Liverpool’s 3-1 win over Southampton took half-time changes, drastic second-half improvement and a pair of emphatic penalties to set the scene for the coming weeks.
Liverpool 3-1 Southampton
Premier League (29) | AnfieldMarch 8, 2025
Goals: Nunez 51′, Salah pen 54′ pen 88′; Smallbone 45+1′
1. A sleepy start in the sunshine
The sun beamed down in the buildup to kickoff, making for a potentially enjoyable afternoon of football in the sunshine.
Southampton fans will certainly have enjoyed their trip up until half-time, as Will Smallbone capitalised on a mixup between Alisson and Virgil van Dijk to give their side the lead.
The moment summed up the first half in which Liverpool looked half asleep.
Perhaps the sunny spring day made them sluggish and complacent in a game against the Premier League‘s worst team.
But they soon woke up in the second period, spurred on by Arne Slot‘s subs.
2. Half-time shake-up to wake-up
Having viewed the disappointing 45 minutes from his seat in the Main Stand, Slot had seen enough.
A first half lacking verve prompted three half-time changes as Andy Robertson, Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott replaced Kostas Tsimikas, Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones.
The players withdrawn weren’t necessarily the worst performers in the first half, but it was obvious that things needed changing, and Slot wasn’t going to hang around until midway through the second half to do so.
These weren’t the subs many will have made at half-time, with Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz looking like prime candidates to be withdrawn based on first-half performance.
But the changes proved to be the perfect ones to make to turn things around in no time.
3. 10-minute turnaround
It’s safe to say Slot’s changes worked. The team, and Anfield itself, spurred on by each other, gave the second half a completely different feel to the first.
Elliott provided an immediate burst of energy from midfield and got away one of Liverpool’s most dangerous shots to that point.
Shortly after two of the least convincing performers in the first half, Diaz and Nunez, combined for the equaliser, before Nunez won the penalty which Mohamed Salah converted – all within 10 minutes of the break.
The noise after the equaliser was deafening. Nunez and Diaz geed the crowd up further, and just seconds later the penalty was won by Nunez himself.
4. Elliott’s chance
This game was the most minutes Elliott has played in the Premier League this season.
It was his chance to show how important he can be as part of a first-choice lineup playing significant minutes, as opposed to his previous appearances as part of a backup XI or as a late substitute.
From the shot taken just two minutes into the second half to a couple of other dangerous attempts, he showed he can also make a difference in substantial moments, rather than just in fleeting ones.
Those fleeting moments have been important, not least his goal against PSG, but this was a chance to show he can be relied upon in the run-in.
He might have liked to have notched a goal or an assist as Liverpool tried to make the scoreline more comfortable, but it was still a useful outing in an important game, for himself and for the team.
5. An important cushion ahead of Premier League pause
When the team is in this position at this stage of the season, every game feels like a final, and the next two are no different.
Hanging on to the lead against PSG will not be easy, and then there is the actual final against Newcastle in the League Cup on Sunday.
Making easier work of this game against Southampton would have been beneficial, but it does keep key players in their groove, even if it might tire them somewhat.
The next two games have the potential to be very demanding physically and mentally, so a win against Southampton, especially after going a goal down, was important to create a cushion at the top of the league table.
The next Premier League game isn’t until early next month – a home derby against Everton, so this win also eases some of the pressure ahead of that after a fiery encounter at Goodison Park in the reverse fixture.
Liverpool 3-1 Southampton
