Southampton 2-3 Liverpool: Player Ratings

Liverpool are eight points clear at the top of the table – but this was a largely shocking performance which yielded a win thanks to an even worse side. Job done, but not without a lot of stress.

Southampton 2-3 Liverpool

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

Goals: Armstrong 42′, Fernandes 56′; Szoboszlai 30′, Salah 64′, 82′ (pen)

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Caoimhin Kelleher – 8 (out of 10)

Made a really strong save down to his right soon after the Reds took the lead, then an even better stop to deny Armstrong from the penalty spot.

Nothing he could do to prevent the rebound going in but even got something to that – very unfortunate.

No chance on Saints’ second, then mostly had a watching brief for the rest of the second half. Comes out of yet another game with credit, but could it be his last for a while? Harsh.

Conor Bradley – 7

Booked for an early trip on Lallana but defended his side really well in one on one situations thereafter to ensure it wasn’t an issue.

Neat in the tackle rather than forceful, though of course was upfield against a few counter-attacks at times – nature of the role, rather than him being missing.

Got better in terms of the supply line as the match went on and got forward to good effect while we were chasing.

Ibrahima Konate – 5

Like Bradley was shown a yellow in the opening stages, which was a sign of things to come.

Has been excellent this season but this was a shocker for an hour – bad passing, failing to make challenges, not stopping runners and generally poor levels of everything.

Must have been very nervous when he bundled Archer to ground late on but probably wasn’t a penalty.

Virgil van Dijk – 6

Cost the goal, effectively, with a driving run out of defence which saw him lose the ball and be out of position as a result. Symptomatic of a super sloppy first half from those in the back line.

Second half he was much more tuned in, aggressive in his positional play and often being the counter-press 20 yards higher upfield than normal to win back the ball and keep Saints pegged back.

We’ll need both the back two far, far better than this next week.

Andy Robertson – 6

Had got forward to great effect a few times and put over a couple of dangerous crosses, but gave away a penalty with such a poorly timed tackle, nowhere near the ball and clearly unaware of his position regarding the penalty box line.

A performance of two halves for Robbo: good on the overlap, not great at all defensively.

Ryan Gravenberch – 7

A middling first-half showing, mixing some nice touches with losing challenges in the middle of the park. Has to do a bit better as a top-tier No6 for the Dibling run which led to the penalty, too.

Sent a good ball from deep through to assist Salah, then lofted a close-range strike over the bar.

Curtis Jones – 6

Started in a deeper role and was his typical assured self in possession, but didn’t really find much in the way of defence-splitting passes or late runs into dangerous areas higher upfield. Solid, unspectacular, subbed.

Dominik Szoboszlai – 7

Probably the strongest attacking performer in the opening spell of the match, thanks to his ability to surge forward into space.

Did so a few times, teeing up Salah once, but also his willingness to close down Saints players passing out from the back was important – and resulted in him scoring a nice left-footed shot.

Quieter after the break when it was more about angles and possession and timing of runs – he seems to thrive most in the chaos, not the control.

Mohamed Salah – 8 – Man of the match

Most would have fancied Mo to run Ryan Fraser ragged but he barely had a chance to go one on one with him, instead often sending balls back infield and being restricted to one first-half chance which was saved at the near post.

After the break he was more his usual self in creating chances and tried to dribble past the whole defence at one stage. Scored himself thanks to a very questionable run-out by the keeper, then his cross led to a penalty which he tucked away himself.

Thereafter missed a decent shooting chance and blammed another onto the post in search of his hattrick.

Darwin Nunez – 5

Achieved absolutely nothing in a first half of minimal industry and certainly no hold-up, link play or goal threat.

One shot blocked after the restart; he was one of those chasing back against Saints’ counter for 2-1, but couldn’t make the necessary ground up.

Finally impacted after the hour mark to burst behind the defence and cross well for Diaz, but let’s be honest, in a game like this you want your No9 to plunder chances, shots, hopefully a goal, from next to nothing, just by positional play and instinct.

Nunez never came close to doing so and chances must be running thin for him now.

Cody Gakpo – 6

A few decent darting runs infield and one really good low cross, but also surely had to score a left-footed rebound instead of checking inside onto his right foot soon after Saints’ equaliser.

Wasn’t tremendous, but it was still a surprise he was subbed off first given performances elsewhere.

 

Substitutes

Luis Diaz (on for Mac Allister, 61′) – 7 – Could have scored within seconds but missed a cross. A bit more direct than Gakpo and crossed for one of Salah’s chances too.

Alexis Mac Allister (on for Jones, 61′) – 7 – Tried pretty hard to split the defence which wasn’t always the required approach, but added energy and intent.

Wataru Endo (on for Nunez, 88′) – n/a – On to win back the ball and shut things down. Did both.

Subs not used: Jaros, Davies, Quansah, Gomez, Morton, Elliott

 

Arne Slot – 7

No real issue should be taken with the manager for the starting lineup – they are all first choice players or direct replacements for those who were out.

But one of two things happened here: the team assumed it would be an easy match, or the coaching staff prepared the gameplan as though they expected it to be one.

The number of slow and sloppy starts, especially on the road, is a definite concern for Liverpool this season, despite the points tally.

Slot didn’t wait too long to change matters after the restart at least, though some might suggest it was a pair of routine rather than game-changing subs, like-for-like and not overly adventurous.

There has to be a message handed down after this that it’s not just matches against Madrid and Manchester opposition which matter: these fixtures count towards silverware too.

The Reds got away with it this time and Slot’s job now is to minimise the times these performances happen.