Liverpool 4-0 Southampton: Clinical Reds just too strong for lively Saints

Clinical attacking play from Liverpool saw Southampton condemned to a 4-0 defeat in the Premier League on Saturday.

A goalless first-half saw Saints worry the league leaders at the back, but a Mo Salah brace and further strikes from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jordan Henderson confirmed a convincing looking scoreline for the hosts at Anfield.

Saints will look at penalty and backpass decisions that didn’t go their way, but ultimately they will know that they remain in a strong position in the table with a run of winnable games arriving soon.

Injuries and the departure of Cedric to Arsenal on transfer deadline day meant enforced changes to the Saints line-up.

Despite Yan Valery returning to training at the beginning of the week, it was James Ward-Prowse who took the right-back role in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s 4-2-2-2 setup – Oriol Romeu and Moussa coming into the line-up for Cedric and Stuart Armstrong.

The game took a while to get going, but the first-half proved to be strong one for Saints.

One strange moment from the Liverpool defence went unpunished by referee Kevin Friend early on when Alisson looked to have picked up a backpass from Andy Robertson, but it was adjudged that the full-back had tried to knock the ball off of a Saints players for a goal kick.

Proceedings really sparked into life when Moussa Djenepo forced Alisson to tip a shot from range wide and then Alex McCarthy made a good double save to deny Virgil van Dijk and Roberto Firmino in quick succession, but it was Saints who ended the first period in the ascendancy.

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All three of Nathan Redmond, Shane Long and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg had shots on goal as the pressing from the front started to force mistakes from the normally composed Liverpool backline, but crucially Saints couldn’t snatch the lead.

Early in the second-half, strong signals continued to be given that it was not going to be Saints’ day in the lead up to Liverpool opening the scoring.

Danny Ings advanced towards the Liverpool penalty area and looked to squeeze between two Liverpool defenders, with television replays showing Fabinho clearly making contact on the striker’s leg as he pushed through.

Appeals for a spot-kick were waived away though, giving Liverpool a chance to break forward and create an opening for former Saint Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to slam home when cutting across the box.

From that minute onwards, the hosts were able to take control with brutal attacking play and extend their lead.

Jordan Henderson netted a second when turning home Roberto Firmino’s cutback before then setting up Mo Salah to score their third with a delightful clip over Alex McCarthy.

The scoreline was already harsh on Saints, but Salah got his second and Liverpool’s fourth when he bundled in during stoppage-time.

Saints’ strong spells in the game will perhaps not be remembered, but the fact that they worried the league leaders at times is promising.

Liverpool extend their lead at the top even further after this result, whilst Saints have a run of upcoming games that will see them with much more chance of taking the points they need to secure survival and move further up the table.

Liverpool team

Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Henderson (Lallana 88), Wijnaldum (Minamino 83), Oxlade-Chamberlain (Keita 73), Salah, Firmino

Subs not used: Adrian, Matip, Lovren, Origi

Saints team

McCarthy, Ward-Prowse, Bednarek, Stephens, Bertrand, Hojbjerg, Romeu, Djenepo (Boufal 82), Redmond, Ings (Adams 70), Long (Obafemi 70)

Subs not used: Gunn, Vestergaard, Smallbone, Danso