Liverpool vs Southampton Review
Liverpool came from a deficit to secure a 3-1 win over struggling Southampton, which increased the Reds’ lead at the top of the Premier League table to 16 points. Liverpool found it challenging to take advantage of the weaknesses in the league’s worst defense during the first half. Curtis Jones missed an early chance, and Núñez’s shot was easily saved by Ramsdale. The mood among Liverpool fans soured when Southampton unexpectedly took the lead in first-half stoppage time due to a defensive blunder involving Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker. Will Smallbone capitalized on the miscommunication, scoring his first goal in the Premier League by slotting the ball in at the near post.
Arne Slot, who was banned from the touchline, clearly did not like his team’s performance in the first half and opted to bring on Andy Robertson, Alexis Mac Allister, and Harvey Elliott during halftime. However, it was two players who started the match that linked up for Liverpool’s equalizer in the 52nd minute, with Luis Díaz driving to the byline and setting up Núñez to score. Shortly after, Núñez was fouled by Smallbone in the penalty area, allowing Mohamed Salah to convert a penalty, putting Liverpool ahead.
In the final moments of the game, Salah had another opportunity from the penalty spot when Yukinari Sugawara was called for a handball. This time, the 32-year-old outsmarted Ramsdale, placing his shot into the top corner and bringing his season total to 27 Premier League goals. The victory brings Liverpool closer to their 20th top-flight title and serves as a good preparation for their upcoming match against PSG, while Southampton’s situation worsens as they edge closer to relegation, now 14 points adrift of safety.
