Liverpool staged a second-half comeback to defeat Southampton 3-1 at Anfield, extending their lead at the top of the Premier League table to 16 points.
Darwin Núñez, Mohamed Salah, and a resilient team effort helped the Reds overturn a halftime deficit against the league’s bottom club.
After their hard-fought 1-0 win over PSG in midweek, Liverpool were expected to ease past Southampton. However, the visitors stunned the home crowd by taking the lead just before halftime.
A defensive miscommunication between Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker allowed Will Smallbone to slot in at the near post, handing the Saints a shock advantage.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot, serving a touchline ban, reacted by making three changes at the break, introducing Andy Robertson, Alexis Mac Allister, and Harvey Elliott. The adjustments paid off quickly.
In the 52nd minute, Luis Díaz cut inside from the wing and set up Núñez, who finished calmly to level the score. Moments later, the Uruguayan won a penalty after being fouled by Smallbone, allowing Salah to step up and confidently dispatch his spot-kick past Aaron Ramsdale.
Liverpool continued to dominate and were awarded another penalty late in the game when Southampton’s Yukinari Sugawara handled the ball in the box. Salah made no mistake, sending Ramsdale the wrong way to seal the win and take his Premier League tally to 27 goals this season.
The victory strengthens Liverpool’s push for a 20th league title and provides momentum ahead of their Champions League clash with PSG. Meanwhile, Southampton’s struggles deepen as they remain 13 points adrift of safety, edging closer to relegation.
