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For the millions who tuned in at home, it was a change between watching the prime minister’s painful indecision or witnessing an endearing and exhaustive Southampton squad take down the champions in style. Liverpool were beaten in the league for the second time this season, but Jürgen Klopp spent much of this captivating contest, resolved by a nonchalant hit from Danny Ings after 112 seconds, pacing the technical area and beyond with all the restraint of Basil Fawlty. . The title is now in the hands of Manchester United.
Klopp has made his admiration for Ings clear since the forward returned to Southampton, but perhaps the biggest compliment was the one awaiting him here in the Liverpool manager’s lineup, with Klopp lining Jordan Henderson alongside Fabinho at the heart of the defense. .
Liverpool’s roster was in effect a Spot the Defender game, and while they were an unorthodox center-back pair, Klopp pointed to Henderson’s telepathic relationship with the Brazilian, albeit “a few feet ahead” of Liverpool’s bottom line. , in his reasoning. and he also insisted that he would take full responsibility if his captain was found failing his post.
This was a frenzied showdown from the moment Klopp left his position on the billboards in addition to the dugout, the most breathtaking and fascinating of matches.
Klopp’s team consisted of three forwards, four attacking midfielders and two of the best running backs on the planet. Klopp chose such an up-front and daring team to help combat the aggressive Southampton press, but Liverpool struggled to live with the intensity of the hosts, with Thiago Alcãntara drawn into early booking in his first start since October and Andy Robertson not far behind. him after a raw challenge to Stuart Armstrong, his former Dundee United and now Scotland teammate.
Klopp was happy to bear the brunt of any criticism for Henderson’s rickets, but not for a lukewarm performance. He was furious when Robertson got into trouble and was furious after Liverpool fell behind with less than two minutes on the scoreboard. James Ward-Prowse hit a free kick behind Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was caught looking at the ball, and Ings threw an exquisite shot at Alisson after holding on to a lovely pass. Thiago was booked a minute later and Klopp was furious. “Wake up,” he roared. If it wasn’t Klopp, it was Hasenhüttl.
None of the managers required a megaphone to make their voices heard. It was impossible to ignore the resounding Hasenhüttl, back on the touchline after remotely taking over last week’s stalemate against West Ham a couple of miles away, cajoling every nerve in his players.
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Liverpool, playing in their mint green camouflage, were conspicuous by their absence in the first half in which they huffed and puffed, unable to register a shot on goal.
When Fraser Forster, who made his first appearance at St Mary’s in more than three years, was called into action, the assistant referee called Mohamed Salah offside. Salah headed to the edge of halftime after encountering a high cross from Sadio Mané, but in truth, Southampton should have headed down the tunnel with a greater advantage. Nathan Tella, a first-half substitute for the injured Moussa Djenepo, dropped a wide shot and Henderson had to be alert to catch the ball after Ward-Prowse released Ings. By the time fourth official Stuart Attwell signaled four minutes into first-half injury time, Liverpool could be forgiven for longing for the whistle.
Klopp waited until 10 minutes after the interval to change things, introducing Xherdan Shaqiri in place of former Southampton midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, but he certainly made his feelings known at the break.
Alexander-Arnold moved forward with determination, but his center was missed and shortly afterwards Georginio Wijnaldum fired at the goal. His shot appeared to hit the arm of Southampton defender Jack Stephens, but assistant video referee Andy Madley saw it differently.
Pepijn Lijnders denounced it as an “incredible” decision, as Klopp reprimanded Attwell. Stephens was lucky but his block to deny Mané moments later was magnificent.
Stuart Armstrong and then Jan Bednarek threw their bodies to the line at sacrifice, though if Henderson hadn’t cleared the line at the end, substitute Yan Valery would have put the game beyond question.
