Liverpool 2-1 Southampton

by James Nalton

at Anfield

DESPITE numerous changes to his team ahead of the EFL Cup third round tie at home to Southampton, Liverpool manager Arne Slot was looking for something similar to that which has been seen in the club’s league games so far this season.

The resulting performance did have echoes of Liverpool’s displays in the league this season, but perhaps not in the areas Slot wanted to see replicated.

It was a late win, reminiscent of many in the Premier League this season, and the team didn’t fire on all cylinders despite getting the victory and progressing to the next round.

There were still positives for the home side. Federico Chiesa put in an excellent display in one of his rare starts for the club, and for much of the game the Italian looked like a first-team player amid a group of reserves.

His compatriot, and debutant, 18-year-old Giovanni Leoni, was also impressive, and was pushing Chiesa to be Liverpool’s best player on the night before he was stretchered off with a worrying injury towards the end of the game.

Alexander Isak was also able to get off the mark for his new club, finishing a chance created by Chiesa in the opening 45 minutes.

Isak was substituted at halftime, with Slot saying that the striker is effectively still in his pre-season, having missed the early part of the season due to a prolonged transfer saga.

“It is not a coincidence that Federico picked the ball and assisted the first goal, because he was the one, in my opinion, that was most involved in the game, tried the most, worked the hardest,” Slot said after the game.

“Then it wasn’t a coincidence again that he was the player that made a deep run [to set up the second goal], from a great ball by Robbo [Andy Robertson], by the way — who also has won so much at this club and understands how to play in these games, not to underestimate them, and always be ready to play.

“I was happy with a few individual performances but far from happy with a few others.”
As Slot alludes to, some Liverpool players struggled to find their rhythm, perhaps unsurprisingly given the fact that many were getting their first meaningful first-team minutes of the season.

The game was an exercise in developing match fitness as much as it was a competitive game, but the team still craves success in every competition which it enters.

Progress will mean another outing for many of these players further down the line, and another chance to push for a place in the first team.

Southampton equalised through Shea Charles, before Liverpool’s late winner was scored by Hugo Ekitike.

The French striker, who replaced Isak at halftime, was sent off after being shown a yellow card for taking his shirt off during his celebration, having already picked up a yellow card earlier on.

He will now miss Liverpool’s game against Crystal Palace on Saturday, where the minutes up front will likely be shared between the impressive Chiesa and the returning-to-fitness Isak. On this evidence, not bad options at all.