Liverpool 3, Southampton 0: First Thoughts

Liverpool 3 Salah 31’, 41’ Coutinho 67’ Southampton 0

• PRE-MATCH: Matip and Lovren. Deep breaths. Here we go.
• I just want Mo Salah to score six goals today. Is that too much to ask?
• Almost 10 minutes in, there’s a scrap in front of the Southampton goal, with TAA and Salah both getting a foot on it, but all Liverpool get for their troubles is a corner. Still, it’s a promising start, and Salah looks desperate for it.
• Lots of attacking from Liverpool, but the closest they’ve come in the first 20 minutes is a second corner that gets cleared away by van Dijk.
• Gini gets a shot off, batted away by Forster. Then Coutinho gets a few chances on goal, first with his patented long distance right-footer, then with a free kick. Both sail over.
• So many wasted set pieces.
• GOAL!! Salah - 31’ - Mo, Mo, Mo. Lucky number 13 for the Egyptian sensation is a sweet left-footed curler from just outside the 18 yard box. Glorious. Also breaks Liverpool’s four-game scoreless streak against Southampton. That’s one Salah goal down, only five more to go.
• GOAL!! Salah - 41’ - Coutinho picks out Salah’s run with a perfectly weighed throughball there. *kisses fingers* Salah makes it count, and that’s his second. Four more to go.
• Lovren booked for a hard foul on van Dijk two minutes before halftime. Hiya, Narrative!
• HALFTIME: I wanted a first half hat trick for Salah, but I guess I’ll just have to settle for a brace. My life is now solely dedicated to Mo Salah, by the way. I’ve decided to give up all other jobs, hobbies, and interests in my pursuit of fangirling him. Feeling pretty confident about my life choices.
• We’re back. There’s 45 minutes + stoppage time for Salah to score four goals.
• Boufal gets close, but Lovren just gets his body in the way, blocking the shot. Good defending there.
• Liverpool attack. Firmino’s shot is deflected. Mané and Alexander-Arnold both race for the rebound. Mané gets there first, but it was probably TAA with the better angle for a shot. The ball ultimately gets put out for a Liverpool corner, which leads to nothing.
• GOAL!! Coutinho - 67’ - After a fantastic attack by Liverpool, Firmino gets a shot off, which is blocked by Forster, but only as far as Coutinho, who slots it home.
• Coutinho scored with his last touch of the game. He comes off for Can, followed by Mané making way for Oxlade-Chamberlain for the last 15 minutes.
• Salah comes off for James Milner for the final 10 minutes. Whatever, it’s cool. Salah can get a break instead of scoring a hat trick. That’s a reasonable management decision, which is why I’m not salty about it. Sometimes players get substituted to protect their fitness. No worries. These things happen. I feel fine about it.
• Firmino narrowly misses on a well-struck long distance shot that stays low, but goes just wide.
• FINAL: This match was a stroll for Liverpool, and all concerns regarding the defense were unfounded, since I don’t think Southampton even had a shot on goal. Well done, boys. Liverpool have now scored 13 goals and conceded one in the last four games. Three wins in a row in the league, and there’s still Lallana and Matip to return into the squad.

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.