Southampton vs Liverpool result: Reds leave relieved after severe test on south coast

Southampton 1-2 Liverpool: Goals from Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino were ultimately enough to seal all three points

Liverpool were given a real scare by Southampton at St Mary’s and Jurgen Klopp will head back to Merseyside relieved that his team survived without dropping points after the 2-1 victory. The visiting side were dreadful in the first half but a moment of genius from Sadio Mane gave them the lead going into the break.

Roberto Firmino doubled the advantage in the 71st minute but Ralph Hasenhüttl’s side came back strongly in the late stages. Adrian gifted Danny Ings a simple goal against his old club with seven minutes to go and Liverpool wobbled in the final moments before departing with the victory.

Ralph Hasenhüttl’s team were excellent for 45 minutes. They carved out a number of chances and neutralised the visiting side, who appeared seriously out of sorts after their midweek Super Cup exertions. Southampton set up with five across the back and Oriol Romeu and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg sitting in front. The intention was to get to the Liverpool forwards quickly when the ball arrived and let them know they were in a game. Mane felt the sting of Southampton boots twice in the early exchanges.

When they got the ball, the home side went long. Romeu dispossessed Mo Salah and found Nathan Redmond, who turned the Liverpool defence around and forced a corner. The set-piece caused consternation for the defence as the ball ricocheted around the box. There was more panic to come. From another corner shortly after Maya Yoshida rose above the crowd inside the six-yard box and headed towards goal. It seemed certain Southampton would take the lead but Adrian pulled off a remarkable reflex save.

Southampton were imposing their tempo on the game, pressing hard when out of possession and spinning the defenders around as often as they could. Klopp’s system opens up space with razor-sharp passing but Liverpool’s rhythm was disturbed.

Ryan Bertrand found room on the left and sent in a cross that Adrian could only parry but Southampton were unable to capitalise. The home side executed their plan with aplomb in the first half.

Liverpool had chances but failed to carve out clear opportunities. Salah sliced wide close to the half hour but mostly they struggled to create. Southampton had no such problems. Romeu curled in a lovely ball to Adams, who split the centre backs. The free header should have been dispatched but the ball sailed over with Adrian rooted to his line and gasping in relief.

Mane’s brilliance took the sting out of Southampton for most of the second period. Andy Robertson and James Milner exchanged passes on congested left flank and the ball was fed in to Mane. The striker opened his body and curled a shot into the far corner. Southampton looked stunned.

Now Klopp’s team were on top and Liverpool could easily have extended their lead when Salah shot straight at Angus Gunn from an acute angle. Then Mane imposed himself again, winning possession from a Southampton throw-in and finding Firmino in the area. The Brazilian wriggled across the box until he found a little space and then arrowed a low shot into the net.

It looked like the game would fizzle out until Adrian’s mistake. The goalkeeper did not seem to be suffering any after effects of his freak, supporter-inflicted injury but he was living on the edge. Klopp would later blame himself - ‘he had a bad ankle and we played too many passes to him.’ Twice he dwelt on the ball – James Ward-Prowse blocked one of his clearances and Adams was within a whisker of charging down another. This time he rolled the ball straight to Ings who gratefully put it into the net.

Things got a bit frantic. Twice Southampton attacks ended with the ball pinging around the area but Liverpool held on in a rousing finish. Hasenhüttl will be sick, Klopp relieved. Liverpool underwent a severe test.