Southampton 2 Liverpool 3: Reds go EIGHT points clear at top of Premier League after Salah penalty and McCarthy howler

ANYONE who suggested past summertime mightiness person been the clip for Mohammed Salah to determination connected indispensable beryllium hoping they ne'er really said arsenic much.

Liverpool’s Egyptian King delivered a brace to nonstop the Reds 8 points wide and support their ft firmly connected the pharynx of a struggling Manchester City.

He was needed too.

Rock bottommost Southampton were not expected to beryllium a occupation – but they caused nary extremity of issues against a somewhat retired of sorts Liverpool.

You would person been forgiven for reasoning Storm Bert and getting to the southbound seashore would beryllium Slot’s biggest interest this weekend.

But goals from Adam Armstrong and Mateus Fernandes, aft Dominik Szoboszlai’s opener, had Saints up and Liverpool disquieted they had blown a superb chance.

Until Salah turned up. One delicate and delightful decorativeness earlier a objective penalty. He should person grabbed a third, too, but that does not substance close now.

If determination were inactive doubts astir securing his caller woody wrong the club, anyone harbouring them should beryllium removed from their post.

Russell Martin, spared the sack during the planetary break, named a squad which appeared to person been selected with the assistance of a blindfold and a darts board.

Towering Paul Onuachu returned from the acold up beforehand for his archetypal Premier League commencement since May 2023, the time Southampton were relegated.

BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS

With defender Jan Bednarek injured midfielder Flynn Downes dropped into a defence which included winger Ryan Fraser astatine left-back against Salah.

Both experiments mostly failed, though Southampton were improved from caller performances.

Martin’s interest volition beryllium that they lone look to crook up against teams they person small accidental of beating.

Liverpool had their ain wounded issues, with Trent Alexander-Arnold injured, but they were solved successful a overmuch much straightforward mode arsenic Conor Bradley stepped in.

Despite being the lowest scorers successful the league the Saints had Liverpool acrophobic aboriginal on, Fernandes and Adam Armstrong causing trouble.

Off the ball, they were precise contented to beryllium deep, Onuachu backmost defending 25 yards from extremity with a slope of 4 and past 5 down him.

While Alex McCarthy, successful for the injured Aaron Ramsdale, had to halt Salah doubly astatine his adjacent post, Liverpool were mostly restricted to shots from scope – Szboszlai and Cody Gakpo some trying their luck and seeing efforts saved.

The league leaders were pinning Southampton backmost but they were holding firm. 

What a moment, then, for Downes to inflict the play enactment of self-harm.

After McCarthy saved a brushed effort from Bradley, helium rolled the shot to Fernandes connected the borderline of the box.

Under unit from Curtis Jones the young midfielder played backmost to Downes who, without arsenic overmuch arsenic a glimpse up, hacked the shot to the feet of Szoboszlai and watched him curl a left-foot decorativeness disconnected the wrong of the post.

Downes came adjacent to making up for his mistake but was denied by Kelleher.

The extremity had caused a shift, though. Liverpool looked unsure of themselves.

Teen Tyler Dibling was causing issues down the right, snatching possession and driving forwards.

There indispensable beryllium thing astir St. Mary’s which renders defenders incompetent. It has troubled Southampton each play and Liverpool present seemed to person been infected.

They were inviting the Saints onto them earlier a sloppy situation from Andy Robertson, bringing down Dibling connected the 12-yard enactment aft Virgil van Dijk had conceded possession, gave the hosts a punishment and their mode backmost in.

After a shocking spot kick, Armstrong was crisp capable to bushed everyone to the rebound and pat successful conscionable an eighth extremity of the Premier League play for Southampton.

Given mistakes astatine the backmost person talented truthful galore goals to opponents this season, it was astir clip 1 went Southampton’s way.

McCarthy spilled the shot from a corner, but luckily it was prodded distant to Fraser. The Scot moved forwards and clipped the shot up for Dibling who took 1 interaction earlier lifting it implicit the Liverpool defence and into Armstrong.

After turning and sorting his feet out, Armstrong squared for Fernandes who grabbed his archetypal Premier League extremity with a chill archetypal clip finish.

Fans were delirious successful the upwind and rainfall and those connected the transportation looked to beryllium keeping their chill and, much importantly, the ball.

But if determination is immoderate squad you would beryllium assured of coming from down to bushed it is Martin’s Southampton.

Their under-pressure manager cannot beryllium excessively downbeat astir conceding against Liverpool, but helium indispensable conscionable privation they did not marque it truthful easy.

Ryan Gravenberch, reinvented nether Slot, lifted a shot from heavy to acceptable Salah racing distant one-on-one.

McCarthy got his angles each wrong, meaning a delightful cushioned interaction was each it took to nonstop the shot dilatory rolling implicit the line. He had done good successful Ramsdale’s spot to that point, but the ex-Arsenal antheral would person been sharper here.

Southampton were hanging connected well, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Jack Stephens with brave challenges, but different sloppy mistake outgo them.

Sub Yuki Suguwara, defending a Salah transverse astatine the acold station each but caught the shot with his close hand. There was nary hesitation from ref Sam Barrott and nary VAR to rescue the Saints, portion the result was inevitable with Salah lasting implicit it.