SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - Wednesday, December 2, 2015: Liverpool's Alberto Moreno is mobbed by team-mates after scoring the third goal against Southampton during the Football League Cup Quarter-Final match at St. Mary's Stadium. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

“Genuinely outstanding” – Liverpool supporters react to 6-1 thrashing of Southampton

Liverpool obliterated Southampton with a 6-1 win at St. Mary’s Stadium, as Daniel Sturridge, Divock Origi and Jordon Ibe struck.

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - Wednesday, December 2, 2015: Liverpool's Alberto Moreno is mobbed by team-mates after scoring the third goal against Southampton during the Football League Cup Quarter-Final match at St. Mary's Stadium. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Coming back from a poor start on the south coast, Liverpool went on to destroy their League Cup opposition with six goals on the road.

This victory booked a place in the semi-finals, but how did the night play out?

Here is the best of the reaction from social media.

 

Before the game, much of the attention was focussed on Sturridge, who made his first start of Jurgen Klopp‘s reign in attack.

The 26-year-old has suffered a pair of injuries already under Klopp, and the anticipation of his comeback reflected this long-term absence.

Meanwhile, others were preoccupied with the absence of midfield maestro Kolo Toure on the substitutes’ bench.

Klopp lined his side up in a fluid 4-3-3 formation, and it unfortunately dissolved early on, with Sadio Mane heading home Ryan Bertrand’s cross after just 42 seconds.

Supporters were, not surprisingly, unamused.

Southampton continued to focus their attacks down the left flank, with Connor Randall enduring a troubled start up against Dusan Tadic.

The academy right-back was shown a yellow card in the opening 10 minutes for a poor challenge on the Serbian.

https://twitter.com/edAfootball/status/672141682293514240

Twenty-four minutes after Mane’s strike, however, came Liverpool’s decisive reaction.

Joe Allen threaded a sumptuous ball through for Sturridge, who slotted home after some fast footwork on the edge of the six-yard box.

A matter of minutes followed before Emre Can played a similarly exquisite ball over for Sturridge once again, who duly hammered home a first-time finish to put Liverpool 2-1 up.

https://twitter.com/jacklusby_/status/672146922199760896

https://twitter.com/lloydjones51/status/672146790158876672

That wasn’t enough for the Reds before the break, with Alberto Moreno firing an astonishing 30-yard strike into the back of the net—via an Origi toe-poke—after a Saints clearance.

Liverpool held on from a strong start to the second half from the Saints, before Sturridge was withdrawn to applause from the travelling Kop, with Ibe taking his place.

It took Ibe less than 10 minutes to make a telling contribution, laying on the pass to meet Origi’s intelligent run, with the Belgian powering home to put Liverpool 4-1 up.

https://twitter.com/MrBoywunder/status/672161556633882624

And then it was the 19-year-old’s turn to score, hammering his finish beyond Maarten Stekelenburg on 73 minutes.

https://twitter.com/lloydjones51/status/672162269430743041

With Brad Smith coming on to make his first appearance since rejoining the club in November, the Australian made his mark by laying on Origi’s third, floating a perfect cross into the six-yard box for the Belgian to nod home.

It proved to be the final goal of the night, with You’ll Never Walk Alone ringing around St. Mary’s as Bobby Madley blew the final whistle.

Another away clash and another win for Liverpool; the Klopp factor continues to work its magic.