Match report
Right, that’s all from me. Thanks for your company, but now it’s time to join Jacob Steinberg for Arsenal v Manchester United:
James Milner has been speaking about failing take his chance from 12 yards. “The penalty was my fault, so it was probably my fault we did not get the three [points] and I have to take responsibility for that,” Milner said.
“He [Fraser Forster] has seen me take lots of penalties with England and even going back to when we were at Newcastle. I cannot do anymore than hold my hands up and apologise to the boys. We wanted maximum points and we did not do that.”
Well, that was rather drab, wasn’t it? Liverpool tried and failed to break Southampton down and when they were presented with virtually a free hit from the penalty spot, James Milner saw his penalty saved by Fraser Forster. Milner was probably Liverpool’s best player and that very thought goes some way to explaining their shortcomings.
Roberto Firmino nor Phillipe Coutinho were fluid, and Divock Origi was withdrawn for Daniel Sturridge. Liverpool, who return third with this point, were incredibly blunt while Southampton were incredibly dogged.
All of a sudden, the fight for the top four is back in Manchester United’s hands. United are currently going through their final preparations at the Emirates:
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Full-time result: Liverpool 0-0 Southampton
Forster’s penalty save earns Southampton a draw as Liverpool’s winless run at Anfield continues. That is the fourth time this season Liverpool have failed to score against Saints.
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90+2 min: Great save by Forster! Milner whips a cross into the box but Grujic’s header is kept out by Forster. At a second look, it was probably more a routine save but nevertheless an important one for Saints. Seconds left on the clock at Anfield ...
90+1min: Liverpool get a throw-in and Klopp would take it himself if he could. Saints have every man behind the ball.
90 min: As replays play of Mignolet dicing with danger, the Liverpool goalkeeper looks incredibly sheepish. There will be four added minutes at Anfield, where it just has not happened, again, for them this afternoon.
89 min: Mignolet plays a dangerous game at the back, passing the ball out to Milner with Tadic lurking but he’s off the hook. Liverpool are taking chances here, with Lovren now penalised and booked for a foul on Soares.
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88 min: Klopp is raging again, after Can’s effort is clearly deflected for a corner-kick. Goal-kick given.
85 min: Ryan Bertrand strikes at goal from inside the box from a tight angle but Clyne has read it. Bertrand then does brilliantly to get back at his man, earning plenty of applause from the Saints bench. Meanwhile, Grujic is on in place of Wijnaldum for Liverpool.
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84 min: Liverpool are unfortunate the ball doesn’t break for them but Soares does well to tidy things up for Saints. Stephens did brilliantly to clear the ball before it came straight back at them. Liverpool then tried to open Saints up but Soares, covering, had other ideas.
83 min: The corner comes to nothing, with Firmino instead charging forward on the counter. Liverpool, though, are this time guilty of wasting possession with Lallana scooping his cross harmlessly high and wide.
81 min: Neat interplay between Romeu and Redmond allows Saints to build and Tadic earns a corner. They have had a good little spell here. Nine minutes of normal time to play.
79 min: A ball over the top sees Tadic excel on the counter, finding Long but the striker is wasteful, selling Redmond short in the pass. That was a nice opening but Southampton did not seize it.
78 min: A half-chance but it is probably the best opportunity Liverpool have had from open play! Sturridge does well to carve an opening, twisting away from two Southampton defenders but when he opens up a yard of space, his right-footed strike is relatively tame. Forster gathers and the danger is cleared.
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76 min: Liverpool pile forward again down the left, with Milner’s cross forcing Yoshida to head clear. Can and Firmino are in disagreement and, so far, it has been a very frustrating day at the office for Liverpool.
74 min: Liverpool press but Southampton go up the other end as they counter. Bertrand leads the attack but Clyne snuffs it out, with Coutinho striking from distance with his left foot. Liverpool – barring Milner from 12 yards – have only tested Forster from outside the box this afternoon.
73 min: Harmless in the end, as Redmond drills an effort wide after the initial free-kick landed at his feet on the right flank. Can either team find a way through?
72 min: Liverpool go long to seek out Sturridge but Yoshida calmly passes the ball back to Forster. His goal-kick is sent downfield and Milner crashes into the back of Tadic to hand Saints a free-kick just inside the Liverpool half.
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70 min: Southampton get a couple of corners in quick succession, with Yoshida glancing narrowly wide from Tadic’s first. Saints are perhaps not done here just yet.
69 min: Romeu strikes from distance, and it finds its way into the path of Long but he is flagged offside. Panic over for Liverpool, who seem to have been thrown of course by that penalty miss.
68 min: Liverpool are a little restless now, with Lucas fouling Gabbiadini. It’s seemingly the perfect moment to ring the changes too. Long replaces Gabbiadini while Lallana replaces Lucas. Klopp also summons Sturridge in place of Origi. Game on?
66 min: A great stop by Forster to deny Milner. It was not a shoddy penalty either but the 6ft7in goalkeeper denies Liverpool an opener. How they needed that too after a stale hour or so.
Forster saves Milner penalty!
Ward-Prowse, Yoshida and Bertrand all try to put Milner off before taking here. Milner steps up to take, low and hard but Forster’s giant hand down to his right keeps the score level.
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Penalty to Liverpool!
Handball given against Jack Stephens after a nothing ball into the box by Lucas.
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62 min: Soares hoofs the ball forward to unsurprisingly no avail. Redmond is fizzing about, but he is just about the only one on the pitch. Liverpool are still yet to truly test Forster.
59 min: Clyne displays some urgency from the throw-in but the cross evades Coutinho. Instead, Forster gathers and it’s business as usual. Saints make a change with Redmond replacing Boufal in a like-for-like change. A few metres away, Lallana and Sturridge remain on the bench for Liverpool as Klopp and his assistant Zeljko Buvac talk things through.
56 min: Milner sends in a cross from the left, with Firmino the target but the Brazilian goes to ground in the b under pressure from Bertrand. That was nothing, though, and Saints look to recycle the ball once more.
53 min: A mini-Anfield roar helps Liverpool back up the field through, you’ve guessed it, Milner. Nathaniel Clyne, in contrast, has been shepherded well by Bertrand and Boufal. Saints break it down and soon after play is stopped, with Romeu hurt after a coming together with Matip in midfield. Neither team look like scoring anytime today.
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50 min: It is all very predictable still from Liverpool, with Milner seemingly their best outlet from left-back. It will be interesting to see if Southampton continue to soak up the pressure with a smile on their face or whether they might try to up the ante a little at the other end, on the counterattack.
49 min: It’s surely only a matter of time before Adam Lallana is introduced here.
47 min: Liverpool attempt to take a grip on proceedings in the only way they know how, with some of that steady possession inside their own half. Can takes them over the halfway line but it comes to nothing.
46 min: Southampton start the second half with a bounce down the left. Bertrand’s throw reaches Tadic before Boufal causes panic. Can senses it, with Boufal about to release the trigger, and Saints have a corner. Lovren clears it but only for another corner, claimed by Mignolet.
Peeeeeeep!
And the second half is underway!
The second half is not too far away but here’s J.R in Illinois, who has a few Dusan Tadic unpleasantries to dish out at the interval. “Back there in the 43rd minute he was trying to cause trouble with Milner with a couple of sly, provocative shoves,” he says on email. “I’d keep an eye on those two in the second half.”
Not a classic then, by any means. Could be worse:
Half time: Liverpool 0-0 Southampton
Liverpool have huffed and puffed their way through the first 45 minutes while Southampton are quite happy to let them do so. Klopp runs down the tunnel towards the home dressing room as soon as the whistle goes. As he said pre-match, they have to win this one.
45 min: There’s one minute of added time, but it comes to nothing.
44 min: Liverpool have dominated possession but have nothing to show for it. This time, Firmino cannot keep hold of it and Boufal does well to break with the ball. Liverpool claim it back but that means nothing in this contest, as again Southampton close off every inch of space in front of them.
43 min: Origi gets a chance to make amends down the left flank but Southampton hound the striker out. It’s Romeu who makes the decisive challenge, a meaty, no-nonsense, sliding tackle but the Belgian had four Southampton players for company there.
42 min: More groans amongst home supporters as Origi miscues a pass. Southampton haven’t exactly been brilliant either.
41 min: Liverpool are attempting to crank it up a little, with Lucas and Coutinho both driving towards goal. The ball falls to Emre Can on his left foot, but it’s deflected harmlessly into the hands of Forster. It was no overhead-kick.
38 min: Man of the match so far? Robert Madley, the referee. He’s just been dancing around, moving both hands like a seesaw as he attempts to explain that Boufal v Clyne was six of one, half a dozen of another. Splendid.
37 min: That was dire. Liverpool run out of ideas on the edge of the box and Matip just lumps the ball forward, ensuring huge groans from the home supporters as the aimless ball runs out of play for a goal-kick.
35 min: The language barrier, it seems, ensures a huge delay in Gabbiadini receiving a few words from Robert Madley for grappling with Joel Matip in the Liverpool box. As against Hull City last weekend, the Italian has been starved of service so far here.
33 min: Firmino holds off Ward-Prowse centrally before powering towards goal and letting rip. His strike is held by Forster. Another glimpse of goal. It could be worse, though. Just ask Blackburn Rovers, who have been relegated to League One despite victory at Brentford.
32 min: It’s a hoo-ha to nothing though as Southampton waste the free-kick and Liverpool start over. As for Klopp, he’s back smiling again.
31 min: Klopp slams a water bottle to the ground in fury after the referee, Robert Madley, gives Southampton a foul for Lucas’ challenge on Dusan Tadic. Emre Can was also circling the Southampton midfielder. Anthony Taylor, the fourth official, tries to calm Klopp. He can’t.
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30 min: Saints gobble up another chunk of Liverpool pressure. Liverpool have been a little too slow here, a little predictable. On the touchline, Lallana and co are warming up.
27 min: Saints go up the other end and a win a corner from the right through Dusan Tadic. It’s their first of the afternoon. It comes to nothing, though, with a free-kick going Liverpool’s way this time. It’s been a poor half hour or so.
26 min: Clyne appears to race into a promising area, down the right flank but he’s barged Bertrand out of the way in doing so. Free-kick for Southampton. Liverpool are not having it all their own way.
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25 min: Divock Origi looks to the skies after the referee, Robert Madley, gives a free-kick to Southampton for a foul on Yoshida. The Japanese defender has been both marvellous and mad at times for Southampton.
24 min: A word, perhaps a premature word, for Sofiane Boufal who has done plenty of the dirty work so far at Anfield. A glorious player, technically, he’s done well do keep an eye on the marauding Clyne so far at least. Meanwhile, Coutinho sends a rasping effort straight at Forster.
23 min: Liverpool 70%-30% Southampton is the possession score so far.
20 min: Milner, from the left, sends in a high, lofted ball which causes brief excitement before Forster gets his hands on it. Up the other end, Gabbiadini is flagged offside. It’s been that kind of game so far.
19 min: Dusan Tadic and Oriol Romeu are on the floor, spinning around in circles, attempting to scrummage the ball away from the feet of Coutinho. It’s not been incredibly pretty so far. Liverpool are having a bit of joy down the left flank with Milner operating so wide, essentially an outlet from on the touchline.
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17 min: Another spell of Liverpool pressure ends with Clyne’s attempted through ball crashing into the advertising hoardings. It was not as bad as it sounds. Meanwhile, Saints supporters sing the name of their manager, Claude Puel.
15 min: Southampton have all 11 players behind the ball, led by Manolo Gabbiadini, who is lurking around the centre circle. Liverpool have already shown they’re capable of picking holes in Saints, though, even if they are yet to have a truly clear-cut chance.
14 min: Romeu puts a foot wrong, allowing Firmino to win the ball back and then bend an effort towards goal. Thankfully, Maya Yoshida puts his body in front of it to block his effort and the danger is averted.
12 min: Lucas picks out Firmino with a lovely through ball. The ball comes out wide to Milner who does brilliantly to dink the ball back into the box but Wijnaldum’s header is collected easily by Fraser Forster. On Forster, he has not been himself of late.
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10 min: Liverpool and Roberto Firmino in particular, dance around on the edge of the area but Romeu and Bertrand ensure the ball away. Bertrand actually clatters into Clyne in doing so, with the full-back receiving some quick attention. He’s alright, though, and we start again.
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9 min: Oriol Romeu does what Oriol Romeu does, snuffing the ball out just on the halfway line. He’s industrious and has been one of the best performers in that role in the division this season.
8 min: Adam Lallana is on the Liverpool bench this afternoon, basking in the sunshine. Nathaniel Clyne, another ex-Saint, meanwhile gallops down the right, looking for Firmino. Saints look pretty happy to soak up this pressure, just as they did in that EFL Cup semi-final, when Shane Long raced through to score.
7 min: Saints get down the left this time but a long throw comes to nothing. That was wasteful, as Mignolet gobbles it up. Liverpool go again, with some steady possession around the back.
6 min: Southampton then build down the right through Cedric Soares but James Milner snuffs it out. Tadic appears to be playing just off Gabbiadini this afternoon.
5 min: Jack Stephens does brilliantly to nab the ball away from Phillipe Coutinho down the left flank. Claude Puel applauds his man.
4 min: We have had a bit of a slow start, with Southampton packing the midfield, with Romeu the deepest of all, to make things difficult for Liverpool. Origi, who has started brightly, thinks he has a corner but Saints instead have a goal-kick.
1 min: Southampton have a bit of early pressure, but Liverpool stamp their authority on things through Mr Dejan Lovren.
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Peeeeeeep!
We’re underway at Anfield, with Southampton booting the ball out of play to get us started.
The teams are out on the pitch ... we are almost there. We are a rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone away from kick-off.
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Graeme Souness reckons Oriol Romeu is so good that he trumps Victor Wanyama’s efforts at Southampton, and I am not too sure I would disagree with him. Romeu scooped two awards at Southampton’s end-of-season do in the week and has been one of Puel’s best performers. Anyway, we are only a few minutes away from kick-off.
Jürgen Klopp has been speaking, and he is all smiles. “We have nothing to moan about, nothing to complain, of course we feel the pressure but the pressure gives you extra petrol in the tank and that is probably what we need today. We know about Southampton, and they do not have the pressure.”
A lot of the noise today is of course around the Championship, as well as the small fry of a game between Manchester United and Arsenal later on. But the sun is shining at Anfield and it is a big match for Klopp and his team today. Anything less than a win and their grasp over that fourth place would surely weaken. As for Southampton, they too need a performance.
While we may be just gearing up for things here, the likes of Blackburn Rovers, Nottingham Forest and Birmingham City are already battling it out for survival:
So, Phillipe Coutinho starts after recovering from that dead leg against Watford. Southampton make one change, with James Ward-Prowse replacing Nathan Redmond in the starting lineup. A reason to be cheerful for Saints? Puel, going back to his Lyon days, has never lost to Liverpool in five competitive matches (W3, D2).
The teams!
Liverpool (4-3-3): Mignolet; Clyne, Lovren, Matip, Milner; Lucas, Wijnaldum, Can; Firmino, Origi, Coutinho
Subs: Karius, Moreno, Grujic, Sturridge, Alexander, Lallana, Klavan
Southampton (4-2-3-1): Forster; Soares, Yoshida, Stephens, Bertrand; Romeu, Davis; Ward-Prowse, Tadic, Boufal; Gabbiadini
Subs: Hassen, Caceres, Long, Pied, Rodriguez, Hojbjerg, Redmond
Referee: Robert Madley
Preamble
This is just the banana skin Liverpool could do without. At the unforgiving business end of the year, Jürgen Klopp’s side host a Southampton team who have shutout Liverpool three times already this season. Klopp has never beaten Southampton and it was Saints who also dumped Liverpool out of the EFL Cup, at Anfield in January. After a draw with Bournemouth and defeat by Crystal Palace, Anfield has been starved of a home win since the Merseyside derby last month. More importantly, though, victory would be another huge step towards a top-four finish. Liverpool need to win.
“It cannot be our job to count points, our job is to get them,” Klopp said at his pre-match press conference. “There is absolutely no club in the top spots who can waste points in the next match day: not Chelsea, not Tottenham, not Liverpool, City, United or Arsenal. We all have to fight with all we have and that makes this league so exciting.”
Southampton could do with something too. Claude Puel has struggled to woo the club’s fans, despite reaching a final at Wembley, and a bit of respite away from St Mary’s, where they have struggled practically all season, might just do the trick.At his pre-match press conference, Puel fought his corner, swith question marks over his future beyond this summer.
Team news is next!
Kick-off: 1.30pm BST
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