Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson believes their clash with Southampton will be a huge game for Joe Gomez.

Gomez will have as much attention on him as Virgil van Dijk when Liverpool face Southampton, according to Lawrenson.

Van Dijk makes his first visit to Anfield since his highly publicised failed transfer to Liverpool in the summer.

“The spotlight will be on Virgil van Dijk, whom Southampton refused to sell to Liverpool in the summer," Lawrenson wrote in his BBC Sport column.

“It will be very interesting to see how he gets on at Anfield.

“But he will not be the only centre-half that people will be watching if Reds defender Joe Gomez plays in that position after doing extremely well there for England."