ANFIELD, LIVERPOOL // Liverpool moved 16 points ahead of Arsenal in the Premier League after coming from behind to beat Southampton. After a difficult first half, the tide of the game completely changed.
Southampton moved in front in the game through Will Smallbone when Virgil van Dijk tried to let the ball run back to Alisson Becker. And with Liverpool toiling, Arne Slot made a TRIPLE half-time change, bringing on Harvey Elliott, Alexis Mac Allister and Andy Robertson for Kostas Tsimikas, Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai.
It paid off straight away. Darwin Nunez scored and then won a penalty which was converted by Mohamed Salah. Within 10 minutes of the second half, the comeback was complete, and Salah then got his second from the spot late on.
Winners
For the second game in a row, Harvey Elliott came off the bench to make a difference. This time, it wasn’t quite as obvious as scoring a late winner like he did midweek. What he did, though, was inject life into a stalling Liverpool attack.
Adding some impotus when it was desperately needed, he helped change the game in a positive way again. Within 10 minutes, the scoreline had flipped. Nunez’s impact (scoring and winning a spot kick) deserves a mention too.
Losers
It is incredibly rare that a coach makes three half-time changes, with Tsimikas, Jones and Szoboszlai all being hooked. For that trio, it wasn’t ideal, and it could easily have been Luis Diaz who came off. Slot made the right call, though, and no one can complain. Diaz improved after the half-time break and Liverpool looked like a different team. Slot went bold and he was rewarded.
Player ratings
Alisson Becker (6). The game began with The Kop chanting his name. He was never likely to be as busy as he was against PSG (he might not make that number of saves in the rest of the season’s fixtures combined) but he wouldn’t have let in the Smallbone goal had it been on Wednesday when he was in inspired form. It was a mistake but the rest of his game was fine.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (7). He had to be alert to the threat that Kamaldeen Sulemana can offer down the Southampton left. There were a few glimpses of what he could do with the ball at his feet but a couple of his shots were easily blocked in the first half. He helped up the tempo in the second.
Ibrahima Konate (7). Fortunate not to be sent off midweek, the Frenchman was decent enough here. He didn’t have loads to do but covered for Alexander-Arnold at times. Decent enough on the ball which is always important in games like these.
Virgil van Dijk (7). He did fine aside from a rare mix-up for the opening goal. He tried to let the ball run back to Alisson, presumably after a shout from the goalkeeper behind him, but it was the wrong call. Strong on the ball.
Kostas Tsimikas (6). In to give Andy Robertson a rest ahead of big games with PSG and Newcastle, the Greek left-back was a solid enough understudy in the main. Booked for a foul that he probably didn’t need to make in the first half. Limited impact going forward and taken off at the break, which seemed a little harsh.
Ryan Gravenberch (6). With more time and space to operate in around the central third of the field, this was a game that suited the Dutch number six. He did the best of the midfielders in the first half (hence why he stayed on the field). Similar showing in the second half.
Curtis Jones (5). Should have opened the scoring inside the opening minutes as he dragged a shot wide from inside the penalty area. Had he scored that, it would have been a completely different game. Taken off at half-time, which probably says something.
Dominik Szoboszlai (5). Certainly not lacking energy but couldn’t find much in the way of creativity. There was not much movement in front of him and a sea of yellow shirts. Taken off at half-time for Elliott, which was the right move.
Mohamed Salah (7). A couple of times, he got into good positions before taking a bad touch. It wasn’t his afternoon from open play, though he did add another two goals to his tally by netting a brace from the penalty spot. Both were well-taken.
Darwin Nunez (7). This was a big opportunity for the Uruguayan forward to try and kickstart some momentum with a rare start. He came very deep to help out defensively, probably to prove that he had listened to his coach’s recent criticism of not working hard enough.
A silly booking was picked up when he hacked away at Kyle Walker-Peters but later scored the equalizing goal and then won a penalty. All action!
Luis Diaz (6). He lost the ball a little easily at times and Arne Slot had his head in his hands when he sliced a shot horribly high and wide near the end of the first half. He never really looked like beating his man before the interval and it was a surprise he stayed out there for the second 45 minutes. He did, though, and he improved substantially.
Substitutes
Harvey Elliott (7). Immediately injected some more pace into the game when he forced a good save from Aaron Ramsdale. He was needed to quicken the Liverpool play.
Alexis Mac Allister (7). Jones was not horrifically bad but the Argentine, his replacement, was a big upgrade. He buzzed around the field as he so often does and kept the ball moving quickly.
Andy Robertson (7). On at left-back, the Scotland captain was livelier in the final third than Tsimikas. That, though, could easily have been because Liverpool as a team was much more energetic.
Diogo Jota (6). It was harsh to take off Nunez when he was playing well but the Portugal forward is another quality option. He did well enough to help close the game out.
