FORMER Saint and current Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk is confident he'll keep Danny Ings quiet on Saturday.

Ings will be returning to Anfield to play for the first time since leaving the Reds to join Saints in 2018.

And even though he scored against Liverpool in August, Van Dijk isn't going to be studying the striker ahead of the game.

The defender said: "He has been a key man for them [Saints] and helped turn it around.

"I'm very happy for him and very happy for the club.

"I hope they kick on, but Saturday we try to get a result. At this stage, you don't need to study strikers any more.

"Normally you know their strengths and weaknesses.

"You try to prepare as good as possible but most of the time, it's to make sure you're 100 per cent ready.

"The strikers we are facing at the moment we have played against many times."

Van Dijk also defended his decision to leave Saints and join Liverpool in a £75m deal.

Jurgen Klopp's side chased the Dutch international’s signature throughout the summer of 2017, but Saints refused to give in to their advances.

However, when Liverpool came back in for the defender in January 2018, the St Mary's board took the decision to cash in on the wantaway star.

Van Dijk added: "The decision I made has not been too bad!

 "I'm 28 now and I want to fulfil every dream I ever had. Life can be short. Your career can be short as well.

"I want to enjoy every minute of it. I'm enjoying playing with this team and this manager. We can't look too far ahead. But right now, I'm enjoying it.

"I don't look at the table. You [only] need to look at the table at the end of the season."