Southampton 2-3 Liverpool: Salah brace sends Reds eight points clear

Liverpool went eight points clear at the top of the Premier League as they came from behind to seal a thrilling 3-2 victory over Southampton at St Mary’s.

Two second-half goals from Mohamed Salah turned Sunday’s game on its head after Mateus Fernandes had given bottom club Southampton a surprise 2-1 lead.

Dominik Szoboszlai had given Liverpool a 30th-minute lead by curling home via the far post after Flynn Downes’ dreadful clearance landed at his feet inside the area.

However, the outstanding Tyler Dibling was felled by Andrew Robertson for a Southampton penalty on the stroke of half-time. Adam Armstrong’s spot-kick was repelled by Caoimhin Kelleher, but the striker kept his nerve to tuck home the equaliser.

Armstrong then turned provider when Fernandes swept home Southampton’s second in the 56th minute, but their lead would not last.

Salah cushioned a searching Ryan Gravenberch pass beyond a stranded Alex McCarthy for 2-2 in the 65th minute, then saw his inswinging cross handled by Southampton substitute Yukinari Sugawara seven minutes from time.

The Egyptian scored what proved to be the winner from the resulting penalty, and he almost got a hat-trick when he crashed a shot off the base of the post in the 88th minute.

Southampton remain bottom of the table, five points adrift of 17th-placed Wolves. Liverpool, meanwhile, are sitting pretty ahead of next week’s meeting with Manchester City, who were routed 4-0 by Tottenham on Saturday.

Data Debrief: Salah helps Slot into history books

Despite a lacklustre defensive performance, Liverpool earned their 10th victory in 12 Premier League games this season (one draw, one defeat), thanks primarily to Salah’s quality in attack.

Salah has become the first Liverpool player to score in five successive Premier League games since the Egyptian himself did so in seven straight matches in October 2021.

His penalty, meanwhile, was his 100th goal away from Anfield for the Reds across all competitions.

Slot has now joined former Chelsea bosses Guus Hiddink and Carlo Ancelotti as the fastest managers to reach 10 Premier League wins upon their arrival in the division.