Southampton 3, Liverpool 2: First Thoughts

Southampton 3 Mané 64', Pelle 83", Mané 86'
Liverpool 2 Coutinho 18', Sturridge 22'

• Pregame Thoughts: Floberto Carlos with the armband? Pfft. Today was a good day.
  
  
• Snappy start sees Origi show off his strength to hold two off and lay it on along the right sideline, then the peppy Red Panda gets in an early inswinger that falls for Coutinho, with the Brazilian's top shelf drive going just wide of Forster's goal.  Game on.
  
  
• ***GOAL*** Coutinho 18' And that's why we call him Sexinho. Picks it up along the left sideline, making his pet left-to-right movement in possession, and just drives a low curler from 25 yards that ends up right by Forster's dive and into the net.
  
  
• ***GOAL*** Sturridge 22' Come on shake your body, baby, do that conga, NO, you can't control yourself any longer--pum, baddum, pum, pum.
  
  
• Back to Coutinho's scintillating form--it is scorching Red hot right now. It's not the first time he's fed Origi with a little outside of the right foot through ball to spring a goalscoring break, but with the way Studge jinked to make room for that shot, it may be the sexiest result yet.
  
  
• That man again. Phil, in complete control of midfield proceedings, feeding another delayed break that ends with a wide open chance for Allen from the penalty spot. Joe's having a good game, but he's really gotta do better there.
  
  
• Captain Jon Patrick Flanagan in complete control on that right flank after letting Long wriggle through early. Can we give Flanno #23? Just give Emre the #8. Grujic can deal with it, it'll be a learning moment.
  
  
• One of the most impressive things about Origi is how natural his feel is for his teammates. He's switched flanks with Lallana on the second goal, and he's covering Studge's striker perch any time the Birmingham-born drops deep. Fluid.
  
  
• POPPYCOCK! Allen damn near made amends for the earlier miss by seeing his low drive hit the back of the net, and then get called off by a late offside call. Pay that man his money? 
  
  
• D'you reckon it's the brush technique that gives Pelle that unshakable form and body? 
  
  
• Allen and Can with a very easy understanding in the double pivot. Is Wee Joe really not signing the effing deal? Much perky; so awareness. It's like he's drawing strength from his Alice band. 
  
  
• Klopp lookin like he went HAM on the schnapps last night. Its not like Zeljko didn't warn you, Jürgy.
  
  
• Halftime: Welp, that's a job done, Shirley. Our halftime team talk involves left over pizza from last night washed down with a robust Guatemalan roast that gets up on the table and demands its splash of half n half.
  
  
• Whether or not it was an injury to Lovren that brought Martin Skrtel on, the Slovakian wastes no time in adding insult to the equation. A 50/50 tussle with Pelle, some #shirtpulling, and the Italian goes down for a penalty brought to you by Pampers w/aloe. Sharpen your pitchforks, Skrtel detractors, you're going to need them later.
  
  
• PENALTY WHICH IS SAVED THAT IS. Atrocious take from Sadio "Gucci" Mané, but no less important for Mignolet to have kept that out.
  
  
• So, what sort of material d'you reckon Kloppo prefers when reinforcing the backbone of his teams? Graphene? Adamantium? 
  
  
• Talk about threading the needle there, Adam. Yum. 
  
  
• ***GOAL*** Mané 64' Umpffta. Gut punch. Not the worst defending you're ever going to see, but Sadio had a point to prove after that missed pk. Game on.
  
  
• Truly can see the doorway to a thousand churches in Ryan Bertrand's eyes. The light the heat.
  
  
• That Mané introduction has brought with it some smart pressing and snappier ball movement from Saints, neither of which will be expected to ebb with Ward-Prowse coming in, now.
  
  
• Klopp matches Ron move for move by bringing on Tek-9 and protecting Sturridge. Good. Get grimey, lads.
  
  
• Virgil Van Dijk needs to let that hair fly. Do you, peacock.
  
  
• Saints have undeniably turned the screw this half, pushing Liverpool's backline real deep, and making this 2-1 lead feel anything but secure.
  
  
• ***GOAL*** Pelle 83' A game-changing strike from the Italian changes the game for good.
  
  
• ***GOAL*** Mané 86' Awful decision making from multiple players leaves Sadio with a chance to steal the full points. Which he does. With aplomb. Keep those pitchforks sharp, we said!
  
  
• (insert swears here)

We'll be back shortly to take an in-depth look at everything that happened in today's game with the full recap. Until then, let us know your take on the ups and downs of the match in the comments, and if you haven't already, join the community on the Liverpool Offside, where we'll have full coverage and lively in-game discussion for every match this season.