Liverpool FC’s impressive offensive line was once again in the thick of things, as the Reds managed to churn out a convincing victory against the lowly Southampton.
The cunning attacking duo of Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino proved to be the difference between the two sides. Roberto Firmino opened the scoring in the first half, capitalizing on a mistake by Wesley Hoedt to give Liverpool the lead.
However, the duo combined again to double Liverpool’s lead and this was even better, as they played a lovely one-two pass to completely dismantle the Southampton defence. It was Salah’s 29th goal in all competitions this season.
Here are the Liverpool players rated in their convincing win over the Saints.
Loris Karius (9/10): The German keeper seems to be growing in confidence as he once again performed brilliantly between the sticks. Karius made two important saves which could have easily been scored, especially when he denied Hojbjerg from inside the penalty area.
Trent-Alexander Arnold (8/10): Completely bossed the duo of Dusan Tadic and Ryan Bertrand on the right flank, all on his own. The youngster also played a key role in Liverpool’s build-up play but his defensive work was definitely intriguing.
Joel Matip (7.5/10): Looked rather wobbly within the first quarter of the game but slowly grew into the game later on. The former Schalke captain should be eager to continue this impressive performance in the coming weeks.
Virgil Van Dijk (8.5/10): Easily one of the best games for the Dutchman in a Liverpool shirt. Despite receiving a fair amount of boos from the Southampton fans, Van Dijk was always in control of Liverpool’s defensive line and provided great solidity in the backline.
Andrew Robertson (8.5/10): One of the best players on the pitch, Andrew Robertson clearly stole the show with his exceptional performance on the left flank. The Scottish defender played in a key role in the visitor’s wide play and provided a series of crosses, which caused a lot of trouble for the Southampton defence. He also kept the likes of Ward-Prowse and Cedric, totally quiet throughout the game.
Emre Can (7.5/10): A decent display from the German midfielder, who was solid enough in the centre of the park. His sheer physical prowess helped Liverpool dominate the midfield.
Georginio Wijnaldum (7.5/10): Complemented the work of Emre Can and proved to be a useful component for Liverpool in the middle third of the pitch.
Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain (6.5/10): Failed to impose his authority or to make any kind of notable impact on proceedings, rightly getting subbed off in the second half.
Mohamed Salah (9/10): No words needed for the Egyptian wizard, who once again showed exactly what he is capable of. Took full advantage of Wesley Hoedt’s mistake in the first half, to assist Firmino’s opener, before scoring himself after a mesmerizing link-up play with the Brazilian.
Roberto Firmino (9.5/10): By far the best player on the pitch, Roberto Firmino was an artist in the centre-forward position. The Brazilian offered trickery and cleverness in the final third, which was enough to bamboozle the weak looking Southampton defence.
Sadio Mane (7.5/10): Failed to make an impact in the first half but looked much better after the restart as he was eager to get onto the scoresheet. However, he was not as effective as Mohamed Salah or Roberto Firmino.
Subs
James Milner (7.5/10): Came on for the struggling Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain in the second half to provide more assurance in central midfield. His defensive work-ethic ultimately helped Liverpool protect their two-goal lead against Southampton.
Adam Lallana (NA): Replaced Roberto Firmino in the 79th minute, with Jurgen Klopp having one eye on the all-important midweek clash against Porto in the Champions League knockout rounds.
Dejan Lovren (NA): One of many ex-Southampton players on the pitch, Dejan Lovren was introduced in the final minute of the game to shore up the defence.