LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, November 27, 2021: Liverpool's Diogo Jota celebrates after scoring the first goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Southampton FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool 4-0 Southampton: Player Ratings

Liverpool made light work of a tight turnaround from the visit of Porto as they surged to a 4-0 victory over Southampton, with an all-round excellent display.

Liverpool 4-0 Southampton

Premier League (13), Anfield
November 27, 2021

Goals: Jota 2′ 32′, Thiago 37′, Van Dijk 52′


Alisson – 9 (out of 10)

Just always there, isn’t he? A looming silhouette in that all-black goalkeeper kit, a bear of a man with a supermodel’s beard appearing from nowhere to swallow up all danger.

Time after time the big Brazilian was out prowling his area, slumping at the feet of James Ward-Prowse and contorting his body to get two robust forearms in line to block a fizzing Adam Armstrong effort.

Composed with the ball at his feet also, as ever. Liverpool really are lucky to have this bloke – never take him for granted!

Trent Alexander-Arnold – 8

Back to his dizzying best.

Troubled a few times with a combination of the early Saints press and the biting wind putting cruel spins on the ball flight – but very quickly got over it.

Try and pass a football like Trent Alexander-Arnold…you can’t. Now, imagine trying to do it in the face of 20mph gusts. What a footballer.

Ibrahima Konate – 7

Needed a bit of a regroup after looking troubled during the midweek Porto win, but at the side of a certain Dutchman he looked very much at home.

Carries so much muscular momentum that it looks like he needs a few minutes just to get started when launching into a run…but then there’s no stopping him at full throttle.

Still feeling the pressure of a red shirt no doubt, but the bags of potential are clear.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, November 27, 2021: Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk (L) celebrates with team-mate Sadio Mané (R) after scoring the fourth goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Southampton FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Virgil van Dijk – 8

Went up for a corner and found his former employers vanquished to the point where he could just leather the ball across the floor and get himself a goal.

Muted celebration, but fair enough. If it wasn’t for the Saints taking a punt on him for the Premier League, who knows what we could have missed out on…

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, November 27, 2021: Liverpool's Andy Robertson during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Southampton FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Andy Robertson – 9 – Man of the Match

Some return this was.

Plenty of talk in recent weeks about how ready Kostas Tsimikas is to place pressure on Robbo, and he is.

But this showing here proved exactly why the flying Scotsman is indispensable.

Looking rested, recharged and thoroughly pleased to be back, the Glaswegian Duracell bunny was reverberating down the wings and threading eye-of-the-needle passes like he’d never been away.

Fabinho – 7

Robust and always raring to take on the ball and carry. Still getting back into the swing of things though patrolled the central channel well to prevent Ward-Prowse setting up laser-line passes for Armstrong.

A job nicely done.

Jordan Henderson – 7

Nothing fancy but as consistent as ever. Kept the midfield ticking over and, most importantly, headed off with a clean bill of health.

More minutes in the tank on the cusp of a frantic festive period. Lovely ovation from the Kop.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, November 27, 2021: Liverpool's Thiago Alcantara celebrates after scoring the third goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Southampton FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Thiago – 7

Just a joy to see him happy.

The little Spanish magician found himself under the cosh in the opening stages and was caught with a high press, but used it as character-building medicine.

Grew into the game and got himself on the scoresheet again with a venomous hit (ignore the deflection).

Looking like a proper Liverpool player these days.

Mohamed Salah – 8

Made a poor call in the first half when he could have slipped Jota through for yet another – but can hardly blame him, can you?

Still absolutely flying this season and churning out goals like no tomorrow. Today aside.

Touch razor-sharp, gave the Saints the runaround all over the attacking third and sequenced well with Trent.

Strategically kept ever so slightly wider than usual, to devastating effect – Southampton couldn’t cope with not always knowing where he was.

Sadio Mane – 8

Robbed again of a goal by another marginal offside, but sharp throughout.

Looking leaner and fitter than last season, and opposition defenders are finding this out the hard way.

He’s back to being a threat simply by his presence in the area, and that can only be a good thing for Jurgen’s formidable forward line.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, November 27, 2021: Liverpool's Diogo Jota celebrates after scoring the first goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Southampton FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Diogo Jota – 9

Took his first goal and slid to the corner of the Annie Road End and mimicked playing his PlayStation. Love him.

Everything about this lad is fun and unpredictable. The transfer department played a blinder in bringing him in, and you can bet your bottom dollar they’re smug about it.

Jota has looked like a Liverpool player from day one and this showing was typical of that. Clever runs, nimble touches, perfect awareness of when to give and go.

Very unfortunate not to add to his hat-trick collection. He’ll be in Jan Bednarek’s nightmares for the rest of the weekend.

 

Substitutes

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, November 27, 2021: Liverpool's captain Jordan Henderson passes the rainbow captain's armband to substitute James Milner as he is substituted during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Southampton FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (on for Thiago, 58′) – 7 – Drove forward every time he got on the ball. Left McCarthy’s palms stinging with a distance effort.

Playing like a man with a point to prove, who knows he isn’t that far from being a regular once again.

James Milner (on for Henderson, 66′) – 6 – Got stuck in, didn’t shy away. Continued to keep the tempo high as the temperatures dropped. A wise head.

Takumi Minamino (on for Jota, 80′) – N/A – On at the end to allow Jota a standing ovation. Plenty of running, looks a more confident player this season.

Subs not used: Kelleher, Matip, Tsimikas, Williams, Morton, Origi

 

Jurgen Klopp – 9

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, November 27, 2021: Liverpool's manager Jürgen Klopp reacts during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Southampton FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Lost last season to his friend Ralph Hasenhuttl and hardly broke sweat in making amends this time around.

Always does his homework, that much is for sure.

Tactically superior in the first half and talked his players through the second 45 competently enough that nothing the Saints could do would ever be good enough.

Vintage Klopp.


Player ratings definitions: 10 = Faultless | 9 = Excellent | 8 = Very Good | 7 = Good | 6 = Average | 5 = Below Par | 4 = Bad | 3 = Very Bad | 2 Awful | 1 = Surely Not

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