Darwin Núñez scored a first-half brace after Roberto Firmino opened proceedings with an early header as Liverpool picked up a key victory versus Southampton Saturday afternoon at Anfield. Alisson gave up a first-half goal to Che Adams, but he responded well with 3 crucial stops in the second 45 minutes to help Liverpool claim the relatively comfortable victory.
First Half
Liverpool jumped on the board early as their first shot on the afternoon found the back of the net. Roberto Firmino delivered a header from a free kick to put the Reds up 1-0. Southampton found the equalizer quickly as their top goal-scorer Che Adams scored off a header in the 9th minute.
Liverpool kept the pressure on the Southampton goal as Mohamad Salah and Darwin Núñez put shots on the frame. That pressure paid off in the 21st minute as Harvey Elliott chipped a ball forward to Núñez in the box who finished in the far corner for a 2-1 lead.
Liverpool enjoyed a beautiful buildup near the half-hour mark. Elliott played the ball forward to Núñez who connected with a backheel to Firmino in the box, but the save was made. Salah also forced a save in the 32nd minute as the Reds were clearly on the front foot. Elliott's bright start continued with a shot in the 35th minute, but the attempt sailed over the bar.
Núñez bagged his second goal of the match when he finished with his right foot from the centre of the box thanks to a pass from Andy Robertson to put the home team up 3-1 at the break.
Second Half
Southampton's Adam Armstrong put a shot on goal in the 47th minute, but Alison was up to the challenge. Firmino and Salah followed with headers that were just a bit high. Alisson made two more key saves just after the hour mark, one of which led to a Salah breakaway. The Egyptian King felt he was fouled in the box for a penalty, but the whistle was not blown.
James Milner came on as a substitute in the 67th minute, making his 600th EPL appearance. Liverpool then earned a corner in the 71st minute, but the chance was cleared. Alisson made another top-class save in the 77th minute, denying Adams his second goal. Virgil VanDijk nearly put the game away with a chance in the 88th minute, but the opportunity went wide right to account for the 3-1 final
No Klopp, No Problem
Jürgen Klopp was forced to watch the action from the stands, serving a one-match suspension he picked up earlier in the campaign. The team did not seem to miss a beat, however under assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders, picking up a much-needed win.
Milner Makes History
When James Milner stepped on the pitch as a substitute in the 67th minute, he became just the 4th player to make 600 appearances in the league. Milner came to Liverpool in the 2015-16 season from Manchester City, but has also played in the top division for Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Leeds. Gareth Barry holds the record for EPL appearances with 653.
LFC Globe Verdict
This seems like the first time all season that a match has played out as expected for the Reds. They scored early and even after a Southampton equalizer, they never seemed in danger of losing the match. Too many times this season, they would have lost to a team near the bottom of the table (Nottingham Forest) or settled for a draw. It's nice to see that they did not drop any points and with a few surprising results further up the table, Liverpool have positioned themselves well to make a run in the second half of the campaign.
Man Of The Match & What's Next
While Alisson kept the lead for Liverpool with 3 great saves in the second half, it was Núñez that gave the Reds the lead in the first place. He then put home an insurance goal just before halftime as the striker is s becoming more and more comfortable in a Liverpool shirt.
What's Next
The holiday season will be just that for most of the players. Except for the 7 Reds reporting for World Cup duty, Liverpool will not see the pitch again until December away to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup. Date and time to be determined.
Goals
Southampton
- Che Adams '9
Liverpool
- Roberto Firmino 6'
- Darwin Núñez (21', 42')
Substitutions
Southhampton
- Theo Walcott for Stuart Armstrong 59'
- Samuel Edozie for Adam Armstrong 59'
- Ainsley Maitland-Niles for Duje Caleta-Car 59'
- Lynaco for Armel Bella-Kotchap 72'
- Joe Aribo for Romeo Livia 82'
Liverpool
- James Milner for Harvey Elliott 67'
- Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for Roberto Firmino 75'
- Fabio Carvalho for Darwin Núñez 86'
- Nathaniel Phillips for Trent Alexander Arnold 86'
- Kostas Tsimikas for Andy Robertson 87'