Liverpool had to work hard to come from behind to beat bottom side Southampton 3-2. Which has seen them open up an eight-point lead over second-placed Manchester City.
Six minutes into the game, Liverpool had a chance from a counter-attack. Dominik Soboszlai dragged the ball up and passed. It into the penalty area on the right for Mohamed Salah to step in and shoot with his left foot. But Alex McCarthy saved it and pushed it behind. UFABET
The Reds almost took the lead in the 21st minute. When Cody Gakpo crossed from the left and curved deep to the far post. Salah took a step back and flicked a left-foot shot from a tight angle. But McCarthy made a superb save.
In the 27th minute, Liverpool had another chance. When Cody Gakpo cut in from the left and shot with his right foot from the edge of the penalty area. But McCarthy managed to push it behind.
In the 30th minute.
The Reds took the lead 1-0 from a seemingly unimportant ball. McCarthy passed the ball short to Matheus Fernandes who was squeezed in front of his own penalty area. The ball bounced back to Flynn Downs who tried to kick it clear. But it was not good and went to Dominik Soboszlai’s feet, who caught it with his left foot. And spun it from the edge of the penalty area, hitting the post and going in.
Southampton almost equalised early on in the 33rd minute when Tyler Dibbing dribbled down the right and crossed for Flynn Downs, who turned and fired a right-footed shot, but Caoimhin Kelleher also produced a superb save.
But the Saints got a penalty from Liverpool’s own mistake. Virgil van Dijk lost the ball in his own half, Tyler Dibling dragged it and was tackled by Andy Robertson on the penalty line. The referee pointed to a penalty and after checking VAR, it was confirmed that even though Adam Armstrong’s first shot was saved by Kelleher, he still followed up and scored, making the score 1-1 in the 42nd minute.
End of first half, Southampton draw with Liverpool 1-1.
In the second half, Southampton shocked the leaders by taking a 2-1 lead in the 56th minute from a counter-attack. Adam Armstrong followed up and collected the ball before passing it to an open area for Matheus Fernandes to shoot with his left foot into the goal.
Then Liverpool pressed hard and in the 65th minute equalized 2-2 from a long pass from Ryan Gravenberch to Mo Salah who ran after the ball, but Alex McCarthy carelessly missed the goal and the ball fell to Salah’s feet, slowly sliding into the empty net.
The Reds then pressed even harder and were awarded a penalty when Salah’s cross was clearly off the arm of Yukinari Sugawara, who had his arms outstretched. The referee blew his whistle for a foul, and Salah took the penalty and scored. Liverpool led 3-2 in the 83rd minute.
In the 85th minute, Salah had a chance to score a hat trick when he dribbled the ball into the penalty area on the right and dribbled past Stephens, but his shot went over the bar.
In the 88th minute, it was a golden opportunity for the away team to extend their lead. The ball was crossed from the left to the far post and reached Salah, who volleyed it in front of the goal without catching it. But unfortunately it hit the post and bounced out.
Full-time: Liverpool beat Southampton 3-2, leading the pack by 8 points over second-placed Man City