Liverpool 3-1 Southampton: Mo Salah Becomes Joint-Fifth Top Scorer In Premier League History as Reds Go 16 Points Clear
Liverpool continued their march to a second Premier League title in five years after a Mo Salah brace helped complete a lot 3-1 win over relegation-battling Southampton 3-1 at Anfield on Saturday.
The Reds knew prior to kick-off that a win would see them extend their lead over second-placed Arsenal to 16 points, but were made to sweat for the three points by the visiting Saints.
In the end, Arne Slot’s team had Darwin Nunez and the talismanic Mo Salah to thank, as they overturned a first-half deficit into a priceless victory in front of the Kop.
The visitors stunned the Anfield faithful in first-half stoppage time, when Will Smallbone took advantage of a defensive mix-up between Reds goalkeeper Alisson and centre-back Virgil van Dijk to score from a tight angle.
Liverpool, missing manager Arne Slot who was in the stands as he was serving a touchline ban, made a raft of substitutions at the break and it paid dividends soon as the second half kicked off.
The league leaders dominated after the break and Nunez duly levelled from close range in the 51st minute, after being teed up by Luis Diaz.
Nunez went from goalscorer to winning a penalty three minutes later, after the Uruguayan international was caught by Smallbone on the back of the ankle in the box.
Salah stepped up and slotted the ball past Aaron Ramsdale to give Liverpool the lead with his 26th goal in the Premier League this season.
The three points were sealed in the 87th minute after the Reds were awarded another penalty, following a handball from Yukinari Sugawara. Salah once again put away the spot-kick to complete his brace.
Salah’s second goal also saw him become the joint fifth all-time top goalscorer in Premier League history with 184 goals. The Egyptian also becomes the third all-time top scorer in Liverpool’s history.
The Reds now have 70 points after 29 games, while second-placed Arsenal have 54 but with two games in hand. Southampton on the other hand, are rock bottom in 20th with just nine points, 13 points away from safety.
Elsewhere in the Premier League on Saturday, Crystal Palace compounded Ipswich Town’s relegation worries with a narrow 1-0 win at Selhurst Park, while Brighton came from a goal down to overcome Fulham 2-1 at the AMEX.