Liverpool 4-0 Southampton: Reds equal winning record at Anfield
Jordan Henderson has scored seven goals in the Premier League this season
Liverpool equalled Manchester City's record of 20 consecutive wins at home in the Premier League with an emphatic victory over Southampton at Anfield.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored the opener just after half time - his second goal in as many league matches - when he drilled the ball low into the bottom corner.
Reds' skipper Jordan Henderson made it 2-0 on the hour mark with a calm finish after being set up by Roberto Firmino.
Henderson then played in Mohamed Salah for Liverpool's third and the Egypt forward added a fourth from close range in the last minute.
The scoreline was harsh on the visitors, who matched Liverpool for much of the first hour with Danny Ings going close in the first half and Shane Long also denied by Liverpool keeper Alisson.
The victory extends Liverpool's unbeaten run in the league to 42 games and they now sit 22 points clear at the top of the table with second-placed Manchester City not playing until Sunday.
It was Southampton's first away defeat in five games and they fall to 11th place.
Title gets closer, unbeaten run rolls on
Liverpool's wait for a first league title in 30 years will surely end this season. They have one hand on the trophy and the other is moving steadily closer with every fixture.
It is only 1 February but Liverpool are 22 points clear at the top of the Premier League table, unbeaten in 42 games, have conceded just one league goal in their last 10 matches and have 73 points from 25 games - a top-flight record.
Before Saturday, only City had won more consecutive games at home in the Premier League, between March 2011 and March 2012.
With only 13 matches left, it is increasingly surely only a question of whether Liverpool can remain unbeaten for the season rather than if they end their drought.
Nevertheless, their performance in the first half against Southampton was nervous and suggested the visitors could have a chance to inflict a first defeat on Jurgen Klopp's side.
Sloppy passes, mistakes at the back and a lack of intensity going forward meant the Saints had opportunities to score and were barely stretched at the back.
Southampton, spearheaded by top-scorer Ings in attack, finished the half as the better team, going close through the former Reds striker as well as Long and Moussa Djenepo.
But Liverpool, no doubt invigorated by a half-time talk from Klopp, were quick out the blocks in the second half and as soon as they scored the victory that was expected before the match felt inevitable.
The scorer of that opener, Oxlade-Chamberlain, is starting to regain the form he demonstrated prior to picking up a serious knee injury while Henderson was magnificent again in controlling the midfield. They were solid at the back with Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk's centre-back partnership continuing to flourish.
The Reds were without the injured Sadio Mane, but Firmino and Salah delivered the goods; the Brazil striker produced a hat-trick of assists to take his total to 51 in all competitions for the club, while Salah scored twice.
More to follow.
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Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text
Line-ups
Liverpool
1Alisson
66Alexander-Arnold
12Gomez
4van Dijk
26Robertson
14HendersonSubstituted forLallanaat 88'minutes
3Fabinho
5WijnaldumSubstituted forMinaminoat 81'minutes
11Salah
9Firmino
15Oxlade-ChamberlainSubstituted forKeitaat 73'minutes
Substitutes
6Lovren
8Keita
13Adrián
18Minamino
20Lallana
27Origi
32Matip
Southampton
1McCarthy
16Ward-ProwseBooked at 65mins
5StephensBooked at 89mins
35Bednarek
21Bertrand
12DjenepoSubstituted forBoufalat 82'minutes
14Romeu
23Højbjerg
22Redmond
7LongSubstituted forObafemiat 70'minutes
9IngsSubstituted forAdamsat 70'minutes
Substitutes
4Vestergaard
10Adams
19Boufal
20Obafemi
27Smallbone
28Gunn
38Danso
Referee:
Kevin Friend
Attendance:
53,291
Match Stats
Home TeamLiverpoolAway TeamSouthampton
Possession
Home62%
Away38%
Shots
Home16
Away17
Shots on Target
Home9
Away4
Corners
Home6
Away11
Fouls
Home9
Away15
Live Text
Posted at
Match ends, Liverpool 4, Southampton 0.
Full TimePosted at 90'+5'
Second Half ends, Liverpool 4, Southampton 0.
Posted at 90'+4'
Attempt missed. Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Mohamed Salah.
Posted at 90'+2'
Foul by Roberto Firmino (Liverpool).
Posted at 90'+2'
Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal!Posted at 90'
Goal! Liverpool 4, Southampton 0. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) left footed shot from very close range to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Roberto Firmino.
BookingPosted at 89'
Jack Stephens (Southampton) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Posted at 89'
Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 89'
Foul by Jack Stephens (Southampton).
Posted at 89'
Foul by Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool).
Posted at 89'
Sofiane Boufal (Southampton) wins a free kick on the left wing.
SubstitutionPosted at 88'
Substitution, Liverpool. Adam Lallana replaces Jordan Henderson.
Posted at 87'
Naby Keita (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Posted at 87'
Foul by Oriol Romeu (Southampton).
Posted at 86'
Attempt missed. Takumi Minamino (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Mohamed Salah following a fast break.
Posted at 85'
Foul by Takumi Minamino (Liverpool).
Posted at 85'
James Ward-Prowse (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 85'
Attempt missed. Sofiane Boufal (Southampton) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Ryan Bertrand.
SubstitutionPosted at 82'
Substitution, Southampton. Sofiane Boufal replaces Moussa Djenepo.
Posted at 82'
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 82'
Foul by Moussa Djenepo (Southampton).
SubstitutionPosted at 81'
Substitution, Liverpool. Takumi Minamino replaces Georginio Wijnaldum.
Posted at 81'
Offside, Southampton. Moussa Djenepo tries a through ball, but Che Adams is caught offside.
Posted at 79'
Attempt missed. Fabinho (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top right corner. Assisted by Georginio Wijnaldum.
Posted at 78'
Attempt saved. Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Naby Keita with a through ball.
Posted at 77'
Attempt blocked. Che Adams (Southampton) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Nathan Redmond.
Posted at 75'
Corner, Southampton. Conceded by Alisson.
Posted at 73'
Jordan Henderson (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 73'
Foul by Oriol Romeu (Southampton).
SubstitutionPosted at 73'
Substitution, Liverpool. Naby Keita replaces Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Goal!Posted at 71'
Goal! Liverpool 3, Southampton 0. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Jordan Henderson.
Posted at 71'
Attempt missed. Nathan Redmond (Southampton) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right following a corner.
Posted at 70'
Corner, Southampton. Conceded by Jordan Henderson.
SubstitutionPosted at 70'
Substitution, Southampton. Che Adams replaces Danny Ings.
SubstitutionPosted at 70'
Substitution, Southampton. Michael Obafemi replaces Shane Long.
Posted at 69'
Attempt missed. James Ward-Prowse (Southampton) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Danny Ings.
Posted at 68'
Fabinho (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 68'
Foul by Shane Long (Southampton).
BookingPosted at 65'
James Ward-Prowse (Southampton) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Posted at 65'
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Source: bbc.com
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