Liverpool beat Southampton 3-2 to open eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League

SOUTHAMPTON – Liverpool capitalised on champions Manchester City’s latest slip-up to open up an eight-point lead at the top of the English Premier League after a 3-2 away win over bottom-placed Southampton on Nov 24.

City, who are on a five-match losing run in all competitions, were beaten 4-0 at home by Tottenham Hotspur a day earlier, offering the Reds a chance to widen their advantage at the summit. Liverpool and City meet on Dec 1 at Anfield.

The last time a team had a bigger lead at the top of the table at this stage of the season was 31 years ago.

Match-winner Mohamed Salah told Sky Sports: “We have a game against them so hopefully, we win it and go 11 points clear. Man City is Man City. They have a bad time now but they have great players.”

In the 30th minute, the Saints handed the Reds the lead in a scenario that has played out a few times this season.

Southampton’s insistence on playing out from the back saw goalkeeper Alex McCarthy play a risky pass and two passes later, Dominik Szoboszlai had intercepted the ball on the edge of the area and fired past McCarthy.

Said Szoboszlai: “We had a couple of meetings before the game and we know they build up from the back.

“Sometimes they do well, sometimes they make mistakes and that was the case here. We pressed really well and got the goal.”

But Russell Martin’s team drew level three minutes before half-time when Tyler Dibling was deemed to have been fouled inside the box by left-back Andy Robertson. The foul was indisputable but there was some doubt as to whether it had taken place outside the box.

The video assistant referee ruled in Southampton’s favour. Adam Armstrong’s penalty was saved by Caoimhin Kelleher, but he made no mistake from the rebound.

Southampton then took the lead in the 56th minute. Again Dibling was involved, receiving the ball on the right wing during a Southampton counter. He controlled the ball and picked out Armstrong, who in turn found Mateus Fernandes for a simple finish past Kelleher.

However, poor judgment cost the Saints another goal.

On 65 minutes, McCarthy rushed out after Ryan Gravenberch played a long pass forward to Salah, but he was caught in no-man’s-land and the Egyptian slotted the ball into an unguarded net to extend his scoring run in the league to five matches.

McCarthy was playing only because summer signing Aaron Ramsdale and Gavin Bazunu are injured.

Summing up his erratic display, McCarthy produced a good save to deny a header from Luis Diaz but from the resulting corner, he completely missed his attempt to punch clear but Gravenberch could not capitalise.

Seven minutes from time, Liverpool went ahead after a handball from substitute Yukinari Sugawara offered Salah a chance to score from the spot.

He duly obliged and could have had a hat-trick after hitting the post in the 88th minute.

Saints defender Jack Stephens told Sky Sports: “They’re really poor goals to give away. We’ve come up short again and it’s hard to take.

“It’s frustrating to concede goals but a lot of our good play came from the situations as well.”

Meanwhile, Steve Cooper was sacked by Leicester City after just five months in charge, with the team 16th in the table on 10 points after 12 games.