Liverpool had been warned.
Arne Slot spent much of the build-up to Liverpool’s clash with Southampton praising the “intriguing” playstyle. of their hosts. The fact that Russell Martin’s side were firmly rooted at the foot of the table was of little consequence to a cautious Reds manager keen to avoid any complacency.
It didn’t work. After Dominik Szoboszlai fired the visitors ahead, Southampton struck twice either side of the interval to take a 2-1 lead with less than half an hour to play. He took a late arm Mohamed Salah for division leaders win the three pointsbut there were some troubling aspects for Slot to ponder.
One of Joe Fagan’s favorite expressions during his trophy-laden three-decade association with Liverpool it was “easy-osey”. That feeling of complacency, the fire burning within was fading, always threatened to undermine a side enjoying a strong run of form.
The Reds’ modern iteration of Slot was caught by that intangible force for much of Sunday’s trip. Andy Robertson gave one away controversial kick with a weak start, but he was not the only visitor guilty of a lack of concentration.
Virgil van Dijk’s backheeling started the move for this penalty, Ibrahima Konate was perhaps lucky not to give one away early in the game and Dominik Szoboszlai was too weak to challenge Tyler Dibling in the construction until Southampton’s second goal.
Jurgen Klopp was always quick to praise Alexis Mac Allister’s intelligence. The burly German praised his cerebral midfielder as “super intelligent” and “a football doctor”, providing the antidote to whatever problems the team had. Although he hasn’t always been at his best this season – the fatigue of two years of non-stop football perhaps took its toll – Mac Allister’s unique blend of composure and composure was missing at St Mary’s.
The sense of control that has defined most Liverpool games this season was replaced by an air of entertaining chaos. Southampton became only the second team to score more than one Premier League goal against Slot’s side, unleashing dangerous forwards at every change. Only Manchester United have managed to record a higher number of xG against Liverpool this season.
Slot has been explained above that Liverpool’s watertight rearguard is built on control first and, when that fades, hard work. After a grueling international break for many players, it’s no wonder some recoveries have been made with less urgency.
Mac Allister spent the first hour watching Liverpool take a 2-1 lead from the bench after a torrid spell with Argentina. Although the Argentine can’t make much use of the two-goal turnaround, his replacement – Dominik Szoboszlai – struggled to exert the same level of control after opening the scoring. Curtis Jones, who had been enjoying the best form of his career, was also below midfield after his first two games England this month
Another game, another goal from Mohamed Salah. The time-defying 32-year-old is enjoying the best form of his career at Liverpool. Another brace against Saints took Salah’s league tally to ten goals. When factoring in his impressive assist figures, Liverpool’s talisman has directly contributed to two-thirds of his total league goals (16 out of 24). No other team in the division is so reliant on one player.
An ever-shortening contract makes Liverpool’s reliance on Salah all the more worrying. As has already been discussed once or twice this season, the Egyptian icon will be a free agent next summer and will be able to start negotiating a pre-contract with foreign clubs from January.
Talks over an extension with Liverpool are still ongoing but no agreement is imminent. If Salah is allowed to leave, the Reds will have to somehow replace his prodigious output. But even if he stays, Slot will have to find a way to make his team less reliant on an aging winger.
“On the training ground, we know how good we are,” insisted Southampton’s Flynn Downes ahead of Liverpool’s arrival. At times, the hosts translated the skills honed at Staplewood to St Mary’s on Sunday. A particularly fluid move led to Southampton’s second. However, the same possession struggles that have plagued their season were on display again.
Liverpool’s opener was the seventh error to lead to a goal conceded by Southampton in the Premier League this season – a division high – and this singular mistake had multiple layers.
Alex McCarthy should not have rolled the ball to Mateus Fernandes surrounded on the edge of his own area. The Portuguese midfielder then conceded possession but Downes still found time to give the ball away again. This was obviously not part of the plans devised at the training camp.
McCarthy tried during the rest of the game to commit eight errors that led to goals. The veteran goalkeeper was ultimately at fault for Salah’s equaliser, strangely leaving the safety of his goal-line to provide the striker with an open net, and he failed to get a glove on the decisive penalty.
