Liverpool boosted their hopes of Champions League qualification by beating Southampton to put pressure on fourth-placed Leicester City.
Newcastle United beat the Foxes 4-2 on Friday and Jurgen Klopp’s men took full advantage by moving within six points of the top four with four games remaining – while Leicester have three.
Sadio Mane opened the scoring against his former club, heading home Mohamed Salah’s cross moments after Alisson had made two saves in quick succession.
Alisson gifted Southampton a chance to equalise late in the game when he passed straight to Che Adams, but the Brazil goalkeeper made amends by saving the Scotland striker’s shot.
Spain midfielder Thiago Alcantara then scored his first Liverpool goal in stoppage time to hand Klopp his 100th win at Anfield in all competitions.
Southampton are still not safe from relegation but their Premier League status could be secured when West Bromwich Albion and Fulham play later this weekend.
More follows.
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Line-ups
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Alisson
- 66Alexander-Arnold
- 47Phillips
- 46R Williams
- 26Robertson
- 6Thiago Alcántara
- 3Fabinho
- 5Wijnaldum
- 11SalahSubstituted forOxlade-Chamberlainat 87′minutes
- 20JotaSubstituted forFirminoat 79′minutes
- 10ManéSubstituted forJonesat 90+3′minutes
Substitutes
- 9Firmino
- 13Adrián
- 15Oxlade-Chamberlain
- 17Jones
- 21Tsimikas
- 23Shaqiri
- 58Woodburn
- 76N Williams
- 89Koumetio
Southampton
Formation 4-4-2
- 44Forster
- 2Walker-Peters
- 35Bednarek
- 4Vestergaard
- 5Stephens
- 32WalcottSubstituted forDialloat 66′minutes
- 8Ward-Prowse
- 17Armstrong
- 11RedmondBooked at 61mins
- 10AdamsSubstituted forDjenepoat 79′minutes
- 23TellaSubstituted forObafemiat 66′minutes
Substitutes
- 1McCarthy
- 12Djenepo
- 14Obafemi
- 22Salisu
- 27Diallo
- 31Ramsay
- 40N’Lundulu
- 47Ferry
- 64Jankewitz
Live Text
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Match ends, Liverpool 2, Southampton 0.
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Second Half ends, Liverpool 2, Southampton 0.
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Offside, Liverpool. Alisson tries a through ball, but Curtis Jones is caught offside.
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Substitution, Liverpool. Curtis Jones replaces Sadio Mané.
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Offside, Southampton. James Ward-Prowse tries a through ball, but Kyle Walker-Peters is caught offside.
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Goal! Liverpool 2, Southampton 0. Thiago (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Roberto Firmino.
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Offside, Liverpool. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain tries a through ball, but Roberto Firmino is caught offside.
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Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by James Ward-Prowse.
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Substitution, Liverpool. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain replaces Mohamed Salah.
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Offside, Liverpool. Andrew Robertson tries a through ball, but Sadio Mané is caught offside.
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Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Stuart Armstrong.
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Substitution, Liverpool. Roberto Firmino replaces Diogo Jota.
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Substitution, Southampton. Moussa Djenepo replaces Che Adams.
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Attempt missed. Diogo Jota (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Mohamed Salah.
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Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Kyle Walker-Peters.
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Attempt saved. Che Adams (Southampton) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
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Corner, Southampton. Conceded by Alisson.
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Attempt saved. Ibrahima Diallo (Southampton) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Michael Obafemi with a headed pass.
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Attempt saved. James Ward-Prowse (Southampton) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
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Attempt blocked. Kyle Walker-Peters (Southampton) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Nathan Redmond.
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