Mo Salah ends goal drought to put Liverpool top of the league in comeback win over Southampton

The plan of the opponent really good, organised, high press, being everywhere. Our formation was not good for protection, centre-backs too deep so they could clear from teh box and counter-attack and that made no sense so we had to adjust. We scored a nice goal, not world class defending but a nice goal. We worked for the moment, game calm down and we could decide it with two outstanding goals. Fantastic counter-attack, everybody was waiting for the pass to Bobby but he couldn't, there was no angle... world class. Third goal Bobby chased that ball, stayed calm, found Hendo. Winning here is not easy, we did it. Really good.

A few boys need treatment tomorrow, a few performances not on top level but it's not about that. It's about fighting. People want us to play like City but we can't do it, why should we, we have our own way. I'm really proud of what the boys did tonight. 

We had to be more lively again. You saw Gini and Trent struggled a bit with the intensity of the season and they brought immediately aggressive, verbally aggressive to wake the boys up, passes in behind, runs in behind, we were there, close, but we worked for it and the moments will come. 

It's a difficult year for everybody. You need nearly 75 points to go to Champions League! 90 points for the Premier League!

It's interesting how often tonight he's tried to shift the story onto Man City, saying they play the nice football that everyone wants to see. He's playing mindgames with Pep right now.

Liverpool have won 16 points from losing positions this season (if they win), the most in the division.

Milly and I wanted to come on and make a difference.

The manager thought I could get in more attacking positions, I did it.

We just wanted to contribute not only going forward but using our heads, I'm so pleased we could get the result we needed.

Not at all! 

Says Mo Salah, as Gary Neville talks to him post-match.

Great win for Liverpool. They looked in trouble for a little bit of this match but a goal down, a bit of luck with Mo Salah's marginal offside for the equaliser, Southampton perhaps defending too deep too soon combined with some brilliant football, hard work and determination... and Liverpool are top of the league. Again. This season has been ace.

There's still a lot of fight in the Southampton team but Liverpool are just better and have lasted longer it seems. Henderson launches into a tackle on Bertrand and hurts him but goes over to say sorry straight away, the two are pals from England duty. Well, maybe not pals but they know each other. 

Sims runs onto the ball in the right channel, tries to cut into the box and Robertson takes him out. It's a free-kick, never a penalty because it's two yards outside the box, but it doesn't matter anyway because Firmino powers a header away from inside the box. 

HENDERSON HAS WON IT!

"Liverpool top of the league!" yells Carragher and this goal is another peach. A perfect quick attack. Allison starts it, the ball goes over the top, Firmino chases, beats his man and plays the ball into space by the six yard box. Henderson sprints like a football robot to reach it and sidefoots home. 

Liverpool have scored 20 goals in the last 15 minutes of matches this season. They're like... *whispers* Alex Ferguson's Man Utd. 

Southampton have put Charlie Austin on for Vestergaard in an attempt to rescue a point. They had it [looks at the moon] in the palm of their hand...

Mohamed Salah has now scored 50 goals in just 69 appearances for Liverpool in the Premier League; only Alan Shearer (66 - Blackburn) and Ruud van Nistelrooy (68 - Man Utd) reached the milestone in fewer apps for a single club in the competition.

What that stat tells us is Salah is quite good at the football.

SALAH SCORES! 

The corner beats everyone, is crossed back in, Sims takes too many touches and is tackled, Ward-Prowse tries to power one in but is blocked and Salah is away! He runs up the pitch, has Firmino next to him in a two vs three but just waits until the edge of the box before pulling the trigger right as the tackle comes in. It's a brilliant finish. 

Ward-Prowse prepares a corner, hooks it in and Vestergaard charges at it! Before he can smash his head through the ball, a Liverpool defender knocks it behind for another corner.

LIVERPOOL ARE ON THE BREAK! SALAH IS AWAY!

Bertrand is booked for time wasting at a throw-in. The ball goes forward from a wild punt, Van Dijk climbs Ward-Prowse like a ladder and lands on his back, Sims runs through on goal... and the referee pulls it back for a free-kick to Liverpool. Hmmmm.

Milner crosses a ball in from the right and it's headed behind. Awful lotta crosses here tonight lads.

Robertson is furious with himself. He runs in behind the defence, has Salah waiting for a tap in and overhits his cross, chipping it rather than playing a low one along the ground. Salah can't believe it either. Liverpool are getting closer, you just know they're going to get a big chance at some point.

 Southampton escape the relentless Liverpool press and move into the final third. They keep it there for all of 30 seconds before giving away a throw.

Southampton get back into the trenches, blocking every path to goal except crosses from wide. Matip comes forward to join in but loses control and Redmond carries it. Sims overlaps and wins a throw. 

Sims goes on a run from outside to in but is tracked and doesn't quite have the pace to get away from the two chasers. Mane can't keep the ball in play on the opposite wing but Liverpool soon have possession back. 

It's SO tense. Liverpool shelling the Southampton box, Firmino controls brilliantly on the volley, the ball drops, he hits it BLOCKED. Henderson follows up BLOCKED. Corner. 

Milner swings that in, headed behind for another corner. The pressure is building.

Southampton still defending really deep, Liverpool trying to chip it over them, Southampton breaking at speed on the counter.

Alexander-Arnold off... Henderson on. Milner goes to right-back, Henderson is in midfield for Wijnaldum.

Shane Long off for Southampton and is replaced by Josh Sims, who is a high potential attacking midfielder. Redmond might be the striker now.

Milner is about to come on. That's the change. Liverpool's midfield can't keep hold of the ball, Southampton are running through them. The home team is also super aggressive and although Liverpool's midfield is more creative, they need some 'grrrrrrr' in the centre of the pitch to win their battles. 

Keita goes on a run now, onto a one-two, in the box and goes down! Keita's touch puts the ball ahead of him, the slide tackle from Yoshida comes in and he goes down. The referee says no penalty... I think no penalty also. Jamie Carragher is convinced it's a penalty.

Here's a drawing/painting I did of Van Dijk earlier. I don't why I did it, but I did.

As you can see, he is very wide because he is strong. He needs to be too because Southampton are still the team doing all the question asking. The wing-backs are getting heaps of space in wide areas and are able to get right up the pitch. Valery passes low into the area but the goalie can grab it. Klopp might need to change something. 

Again Redmond can run at goal! The Southampton midfielders are pulling out wide to free up space through the middle and that's where runners are getting on the ball. Redmond takes on Van Dijk and wins another corner, just unable to squeeze a low pass across the area and set up a tap in. 

Southampton keep up the pressure, Bertrand whips a cross in, Valery does the same on the opposite wing, Saints win a corner. Liverpool don't like this high tempo game they're being forced into. They want to be the ones out-running the opposition.

Dangerous start from Southampton who take advantage of another mistake by Liverpool's midfield! Valery's cross into the box doesn't reach a Southampton head, Liverpool try to break and Bednarek takes a yellow card for holding onto Mane.

And we're back!

Here's an interesting one, apparently the Liverpool goal would still stand if VAR was in place because a few phases of play had gone by. Southampton's defence had a chance to reset a couple of times which helps make that judgement.

Titi Camara and Kamil Zayatte, of course! But you already knew that.

 Naby Keita is the third Guinean to score in the Premier League. Can you name the other two? You have five minutes.

That was a very energetic, thoroughly entertaining half of football. And had VAR been in operation it would be 1-0 Southampton. More of the same please!

Lots of early crosses from Liverpool's full-backs. They're looking for balls curled around the centre-backs from a fairly deep starting position. A-A passes inside to Salah and it's intercepted! That's the trigger for Southampton to bomb it up the pitch, Redmond is played in, Long tries to find space to attack a cross... and it's a throw.

• Naby Keita has scored his first goal for Liverpool, with his 29th shot, in his 28th game for the club.

It's very nearly 1-2! A cross from the left and Mane is there to head at goal but doesn't connect properly. 

LIVERPOOL ARE BACK IN IT! 

Salah is juuuuuuuuust offside, takes the ball down, crosses in and Southampton clear, Robertson crosses in, Salah is beaten by it and Alexander-Arnold follows up on the right, crosses in and Keita powers a header past the goalkeeper. What a cross from A-A. Brilliant.

A couple of Redmond passes don't reach their target and if they had, Southampton could have been on a counter-attack with men over. The way they're breaking is scarily fast and really hard to deal with for Liverpool, who aren't able to counter and play their own game. The next 10 minutes are pretty crucial though because Southampton's energy will naturally dip a little.

MISTAKE! Liverpool run away at goal, Salah dribbles and is taken out by a falling centre-back! Is that a free-kick? The referee says no and that's probably fair.

Liverpool counter-press, try and force a through-ball between the walls of defence but Southampton are so compact there's no real space for them run into. Matip steps forward to try and make something happen but is tackled and hits a pass out for a goal kick from about 40 yards from goal. Southampton dug in.

Firmino tries a spectacular volley from 30 yards but doesn't connect properly. Klopp doesn't look too impressed on the sidelines. 

Liverpool keep the ball near Southampton's box but they can't make use of it and everything's scrappy. Southampton clear and that turns into a counter as Matip loses to Long, who finds Hjojberg, who hits it too long to Long at the back post. 

Southampton look really dangerous on the counter. There's so much pace and Liverpool seem short in numbers at the back. Romeu and Hjojberg are moving the ball around nicely. Off the ball they're defending really deep though and I get the feeling Liverpool will grow into this. They're getting touches in the box too, it's just that this opening half hour has been relentless from the home side.

Alexander-Arnold curls a ball to the back post and it's put behind for a corner, just to be safe. The corner goes back... fired into Salah and he turns inside the box! Great touch but his shot is blocked. Liverpool keep up the pressure until a defender can clear. Long chases it down and almost steals the ball from A-A.  

That Southampton goal looks more like Van Dijk's fault the more I see it. Van Dijk follows a run out to the wing, leaving a huge amount of space between the defence, which is what helps tee up Long for his goal and SOUTHAMPTON ARE IN AGAIN! WHAT A MISS! Redmond plays in Bertrand after a mistake, drills it across the box and Long just needs to open up his foot and tap in but he misses the ball! Van Dijk turns it over for a corner. 

Alexander-Arnold boots the ball away but it's a throw. That could easily have been 2-0.

Southampton are drawing Liverpool to one side of the pitch and then switching play to a free man on the opposite wing. Liverpool keep turning over possession too, they seem a little rattled!

Great save Gunn! Salah can't get past the defence, turns and then crosses from inside the area and finds Mane! He heads down to the floor and the goalkeeper is there (OK so it's not a 'great' save) to block on the line, the defence make sure Mane can't turn the rebound in and Saints survive.

Here's a stat for you: Shane Long is the fourth player from the Republic of Ireland to register 50 Premier League goals, along with Niall Quinn (59), Robbie Keane (126) and Damien Duff (54).

Southampton are playing with real aggression and look really organised. Everyone knows when to break, there's a block in the middle of the park and they're waiting on Liverpool's centre-backs being left on their own to ping direct passes forward. How do Liverpool break down these walls of defence?

SOUTHAMPTON LEAD!

Bertrand crosses to the near post, it's headed on and somehow Liverpool's defence has been torn apart, leaving Long stood on his own outside the six yard box. A touch to set up and a thumped volley into the corner makes it 1-0! 

The ball is headed away but Southampton win it back and launch forward... gifting the ball to Alisson. It's fairly end to end, both teams attacking quickly.

Martin Tyler is telling a story about how Liverpool watched a local cricket team play a game earlier. But who'll be knocked for six in this game etc

Great energy early on here. There's a midfield battle as Redmond tries to evade a few challenges in a row from some chasing Liverpool players, eventually Matip just boots the thing out to touch. 

Southampton are doing well, break down the left and win a corner with a quick move. Ward-Prowse comes over to take it.

Well we know how the game's going to go. A very deep 5-4-1 from Southampton, Liverpool with no options in the opposite half, except for when they do as Salah nips into the area and wins a throw-in.

Van Dijk is being booed whenever he gets on the ball. 

HOT SOCCER ACTION!

St Mary's looks rammed full, there are plenty of Southampton players on the pitch (a few of them in Liverpool red)... it's game time!

It's a good side, a good system, it suits them but we expected it.

Hard work. When City comes they go oh it's City and put out the white flag but against us they see a chance. We're a pressing team, they're a pressing team, we'll play between the lines. So many things to do but it's all about work rate.

Chris Bascombe knows all the Liverpool things and he writes lovely words. If you quite fancy reading something about Liverpool while you're on the train or checking emails at work, sign up above and you'll have a whale of time 🐳 

• Southampton have gone 454 minutes without scoring against Liverpool in league play, last doing so via an 86th minute winner from Sadio Mané against his current side in March 2016.

It looks like it might be a 5-4-1 from Southampton tonight, sitting deep to counter Liverpool's 4-3-3. One centre-back for each of Liverpool's strikers, a wing-back for each of Liverpool's full-backs.

When they break the wing-backs will race forwards joined by a striker and probably two of the midfielders. Redmond and Long have pace and can sprint which helps against a highline - something Liverpool absolutely will play.

Robertson... I got him totally wrong. I didn't think he was good enough defensively, I'd seen him for Hull and Scotland but I didn't think he had what it took for the highest level. He's proven me wrong, he defends his back post incredibly well. He's been a revelation. 

Hello! It's Friday night and that can only mean one thing... half of the world still has to work tomorrow because it's 2019 and we don't all do 9-5s anymore. However, it also means FOOTBALL! And tonight is a great game between the Alpine Klopp and the German Klopp, also known as the actual Klopp, aka Jurgen Klopp. What's going to happen?

Liverpool can't afford to lose anymore games for the rest of the season and actually, if they want to win the league probably need to win every single one of their remaining games. That sounds a bit mental but this season has been intense from day one.

Southampton are close to securing safety and are probably already clear... but thinking like that is a guaranteed way to end up losing. Will Ralph Hasenhuttl have his players fired up? Or will they treat this one as a guaranteed loss, turn up and see what happens?

Southampton will most likely lineup in a 3-4-3 and hope to hit Liverpool on the counter. Lots of pressing high up the pitch, a lot of energy... this is exactly the sort of opponent Klopp would rather avoid at the start of such a busy month for Liverpool.

Team news will be with us really soon.