The Premier League’s (PL) bottom team Southampton faced league leaders Liverpool but ultimately succumbed to a 3-2 loss, just the second defeat the Saints have endured in their last nine home H2Hs.
Many might have anticipated the Saints to be overwhelmed on a blustery day at St Mary’s, but they contested well with Mateus Fernandes getting an early attempt off while Conor Bradley and Ibrahima Konaté were drawn into bookable fouls. The Reds began to take regular attempts after the 20th minute, although Alex McCarthy thwarted Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai, Cody Gakpo, and Curtis Jones. The goalkeeper was soon surpassed, though, as his decision to roll the ball to Fernandes started a sequence of play that ended in Flynn Downes handing possession to Szoboszlai, whose superb strike went in off the post.
Southampton endured another setback with Adam Lallana going off hurt but still earned their reprieve when Andy Robertson fouled Tyler Dibling on the edge of the area to concede a penalty. Caoimhín Kelleher’s block from Adam Armstrong’s initial spot kick was eventually deemed useless as the striker followed up to score. Southampton were spared after losing possession in the area again moments after the equaliser, although they experienced more injury misfortune as Paul Onuachu was forced off following an impressive first-half performance.
Unshaken, Dibling did wonderfully to find Armstrong, who passed the ball to Fernandes to score with a precise first-time finish. That momentum was halted nine minutes later, however, as McCarthy hurried out to meet Ryan Gravenberch’s through ball but was beaten to it as Salah deflected it over the line. The goalkeeper then tipped Luis Díaz’s header over but was then spared by Gravenberch after failing to punch the ball away, before Alexis Mac Allister’s strike flew marginally wide.
Yukinari Sugawara then handled in his own area within five minutes of coming off the bench, conceding a penalty that Salah confidently converted. While the Egyptian couldn’t complete his hat-trick with a late attempt crashing against the post, his spot kick secured Liverpool’s fifth consecutive victory across all competitions and took the Reds eight points ahead atop the PL table. That also condemned Southampton to consecutive defeats despite their courageous efforts.
