Salah’s best, left-back issues & priority City – 5 talking points from S’ton 2-3 Liverpool

Mohamed Salah showed his class once again to give Liverpool the win despite a poor performance on against bottom of the table Southampton.

Southampton 2-3 Liverpool

Premier League (12) | St. Mary’s Stadium
November 24, 2024

Goals: Armstrong 42′ Mateus Fernandes 56′; Szoboszlai 30′, Salah 65′, 83′ (pen).

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1. World-class Salah gives Liverpool advantage in the title race… eventually

With Man City losing again this was an opportunity for Liverpool to further their advantage in the title race, but for a while it looked like they would fail to do so.

Step up Mohamed Salah. Now undoubtedly the best player in this English Premier League despite a general wider lack of recognition of his quality.

With Liverpool 2-1 down, a brilliant pass over the top from Liverpool’s most consistent midfielder this season, Ryan Gravenberch, gave Salah a chance.

Alex McCarthy rushed out to make it even more of a chance, but the goalkeeper’s decision changed the type of finish required which wasn’t as easy as Salah made it look.

It needed a perfect first touch to steer the ball into the net and the Egyptian provided it, following it up to get the ball back for a quicker restart. Winning is the only thing on Salah’s mind despite the contract chatter elsewhere.

Then came the opportunity to win the game. The penalty won got Liverpool hopes up but penalties still need scoring, and there is more pressure on a potentially game-winning spot-kick than there is on others, but Salah tucked it away.

Actually, he did more than tuck it away – it was more convincing than that as he found the side netting with precision and power as McCarthy dove the right way.

It was another occasion where world-class Salah won the game for Liverpool, stepping up in the moments that make a difference in which such players thrive.

 

2. The left-back question

This game showed why Kostas Tsimikas has arguably crept ahead of Andy Robertson in the pecking order at left-back.

Robertson, one of the best in the world in his position at his peak, now seems to be struggling, and it showed when Tyler Dibling ran at him before the foul that led to Southampton’s penalty.

It was touch and go as to whether it was inside or outside the box, but regardless Robertson looked at a loss as to how to deal with the 18-year-old, and you could foresee what was going to happen in that moment.

He wasn’t the only defender who had such problems. Even Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk were caught out on a couple of occasions, but it’s becoming increasingly clear that the team can improve in this area.

Tsimikas is a good backup player, but perhaps he now could be the first choice; which shows why this is the position Slot and the recruitment team need to address ASAP.

 

3. Not getting the rub of the green but winning anyway

This game certainly wasn’t a convincing performance from Arne Slot’s side and, on top of this, a few things went against them that were out of their control.

Adam Lallana was lucky to stay on the pitch for a studs-up tackle over the top of Gravenberch’s ankle.

It’s the type of challenge that usually results in a red card, as Liverpool themselves have experienced, but Lallana got away with a yellow.

The penalty for the Robertson challenge is less controversial, but still, on another day a referee might have deemed it a free-kick outside the area and the VAR wouldn’t have been able to overturn that decision either.

Surely if the call is this close, the referee should give the free kick rather than something as big and potentially as game-changing as a penalty, and then use VAR to check.

Even then, Caoimhin Kelleher saved the penalty, and on another day, it rebounds away from danger, but as it was the penalty taker Adam Armstrong followed up and put in the rebound which Kelleher almost saved again.

All of this came together to give Southampton a foothold in the game when they looked to be slipping, especially as they struggled to build from the back.

Liverpool were not blameless and it was a poor performance, but a couple of decisions here or there, and a couple of bounces of the ball can make a difference. None of them went Liverpool’s way.

 

4. Need for improvement

Liverpool will not be able to rely on Salah in this manner all the time.

There were plenty of performances throughout the team that have plenty of room for improvement, and it would be unfair to single out Robertson alone in this regard.

Up front, Darwin Nunez worked hard as usual but was lacking in other areas until setting up a good chance for Luis Diaz. Maybe he needs to drift wide more often.

Diaz himself has been a bit off the boil after a great start to the season, and, similarly, Alexis Mac Allister has not looked at his best in recent weeks.

It seems ridiculous to aim any criticism at a group of players that have won ten out of 12 games in the league, conceded just eight goals, and have a good lead at the top of the table, especially for this time in the season.

If some things are improved and the players start to click into gear at the same time, Liverpool could defeat City next week and take an even more convincing lead at the top of the Premier League table.

 

5. The Champions League just got Real – but should be prioritising City

Liverpool are in a comfortable position in the Champions League table but face a short turnaround between this Sunday game and their biggest European test yet against Real Madrid on Wednesday.

They are in a good position to go straight into the last 16, but Real are currently only on course for a knockout phase playoff place so will be more desperate for a win.

Cody Gakpo and Curtis Jones left this game early so it seems certain they will start versus Real.

With Trent Alexander-Arnold out injured it seems Conor Bradley will fill in at right-back, but could Joe Gomez come into the backline instead?

Some rotation is required, as it’s the City game that should be prioritised with a chance to go 11 points clear on the first of December.