Southampton 2 Liverpool 3: Reds go EIGHT points clear at top of Premier League after Salah penalty and McCarthy howler

ANYONE who suggested last summer that it might have been the time for Mohamed Salah to move on must be wishing they never actually said it.

Liverpool’s Egyptian King delivered a brace to send the Reds eight points clear and keep their foot firmly on the throat of a struggling Manchester City.

He was needed too.

Rock bottom Southampton were not supposed to be a problem – but they caused no end of issues against a somewhat out of sorts Liverpool.

You would have been forgiven for thinking Storm Bert and getting to the south coast would be Slot’s biggest concern this weekend.

But goals from Adam Armstrong and Mateus Fernandes, after Dominik Szoboszlai’s opener, had Saints ahead and Liverpool worried they had blown a brilliant chance.

Until Salah turned up. One delicate and delightful finish before a clinical penalty. He should have grabbed a third, too, but that does not matter right now.

If there were still doubts about securing his new deal within the club, anyone harbouring them should be removed from their post.

Russell Martin, spared the sack during the international break, named a team which appeared to have been selected with the help of a blindfold and a darts board.

Towering Paul Onuachu returned from the cold up front for his first Premier League start since May 2023, the day Southampton were relegated.

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With defender Jan Bednarek injured midfielder Flynn Downes dropped into a defence which included winger Ryan Fraser at left-back against Salah.

Both experiments largely failed, though Southampton were improved from recent performances.

Martin’s concern will be that they only seem to turn up against teams they have little chance of beating.

Liverpool had their own injury issues, with Trent Alexander-Arnold injured, but they were solved in a much more straightforward manner as Conor Bradley stepped in.

Despite being the lowest scorers in the league the Saints had Liverpool concerned early on, Fernandes and Adam Armstrong causing trouble.

Off the ball, they were very content to sit deep, Onuachu back defending 25 yards from goal with a bank of four and then five behind him.

While Alex McCarthy, in for the injured Aaron Ramsdale, had to stop Salah twice at his near post, Liverpool were largely restricted to shots from range – Szboszlai and Cody Gakpo both trying their luck and seeing efforts saved.

The league leaders were pinning Southampton back but they were holding firm. 

What a moment, then, for Downes to inflict the weekly act of self-harm.

After McCarthy saved a soft effort from Bradley, he rolled the ball to Fernandes on the edge of the box.

Under pressure from Curtis Jones the young midfielder played back to Downes who, without as much as a glance up, hacked the ball to the feet of Szoboszlai and watched him curl a left-foot finish off the inside of the post.

Downes came close to making up for his error but was denied by Kelleher.

The goal had caused a shift, though. Liverpool looked unsure of themselves.

Teen Tyler Dibling was causing issues down the right, snatching possession and driving forwards.

There must be something about St. Mary’s which renders defenders incompetent. It has troubled Southampton all season and Liverpool now seemed to have been infected.

They were inviting the Saints onto them before a sloppy challenge from Andy Robertson, bringing down Dibling on the 12-yard line after Virgil van Dijk had conceded possession, gave the hosts a penalty and their way back in.

After a shocking spot kick, Armstrong was sharp enough to beat everyone to the rebound and tap in just an eighth goal of the Premier League season for Southampton.

Given mistakes at the back have gifted so many goals to opponents this season, it was about time one went Southampton’s way.

McCarthy spilled the ball from a corner, but luckily it was prodded away to Fraser.

The Scot moved forwards and clipped the ball ahead for Dibling who took one touch before lifting it over the Liverpool defence and into Armstrong.

After turning and sorting his feet out, Armstrong squared for Fernandes who grabbed his first Premier League goal with a cool first time finish.

Fans were delirious in the wind and rain and those on the pitch looked to be keeping their cool and, more importantly, the ball.

But if there is any team you would be confident of coming from behind to beat it is Martin’s Southampton.

Their under-pressure manager cannot be too downbeat about conceding against Liverpool, but he must just wish they did not make it so easy.

Ryan Gravenberch, reinvented under Slot, lifted a ball from deep to set Salah racing away one-on-one.

McCarthy got his angles all wrong, meaning a delightful cushioned touch was all it took to send the ball slowly rolling over the line.

He had done well in Ramsdale’s place to that point, but the ex-Arsenal man would have been sharper here.

Southampton were hanging on well, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Jack Stephens with brave challenges, but another sloppy mistake cost them.

Sub Yuki Suguwara, defending a Salah cross at the far post all but caught the ball with his right hand.

There was no hesitation from ref Sam Barrott and no VAR to rescue the Saints, while the outcome was inevitable with Salah standing over it.