Liverpool vs Southampton: What Saints can take away from loss

A flattering 4-0 scoreline belied what was an even contest between champions elect Liverpool and the visitors Southampton.

On this occasion in the battle between David and Goliath, the underdog did not prevail as the hosts were clinical in making the most of the good fortune which came their way.

By contrast, Southampton were unable to capitalise on some positive play characterised by a courageous first half performance. But for a more sympathetic referee, the game could have veered in a drastically different direction but Kevin Friend was reluctant to consult VAR for a couple of key decisions.

Goals from Henderson, former Saints midfielder Oxlade-Chamberlain along with a brace from the irrepressible Mo Salah proved too great a mountain for Hasenhuttl’s plucky Saints team to scale. Nevertheless, despite the scoreline, there were a number of positives to take away from Anfield:

Southampton can be proud of their effort at Anfield

In all honesty, a visit to Liverpool was always likely to end in defeat. Better teams than Southampton have tried to block the progress of the Merseyside juggernaut this season and all have failed miserably.

Hasenhuttl should be proud of the enterprising way his players approached what is traditionally a difficult fixture at Anfield. The team deserve credit for going in at half time level and having registered 10 shots on goals in the first period, the most Liverpool have faced since 2014 (source: BBC Sport.)

Jurgen Klopp praised the spirit of the Southampton performance, even after they went 4-0 down. The match was almost treated as a free hit but few could have complained had Southampton finished the first half ahead. Indeed but for some dubious refereeing decisions, the game could have had an entirely different complexion with Southampton often spending large periods in the ascendancy.

To finish the game with more corners and more shots than the hosts was no mean feat and whilst there was no reward for their endeavours, the players will take heart from the display. Although Liverpool deserved their win for the professional way they absorbed the pressure, if Southampton can perform like this, they should be fine this season.