A straightforward 4-0 victory for the Reds today against mid-table Southampton moved Liverpool up to second in the table before title rivals Manchester City and Chelsea play tomorrow, against West Ham and Manchester United respectively.
A convincing display could have seen Liverpool score nine or 10 but, at the same time, goalkeeper Alisson Becker had to make several excellent saves to stop Southampton from scoring and getting a way back into the game.
Still, once Diogo Jota scored after two minutes – a tap in, following good linkup play between Sadio Mané and Andy Robertson (restored to the side after missing the games against Arsenal and Porto, in which Kostas Tsimikas ably deputised for him) – Liverpoo always looked like they would take three points and they would do so comfortably.
Mané had yet another goal chalked off for a marginal offside. His powerful header from Andy Robertson’s free kick swung in from the left fell victim to the linesman’s flag and VAR confirmed an infringement not clear to the naked eye.
But Liverpool were never going to be denied a second goal, even if it took them another 30 minutes to score it. This time it was good play down the right that ended with another tap in for Jota.
Trent Alexander Arnold won the ball just inside the Southampton half, laid it off to Mo Salah and he exchanged passes with Jordan Henderson before the Egyptian's pass found the Portuguese striker on the back post to score his second of the game.
A first half hat-trick for Jota looked inevitable as Liverpool continued to create chances and the former Wolves man continued to find himself in the right place at the right time, but he couldn’t make the most of the opportunities presented to him.
When the third goal came it came from an unexpected source, though maybe after his sensational strike against Porto in midweek Thiago Alcantara finding himself on the scoresheet again was not such a surprise. He fancies it now.
Thus, on 36 minutes, the Spanish midfielder picked up the ball 30 yards out from a defensive clearance, with a shimmy and a stepover, drove into the opposition penalty box, found the space for a shot, which he unleashed with his left foot into the right corner of the goal only for a deflection from a Southampton defender to take it the other way and away from the diving Saints keeper, who had no chance.
The game was over. Nightmarish memories of nine-goal thrashings Southampton have suffered in the last couple of years, against Man United and Leicester, must have returned, not that the Saints were playing that badly.
However, in the second half, Liverpool only managed to add one more, when on 52 minutes ex-Saint Virgil van Dijk met an Alexander Arnold corner from the right with an unstoppable volley from the penalty spot to make it four and complete the day’s scoring.
Jurgen Klopp took the opportunity to rest players ahead of the midweek derby against Everton.
A convincing display could have seen Liverpool score nine or 10 but, at the same time, goalkeeper Alisson Becker had to make several excellent saves to stop Southampton from scoring and getting a way back into the game.
Still, once Diogo Jota scored after two minutes – a tap in, following good linkup play between Sadio Mané and Andy Robertson (restored to the side after missing the games against Arsenal and Porto, in which Kostas Tsimikas ably deputised for him) – Liverpoo always looked like they would take three points and they would do so comfortably.
Mané had yet another goal chalked off for a marginal offside. His powerful header from Andy Robertson’s free kick swung in from the left fell victim to the linesman’s flag and VAR confirmed an infringement not clear to the naked eye.
But Liverpool were never going to be denied a second goal, even if it took them another 30 minutes to score it. This time it was good play down the right that ended with another tap in for Jota.
Trent Alexander Arnold won the ball just inside the Southampton half, laid it off to Mo Salah and he exchanged passes with Jordan Henderson before the Egyptian's pass found the Portuguese striker on the back post to score his second of the game.
A first half hat-trick for Jota looked inevitable as Liverpool continued to create chances and the former Wolves man continued to find himself in the right place at the right time, but he couldn’t make the most of the opportunities presented to him.
When the third goal came it came from an unexpected source, though maybe after his sensational strike against Porto in midweek Thiago Alcantara finding himself on the scoresheet again was not such a surprise. He fancies it now.
Thus, on 36 minutes, the Spanish midfielder picked up the ball 30 yards out from a defensive clearance, with a shimmy and a stepover, drove into the opposition penalty box, found the space for a shot, which he unleashed with his left foot into the right corner of the goal only for a deflection from a Southampton defender to take it the other way and away from the diving Saints keeper, who had no chance.
The game was over. Nightmarish memories of nine-goal thrashings Southampton have suffered in the last couple of years, against Man United and Leicester, must have returned, not that the Saints were playing that badly.
However, in the second half, Liverpool only managed to add one more, when on 52 minutes ex-Saint Virgil van Dijk met an Alexander Arnold corner from the right with an unstoppable volley from the penalty spot to make it four and complete the day’s scoring.
Jurgen Klopp took the opportunity to rest players ahead of the midweek derby against Everton.
Thus, he brought on Alex Oxlade Chamberlain for Thiago, James Milner for Henderson and Taki Minamino for Jota. Nevertheless, with the exception, perhaps, of Joel Matip starting ahead of Ibrahim Kontate, you have to think that today’s 11 for the Reds is Klopp’s preferred starting lineup. Thiago, Fabinho and Henderson in midfield with Jota, alongside Mané and Salah, up front ahead of Roberto Firmino, even with the Brazilian coming to the end of a layoff with a hamstring injury.
