Liverpool 3-0 Southampton: 5 Hits and Flops

#2 Flop: Van Dijk injury scare and Shane Long’s ineffectiveness: A double whammy

The former Saints defender was in his element as he rose to the occasion once again. Partnering the returning Joel Matip, the Dutch was quick off his line and did well to quell the half chances that fell Southampton’s way in the first half. One moment especially comes to mind when Southampton found the space past Robertson to put in a cross only for Van Dijk to clear at the near post.

It was only out of precaution that Klopp chose to take off the Dutchman as he took a blow to his midriff. With the game wrapped up and, Klopp didn’t see any harm in taking the defender off and by the end, the Dutchman was back on the bench having been escorted from the field by the physio earlier in the game.

However, in the absence of Danny Ings, Hughes must have expected Shane Long to lead the line more effectively. Instead, Long struggled to get a foothold into the game, he was not helped by a midfield which did little to support him with the exception of Nathan Redmond. But it was only for a limited period that Redmond found his groove, thereafter disappearing over the course of the game.