Naby Keita will miss Liverpool’s trip to St Mary’s on Saturday with a hip muscle injury.
Keita was set to start the Super Cup in midweek before the problem cut his training short on the eve of the game.
Jurgen Klopp confirmed in his pre-match press conference that he would be absent once again against Southampton and did not offer a timescale for his return.
“[He is] not available,” the boss told reporters. “It’s a muscle thing and we don’t know exactly how long it will take. But he’s not available.”
Keita, a substitute in the Community Shield earlier this month, continues to struggle with muscular injuries.
He saw his preparations for the new season disrupted following his early return from the Africa Cup of Nations, and now his bid for a breakthrough campaign has stalled.
Reds fans will hope this latest setback is only minor and, crucially, not a sign of things to come.
It may be a case of allowing Keita additional time for a total recovery to pave the way for an extended run in the side on his return.