Liverpool had the opportunity to go eight points clear at the top of the league and eventually did so thanks to two late goals from Mo Salah.
Southampton 2-3 Liverpool
Premier League (12) | St. Mary’s Stadium
November 24, 2024
Goals
Szoboszlai 30′
Armstrong 42′
Fernandes 56′
Salah 65′ (assist: Gravenberch)
Salah 83′ (penalty)
Eight points clear, with Man City at Anfield next Sunday, but Liverpool made hard work of it against bottom club Southampton.
Arne Slot opted not to start the South American duo of Alexis Mac Allister and Luis Diaz following the international break, which also meant for a little bit of a sloppy start.
The Reds took the lead on the half hour mark in what was a pretty predictable fashion, particularly from a Southampton point of view.
The Saints’ obsession with trying to play out from the back despite not having the ability to do so has been heavily criticised by their own supporters, and it was that which gave Liverpool their route to open the scoring.
The home side’s ‘keeper, Alex McCarthy, rolled the ball out to a player on the edge of the box despite being under heavy pressure and eventually the ball fell for Dominik Szoboszlai, who provided a good finish into the top corner for his first league goal since January.
However, it took a superb save from Caoimhin Kelleher to deny Flynn Downes soon after, and the home side were gifted their equaliser before the break.
First, Virgil van Dijk stupidly gave the ball away, then Andy Robertson just as poorly committed a foul that was deemed to be just inside the box.
Kelleher saved the resulting penalty but the ball fell fortuitously for Adam Armstrong to follow up and equalise.
It was calamitous at each end of the pitch.
Half time: Southampton 1-1 Liverpool
A little surprising, then, that no changes were made at half time, with a several players far from their best.
The home side took the lead 10 minutes into the second half, breaking at speed from a Liverpool set piece, ending with Fernandes finishing from Armstrong’s pass.
From a Liverpool perspective it was an awful goal to concede, absolutely terrible defending on the transition.
Slot turned to Diaz and Mac Allister and within a minute of coming on Diaz should have converted from Nunez’s low cross.
Instead it was Salah who got the equaliser, running onto Gravenberch’s ball over the top and McCarthy was left stranded as the ball trickled in.
Diaz then forced a good save with a header from a corner as Liverpool increased the pressure and pushed for a winner.
The winner arrived from the penalty spot after a handball gave Salah the opportunity to fire his 10th league goal of the season.
Salah then had a chance for a hat trick immediately after but he cut inside and then skied the curled effort into the far corner. Another chance arrived for the Egyptian, this time his volley smashed the post.
Two huge matches at Anfield await this week – but it’s that City one that means far, far more.
TIA Man of the Match: Mo Salah
Referee: Sam Barrott
Southampton: McCarthy; Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Stephens, Fraser; Downes, Lallana, Fernandes; Dibling, Onuachu, Armstrong
Subs: Lumley, Sugawara, Bree, Manning, Ugochukwu, Aribo, Kamaldeen, Brereton Diaz, Archer
Liverpool: Kelleher; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Jones (Mac Allister 62′), Szoboszlai; Salah, Nunez (Endo 89′), Gakpo (Diaz 62′)
Subs not used: Jaros, Davies, Gomez, Quansah, Morton, Elliott
Next Match: Real Madrid (home, Wednesday, 27 November)
Southampton 2-3 Liverpool
