Jonathan Liew on Alisson, Liverpool and … everything else
Right then, I’ll be off. Here’s the match report again. Bye!
Ralph Hasenhüttl, eyes still red and puffy from his post-match emotion, has a chat:
I think I started believing that we can do it in the 92nd minute, not earlier. Liverpool are so strong you always believe something can happen. The way we defended today was amazing. The effort the guys put in. The mentality ... it was absolutely the perfect day for us. An important step forward I think. I mean, we had so many injuries since yesterday and we bring in I think the whole academy today, and still compete against such a team. Again, a clean sheet. We had to have a perfect gameplan today, and luck. Without luck, against such a team you cannot win and we had it today.
It is a perfect start to the year. Nobody expected to take points against them today. Now let’s keep on going. We’ve had a few other good wins, but today nobody expected it, the way we played, I’m very happy they get the benefit from their hard work, all the effort they put in in learning. You can see you can develop every team and every player, and this is what we are trying. When you have such a win it is worth more than three points because it keeps the belief going.
Jürgen Klopp has spoken to the BBC. For what it’s worth, I don’t think the handball was a penalty, but I do think that Walker-Peters’ challenge on Mané ordinarily would be:
What was disappointing? How long have we got? The start obviously. Not only the goal but the start in general.
Congratulations to Southampton, they deserved it. You know exactly what you are going to get from them, you cannot be surprised but we looked surprised. At the beginning how we played, where we lost the balls, it’s not rocket science. We should have done much better. We played into their hands with the start.
They put a lot of work in. Our decision-making was just not good. That is how it is when you don’t have momentum. We should have had much more chances. Sadio Mané should have had a penalty tonight, and there was the handball - I’ve no idea. It’s not an excuse for the performance but you can get a point if they are given. Now we have to show a reaction.
Jordan Henderson talks to Sky:
The start didn’t help. We’re starting slow in games, it’s not us and we’re probably seeing it too many times at the minute. The second-half performance was very good but we didn’t score again. The last two games we’ve had some good chancea and haven’t put the ball in the net, so that’s another issue. We’re frustrated, disappointed, but that happens in football. It’s how you deal with it is the main thing. We need to react quickly and bounce back quickly, because the last few games in terms of results haven’t been good enough.
“Much as I hate to douse Richard English’s bonfire in urine,” writes Simon Pryde, “January 23, 2016 Adnan Januzaj replaced Cameron Borthwick-Jackson for Man United against Southampton. 90 points.”
Here’s Ben Fisher’s match report from St Mary’s:
For the millions tuning in at home, it was a toss-up between watching the painful indecision of the prime minister or witnessing an endearing and exhaustive Southampton side fell the champions in style. Liverpool were beaten in the league for only the second time this season but Jürgen Klopp spent much of this captivating contest, settled by a nonchalant Danny Ings strike after 112 seconds, pacing the technical area and beyond with all of the self-restraint of Basil Fawlty. The title is now in Manchester United’s hands.
Much more here:
Danny Ings says the goal was the result of “quite a bit” or work on the training pitch. “We all know how good Prowsey is from set pieces and we work on stuff most weeks. It all worked together and luckily I got the goal. We [Ings and Ward-Prowse] had a chat before the game, to see if there’s a moment when we can get in quickly and luckily it paid off.”
Southampton played excellently and well won, but Liverpool will gripe about a handful of decisions from Andre Marriner that ranged from the bizarre to the bonkers. Here, for example, is Theo Walcott’s assault on James Milner, for which nothing was given.
Updated
Here’s the league table. This time last year, albeit having played three games more, Liverpool were 13 points clear and the gap between first place and 10th was more than 30 points. This evening the gap is just seven. Seven!
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 17 | 16 | 33 |
| 2 | Man Utd | 16 | 9 | 33 |
| 3 | Leicester | 17 | 10 | 32 |
| 4 | Tottenham Hotspur | 16 | 14 | 29 |
| 5 | Man City | 15 | 11 | 29 |
| 6 | Southampton | 17 | 7 | 29 |
| 7 | Everton | 16 | 6 | 29 |
| 8 | Aston Villa | 15 | 13 | 26 |
| 9 | Chelsea | 17 | 11 | 26 |
| 10 | West Ham | 17 | 3 | 26 |
| 11 | Arsenal | 17 | 1 | 23 |
| 12 | Leeds | 17 | -3 | 23 |
| 13 | Wolverhampton | 17 | -6 | 22 |
| 14 | Crystal Palace | 17 | -7 | 22 |
| 15 | Newcastle | 16 | -8 | 19 |
| 16 | Burnley | 15 | -11 | 16 |
| 17 | Brighton | 17 | -7 | 14 |
| 18 | Fulham | 15 | -10 | 11 |
| 19 | West Brom | 17 | -28 | 8 |
| 20 | Sheff Utd | 17 | -21 | 2 |
A great win for Southampton, evidently. A lovely, early goal, which was followed by an excellent defensive display. The centre-backs were magnificent, as was Diallo in front of them. Liverpool were subdued, with only Mané of the front three performing at all well, and beyond them only Robertson looking likely to create anything.
Liverpool (18) have now dropped more #PremierLeague points in 17 matches this season than they did through the whole of last season (15) #lfc
— Alexander Boyes (@alexzanderboyes) January 4, 2021
Ralph Hasenhüttl drops to his knees at the final whistle, and appears genuinely emotional about this.
Updated
Final score: Southampton 1-0 Liverpool
90+5 mins: It’s all over! Liverpool take the corner short, and the referee blows the final whistle before they do anything with it!
Updated
90+4 mins: One more corner for Liverpool!
90+3 mins: Robertson’s corner reaches Mané at the far post but he heads over the bar!
90+3 mins: Liverpool win a corner, and Alisson comes forward!
Updated
90+2 mins: Robertson’s cross hits Firmino on the thigh and bounces through to Forster.
90+1 mins: Mané, Liverpool’s best player by a mile, spins in the box but his square pass finds a defender.
90+1 mins: Liverpool have three stoppagetimely minutes to rescue something from this game.
89 mins: A ball from the right reaches Mané just beyond the far post. He chests down and lifts a puzzling re-cross to nobody very much.
88 mins: Shaqiri has played more passes than Salah, in 57 fewer minutes.
85 mins: Mané goes down on the edge of the area under Walker-Peters’ challenge, and the referee doesn’t give anything. So he deduces that fouls are now permitted and takes down Walker-Peters in a revenge challenge. Southampton free-kick.
84 mins: Nearly a second for Southampton! Valery is played in down the right, Alisson races out forlornly, and the Frenchman rolls the ball through his legs and towards an empty goal - but there’s not enough pace on the ball, and Henderson gets back to clear!
82 mins: Southampton bring Valery on for Walcott. “Liverpool substituted Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (45 Scrabble points) with Xherdan Shaqiri (37) for a combined total of 82,” notes Richard English. “Just wondering if this is some sort of Premier League record? Unless Arsenal ever substituted Wojciech Szczęsny.”
80 mins: Walcott absolutely wipes out Milner on the right. The referee waves play on. This is getting puzzling now: that was certainly a foul, and probably a booking.
79 mins: Shaqiri is booked for not doing much to Tella. Southampton have brought N’Lundulu on for Ings, and Liverpool have brought Milner on for Alexander-Arnold.
78 mins: Robertson’s cross is turned behind by Stephens, who has been outstanding.
78 mins: Alexander-Arnold’s shot flicks Salah’s foot and rumbles wide.
77 mins: Liverpool are only two refereeing decisions away from being in the lead - the first-half Forster flap, which ended in a Southampton free-kick, and the second-half coming-together of Mané and Walker-Peters, which led to a goal kick, could easily have instead brought a goal and a penalty. That’s the best they’ve come up with, though.
75 mins: Liverpool have a shot on target! Robertson picks Mané out to the left of goal, and his effort is tentative and easily stopped.
74 mins: Thiago plays a fantastic dinked pass over an onrushing defender to Shaqiri. It’s way out on the right flank, though, so nothing much comes of it.
72 mins: First Salah, then Robertson, then Shaqiri have the ball on the edge of the Southampton box, but the best Liverpool produce is a wild shot from the latter.
68 mins: Firmino wakes up, gets to the byline and sends in a low, hard cross which is cleared by Diallo, who brilliantly overtakes Mané at the last second to do the defending.
67 mins: Southampton have their second shot on target, Ings sidefooting down the middle of goal from 20 yards. Liverpool still haven’t had their first.
65 mins: “Good grief, if this stays like this, Ole will be just an away draw at Burnley from knocking Jürgen Klopp off his perch,” points out Justin Kavanagh. “I’m sure he’s too polite to add the expletive.”
63 mins: A long ball from the right finds Robertson, who touches infield to Mané, who executes a bewildering touch-cum-clearance to end the attack.
62 mins: Mané’s cross is deflected wide of goal. Liverpool do seem to have a goal brewing here.
59 mins: Mané takes on Walker-Peters, the players tangle and the Liverpool player goes down. The referee gives a goal kick, which looks a very charitable decision to me. VAR doesn’t spot a clear and obvious error.
Updated
58 mins: Chance for Liverpool! The ball runs through the home defence but Firmino and Mané get in each other’s way, and when the latter finally shoots he hits Stephens.
56 mins: Oxlade-Chamberlain makes way for Xherdan Shaqiri.
Updated
55 mins: Shaqiri is preparing to come on and inject a little je-ne-sais-quoi to the Liverpool frontline.
54 mins: Southampton have wrestled their way back into the game and work a shooting chance for Walcott, but he hits way over the bar from 25 yards or so.
51 mins: Firmino is played through on the left, but his second touch is poor and takes him wide, and his left-footed cross is also poor and easily defended.
50 mins: Wijnaldum’s shot hits Stephens’ arm, but his loud appeals for a penalty are ignored both by the referee and the VAR.
50 mins: Liverpool are in the middle of their best spell of the match, though they have so far created two Alexander-Arnold crossing opportunities (both crosses overhit) and a throw-in.
Updated
47 mins: Mané takes the ball off Ward-Prowse. No player on either side has won the ball back more often tonight than Mané.
46 mins: Peeeeep! Liverpool get the ball re-rolling.
The players are back out and ready for more. Stand by!
It’s been an odd match, high-tempo but low-incision. Thiago has at the same time played 34 passes, making him the match’s fourth-highest passer (after Henderson, Fabinho and Alexander-Arnold), and been virtually invisible. Mane has been bright, but the remainder of Liverpool’s front three have been subdued, and the visitors have a lot of sharpening-up to do during the interval.
Half time: Southampton 1-0 Liverpool
45+5 mins: And that’s half time! Southampton scored a lovely goal, Liverpool really haven’t created very much in response, and the home side take their lead into the break.
45+4 mins: The corner comes in, Forster comes out, he punches weakly to the edge of the area and ... the whistle sounds again. This time the linesman says the ball curled out of play on its way in, though replays aren’t convincing.
45+4 mins: Robertson’s cross finds Firmino, but his fancy backheel doesn’t find anyone. Southampton clear for a throw-in, though the referee decides to give Liverpool a corner instead.
45+2 mins: Mane crosses from the left, and Salah heads over in the middle, under pressure from Stephens.
45+1 mins: The players have just discovered how to threaten goals, and there will be four minutes of stoppage time.
45 mins: Ward-Prowse plays a lovely ball through to Ings, but he can’t quite find the pass infield to Tella, and Southampton end up with just a corner.
42 mins: Liverpool swing the ball into the box, where Forster comes for it, runs into Bertrand, fluffs it, flaps the ball to Firmino and at that point the referee ludicrously awards Southampton a free-kick. Firmino does shoot wide of the empty net after the whistle sounds, but that should not excuse what was a completely inexplicable decision for which the referee should be publicly flogged.
41 mins: Chance! The ball is flicked on by Ings to Tella, who cuts onto his right foot and from a central position on the edge of the area he shoots just wide of goal!
Updated
37 mins: Indeed, in terms of genuine goal threat there has basically been nothing, apart from the goal. Salah is played through on the right and for a moment looks like he might change that, but Bertrand gets back to take the ball.
34 mins: Mane works a good shooting position, but from just outside the area scoops his effort over the bar. Liverpool are yet to have a shot on target.
31 mins: Tella has come on. Walcott shifts to the left in the ensuing reorganisation.
31 mins: Djenepo is on the turf and looking unhappy, having gone down holding a hamstring. Nathan Tella is getting ready to come on.
28 mins: Southampton just seem to have lots of players all over the pitch. Thiago lifts a pass to Robertson, who is in space on the left when the ball is played to him, and has four red shirts on him by the time it arrives.
26 mins: Armstrong lifts the ball to Ings, who manages to control with his head before laying off to Djenepo, whose shot from the edge of the area prompts a routine save.
24 mins: Stephens stops a Liverpool attack by wrapping an arm around Salah’s neck and keeping it there, and the referee seems entirely unbothered by this approach.
22 mins: Liverpool had a strong spell after the early goal but in the last few minutes they have struggled to break through Southampton’s high press, managing a few passes in their own half before giving the ball away.
Updated
20 mins: A terrible pass from Alisson is intercepted by Walcott, but instead of passing to an unmarked Djenepo to his left he dribbles into a dead end.
19 mins: Chance! Mane plays Salah through, but the Egyptian takes a heavy touch and by the time he catches up with the ball Forster is practically upon it, and the keeper gets a foot in the way. And Salah was also offside.
15 mins: Robertson flicks out a foot at Armstrong. There’s little or no contact, but it looks petulant to the referee, who waves a yellow card.
14 mins: A beautiful little dribble from Mane on Liverpool’s left. It doesn’t lead to anything, but it was 10 seconds of pure pleasure.
13 mins: Liverpool win a corner, and Wijnaldum wins the header, but its path to goal is blocked by Stephens and Southampton clear.
12 mins: Then Alexander-Arnold sends in a fine cross to the far post, and Walker-Peters dives ahead of Mane to deny Liverpool a near-certain equaliser.
11 mins: Salah spins nicely on the edge of the area, but then has the ball stolen off his toes.
7 mins: Walcott is playing very centrally, lurking on the shoulder of Liverpool’s makeshift backline, and generally promising to cause trouble. Already Ings has only just managed to release him with a first-time ball over the top.
4 mins: Thiago, who gave away the free-kick, has now been booked.
3 mins: It’s a free-kick from just beyond the centre circle, which Ward-Prowse chips over the defence for Ings to run onto, and he brilliantly lifts it first-time over Alisson and in!
GOAL! Southampton 1-0 Liverpool (Ings, 2 mins)
A lovely free-kick delivery, a lovely finish, and an instant breakthrough for Southampton!
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1 min: Peeeeeep! Southampton get the game started!
The teams are on the pitch, and seconds away from kick-off!
“Evening Simon,” writes Stephen Carr. Hello! “Ings will fancy his chances tonight but Henderson alongside Fabinho makes sense as both centre backs will need to be comfortable on the ball to cope with Southampton’s high press. Phillips showed against Newcastle that he’s not able to carry the ball or pass it to the required standard and Williams is practically glacial in his movement.”
It’s strong decision-making from Klopp, who if things go wrong is much more likely to be criticised for putting Henderson in defence than he would be for picking either of his available specialist centre-backs, but is secure enough to back his judgement.
Jurgen Klopp has a chat, first about the return of Thiago:
Look, Southampton in a 4-4-2, really lively, aggressive, front-footed, brave, you need to play football. We are a football-playing side, that’s why we decided on the line-up. I hope he can be influential but he can’t do it on his own, there are enough good players around.
And then about why he has asked Jordan henderson to play at centre-half:
Experience. We need speed, we need technique, we need a lot of things that Hendo has. We need everything of him. That he didn’t play the position very often it’s true, but he played a few yards ahead of it. Together with Fabinho he played very often, just a line up front. If he makes a mistake it’s my fault, if he’s doing good stuff then credit to him.
Essential pre-match viewing/reading:
“Liverpool are starting an outfield of three forwards, four attacking midfielders, two attack-minded fullbacks, and one holding midfielder,” notes Paul Done. “Heavy metal football has returned.”
Ralph Hasenhüttl has a chat with Sky, first about Fraser Forster:
He developed his game massively with Andrew. All the goalkeepers made a good step forward. They are very oftne part of our sessions also. You can see he never stopped learning and now is the chance for him to play.
Then about the absence of Che Adams and Oriol Romeu:
Both have injury problems. I think Che everybody saw in the last game a horrible kick in the head, he had concussion. Oriol had problems with his calf in the session and it’s not wise to take a risk, it’s more important to have him in the next weeks.
And finally about the prospect of facing a Fabinho-Henderson backline:
Both still are fantastic footballers, and I know they are tactical on the highest level so it’s not difficult for them to defend as a centre-back, and when you see Thiago plays, it’s definitely a team with very good players in every position. You don’t see a lot of weaknesses in this team.
Hello stranger.
So Southampton bring in Fraser Forster in goal, with Diallo and Armstrong also coming in while McCarthy, Romeu and Adams drop out (not just out of the team, but the entire matchday squad). Liverpool also make three changes, with Thiago, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Wijnaldum in and Jones, Milner and Phillips dropped to the bench. Jordan Henderson partners Fabinho in central defence.
The teams!
Team news is in, and this is how the two teams line up:
Southampton: Forster, Walker-Peters, Bednarek, Stephens, Bertrand, Djenepo, Ward-Prowse, Diallo, Armstrong, Ings, Walcott. Subs: Long, Valery, Smallbone, Tella, Vokins, Ramsay, N’Lundulu, Lewis, Chauke.
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Henderson, Fabinho, Robertson, Wijnaldum, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Thiago, Salah, Firmino, Mane. Subs: Milner, Jones, Minamino, Shaqiri, Origi, Rhys Williams, Phillips, Kelleher, Neco Williams.
Referee: Andre Marriner.
⚠️ TEAM NEWS ⚠️
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) January 4, 2021
How #SaintsFC will line-up for the first time in 2021: pic.twitter.com/gBJlxFEsPe
🔴 #SOULIV TEAM NEWS 🔴
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 4, 2021
Three changes for the Reds, as @Thiago6, @Alex_OxChambo and @GWijnaldum come in to the starting XI 👊
Hello world!
The team with the sixth-best home record plays the side with the 11th-best away results: this should be pretty one-sided. But Southampton are without goalkeeper Alex McCarthy after a positive Covid test, Danny Ings has only scored once in the last two months and Che Adams is, according to Ralph Hasenhuttl, “a little bit tired I think at the moment”. Meanwhile Liverpool might be able to call on Thiago for what would be just a second start this season. “We will see,” said Jürgen Klopp. “He has a chance. Honestly, the boys who did the job so far did exceptionally well so it is not we cannot survive if he does not start the next game but it is very good he is now fit and is obviously in contention. I like that a lot.”
The last six league games between these teams have featured 19 goals, and I like that a lot. Liverpool, notably, have won them all.
Here’s how the teams might look (obviously McCarthy won’t be playing, and Adams perhaps likewise, and it’s largely guesswork, but it might be a useful guide, and failing that be mildly visually pleasing):
And here’s Jürgen Klopp on this year’s title fight:
