Three former Southampton favourites return to the south coast club for the first time since they joined Liverpool for a combined figure of nearly £50m.
Yet none are likely to start on Sunday. It will be a particularly emotional day for Adam Lallana. He came through the ranks at Southampton and went on to make 265 appearances for the club and captained the side in his final two seasons.
The fans loved him but, after the way his departure unfolded, it will be interesting to see what kind of reception he gets on Sunday.
One thing is for sure: it's a pivotal fixture for both clubs. The pressure could really be on if Arsenal and Manchester United win on Saturday and then Tottenham pick up three points in their early kick-off on Sunday.
Whatever happens, the pressure in the race for the top four is going to be cranked up several notches over the next few weeks and Sunday could make or break Southampton and Liverpool's chances.
A Southampton win would cement them as major players. They are currently 12/5 with Sky Bet for a first top four finish in the top Division since 1984. Three points on Sunday and those odds will tumble.
Lose and you could easily see their top-four challenge fading. Mind you, Ronald Koeman and his team have been written off so many times this season and each time have bounced back.
Liverpool are currently 7/2 and have been playing catch-up after their poor first half of the season but they've done that well and now have real momentum.
Whatever happens the pressure in the race for the top four is going to be cranked up several notches over the next few weeks and Sunday could make or break Southampton and Liverpool's chances.
Sunday is crucial for keeping that momentum going. Liverpool are currently on the longest ongoing unbeaten run in the Premier League. They have gone nine games undefeated so far, taking 21 points from the last 27 available since the weekend before Christmas.
The problem they have is it still leaves them seventh, four points off Southampton in fourth and they can't afford any more slip ups.
The concerns for Southampton are their recent home form and a lack of goals. Saints have won only one of their last four home League games and were beaten at St Mary's by Crystal Palace in the FA Cup.
The goals have dried up. They have failed to score in their last two Premier League home games, the first time that's happened since October 2004 – it is three hours, 34 minutes since Dusan Tadic scored in the 2-0 win over Arsenal on New Year's Day.
Southampton last went three successive Premier League home games without scoring between November-December 1993 under Ian Branfoot.
To make life even harder, they are up against a side who haven't conceded an away League goal since since December 14th.
Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling seem to dominate when discussing Liverpool's form but the biggest change since the beginning of the season is their improved defending.
It seems an age since these two met on the first Super Sunday of this season. Liverpool edged it 2-1 that day. Southampton will be desperate for revenge and to put one over their old boys.
Mr Mole one-to-watch
Cheltenham Festival Preview evenings are upon us and I expect them to get more column inches over the next couple of weeks than the racing itself.
Kempton and now Chepstow this weekend see the final trials before the quality of racing dips in the build up to the big four days at Cheltenham. Some say the Festival has become such a monster that it devalues so much of the racing during the rest of the season.
That's nonsense and Cheltenham remains not just the envy of the flat racing authorities but also many other sports. It brings the season to a crescendo better than any other event. I love the build-up and relish the gossip that emanates from these preview evenings.
Mr Mole is a horse I wrote about in depth last week and I expect him to be a 'buzz' horse at the Cheltenham previews. The Champion Chase looks ripe for an in-form improver to upstage the former champions and the rest of an average-looking field.
Mr Mole fits that bill and I sense Paul Nicholls will be very positive about him on the preview circuit, which is bound to see his price contract. He will also be AP McCoy's final ride in a Champion Chase so I have snapped up some of Sky Bet's 8/1 and added Mr Mole to my ante-post portfolio.
Gilgamboa has been scratched from the Arkle so that bet has bitten the dust but Ma Filleule is bang on target for the Ryanair after her run in the Ascot Chase.
She clearly needed it but shaped nicely and will be much better on better ground. I love the way she sticks her neck out and really tries. Plus, judging from the way she raced at Ascot, Ma Filleule will be much better suited back going left-handed round Cheltenham. She has a major chance.
The Grand National weights were released on Tuesday, which sparks little of the excitement it did a few years ago. The race looks absolutely impossible but one that does leap off the page is Spring Heeled.
He had National written all over him when winning the Kim Muir at last year's Festival. He's tempting at 25/1 but not a betting proposition until nearer the time as decent ground is essential to him.
The only thing you can guarantee in this year's race is that AP McCoy's mount will go off as a crazy-priced favourite.
Cheltenham ante-post portfolio
Boston Bob - Gold Cup @ 16/1
Hargam - Triumph @ 16/1
Gilgamboa - Arkle @ 20/1
Ma Filleule - Ryanair @ 20/1
Kilcrea Vale - Neptune @ 16/1
Mr Mole - Champion Chase @ 8/1
