Reds title hopes dented by Southampton
A truly appalling display from the Champions saw them fall to a solid Southampton team that left Liverpool without a win in three games. After dropping points in draws against lowly West Bromwich Albion and Newcastle, there was hope – and a pressing need – for Jurgen Klopp’s men to get back on track against a team missing key players and who had posed no threat to Liverpool in the last six meetings. Instead, the Reds went behind to a Danny Ings lob after two minutes, following a soft free kick, given by the atrocious Andre Mariner, and defended meekly by Trent Alexander Arnold, who had his worst performance in a Liverpool shirt and was given the hook after after 77 minutes in deference to James Milner. Not that Alexander Arnold should be singled out for his poor display. Every Liverpool player – from Salah to Alisson – had terrible games. The loss of an early goal seemed to panic Liverpool and their usual calm and patient build up play was absent as they rushed and struggled to trouble Southampton, whose nervous keeper, Fraser Forster, didn’t have to make a save until the 74th minute, when he comfortably clasped a weak effort from Mané.
