Despite playing away at St. Mary’s, many predicted an easy win for Liverpool due to Southampton’s poor form at the bottom of the standings. However, the match proved challenging for Liverpool, as they initially took the lead, fell behind, and had to fight hard to regain control, eventually securing the win thanks to Mohamed Salah’s timely contributions.

In the 65th minute, Ryan Gravenberch delivered a long pass through Southampton’s defense to Mohamed Salah. Goalkeeper Alex McCarthy misjudged the ball and rushed out unnecessarily, leaving Salah to calmly slot the ball into an empty net.

Salah then sealed the victory with a composed penalty in the 83rd minute after Yukinari Sugawara handled the ball in the box.

In addition to his brace, Salah had an influential performance, touching the ball 46 times, completing 21 out of 28 passes (75% accuracy), providing 1 key assist, finishing 2 out of 3 dribbles, and winning 4 out of 8 duels. He almost completed a hat-trick, but his close-range shot in the dying minutes hit the post.

Aware of Liverpool’s attacking strength, Southampton coach Russell Martin set up a 5-4-1 formation, focusing on defensive counter-attacks. Before McCarthy’s equalizer brought the score to 2-2, Liverpool struggled against Southampton’s aggressive pressing at St. Mary’s.

Szoboszlai stood out with his slick ball escapes and precise through balls, while Gravenberch showcased his vision with several effective progressive passes.