Liverpool boss Arne Slot feared a dramatic late twist at St Mary’s earlier than his facet edged into the Carabao Cup semi-finals by holding on for a 2-1 win over managerless Southampton.
With the hosts pushing to power a penalty shootout, Reds defender Jarell Quansah appeared to haul down the clean-through Mateus Fernandes simply exterior the 18-yard field throughout six minutes of added time.
Referee Simon Hooper waved away passionate appeals from dwelling supporters and, with VAR not in use, the Premier League leaders escaped retrospective motion.
First-half targets from Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott put Slot’s much-changed workforce in command of the quarter-final tie earlier than Cameron Archer halved the deficit to arrange a tense ultimate half an hour.
“The second the ball is excessive you’re not nervous however the second you see two gamers colliding into one another, you all the time marvel what the choice may be,” Slot, who was watching from the stands because of a touchline ban, stated of Quansah’s problem.
“In actual life, I believed, ‘ooh, he (Hooper) might have made a unique selection’.
“However then I noticed it again and I felt he (Quansah) simply used his arm.
“For me, it wasn’t a foul however you by no means know with refereeing choices, do you?”
Southampton 1-2 Liverpool
Three days since sacking Russell Martin following a 5-0 hammering by the hands of Tottenham, Southampton have been searching for to stun the cup holders below the steering of interim boss Simon Rusk.
Slot’s determination to make eight adjustments to his beginning XI, together with leaving captain Virgil van Dijk and high scorer Mohamed Salah out of his matchday squad, regarded set to be rewarded with simple development after Nunez and Elliott struck within the area of 9 first-half minutes.
However Archer’s very good curling end modified the complexion of the competition, culminating in just a few anxious moments because the Premier League‘s backside membership sensed an upset.
Slot stated squad rotation, which included a full debut for 17-year-old midfielder Trey Nyoni, was key throughout a busy interval of the season.
“It could be regular if I play all of the common starters that we’ve a greater workforce than we had tonight, in any other case I make each week the fallacious determination,” stated the Dutchman.
“However we additionally belief these gamers as a result of we all know how a lot high quality they’ve, in order that’s the primary purpose to play these gamers, that we’ve a whole lot of confidence in them.
“Second of all, it’s not a couple of outcome on Sunday [away to Tottenham], it’s extra for the long-term health of the gamers that we make the choice that those that performed so many minutes to offer them a little bit of relaxation throughout this week as a result of the schedule goes to be intense once more within the upcoming weeks.”
Momentary Southampton boss Rusk hopes the improved second-half displaying generally is a “catalyst” to revive his membership’s dismal season.
Rusk, who felt Saints “didn’t get the rub of the inexperienced” with the Quansah problem, will put together the workforce for Sunday’s journey to Fulham as the method to id Martin’s everlasting successor continues.
“I’m actually inspired by the second half – that’s what we’ve to give attention to now,” he stated.
“They confirmed perception in themselves, they confirmed character, they stood up, the followers have been behind them.
“Hopefully, that second half is sufficient for a catalyst for the blokes.
“The gamers’ dedication stage and their receptiveness to how I used to be working has been second to none.”
