Southampton: After the agonies of last week, Liverpool closed to within two points of second-placed Manchester United with a comfortable 2-0 victory over relegation-haunted Southampton here, Sunday.
Held 2-2 by top-four rivals Tottenham Hotspur last Sunday in a turbulent game that had manager Juergen Klopp apparently in danger of self combustion, Liverpool barely broke sweat at St Mary’s Stadium as Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah ran the show.
Firmino fired Liverpool ahead after seven minutes when Southampton messed up in defence and Salah picked out his fellow forward to stroke home.
The roles were reversed shortly before half time when Liverpool counter-attacked and Firmino played in Salah for his 22nd goal of the season with an audacious back heel. Salah is one behind the league’s top scorer Harry Kane.
Liverpool, who featured three former Southampton players in their starting line-up and also brought on former Saints Adam Lallana and Dejan Lovren late on, should have added more in the second half as the hosts offered precious little.
Liverpool have 54 points to United’s 56 with Tottenham Hotspur on 52 and champions Chelsea on 50 with a game in hand as the battle for Champions League spots heats up. Southampton are third from bottom, a point behind 17th-placed Huddersfield Town.
Their former defender Virgil van Dijk, who joined Liverpool in the recent transfer window after an often acrimonious transfer saga, was booed by the home faithful who had little else to get excited about.
reuters
