Liverpool 3-0 Southampton: Player Ratings 

Southampton

Southampton could be on course to fight a relegation battle

Fraser Forster – 6/10

The English shot-stopper had a tough evening as Liverpool were the better team and constantly threatened his goal. There was a nervy moment when the Englishman failed to deal appropriately with an awkward ball in the box and almost gifted Liverpool their opener.

However, there was very little he could have done for the first 2 goals as his defence failed to close down Salah appropriately.

Cedric Soares – 6/10

The Portuguese right-back began the evening well as he constantly looked to get forward in a bid to help his attacking colleagues pile on the pressure on the susceptible Liverpool defence. However, once Liverpool firmly had their foot in the game, the industrious Soares was largely restricted to his own half.

Wesley Hoedt – 5/10

Hoedt was certain to suffer against the pace of Mane and Salah. While he did make some vital tackles and clearances, there is no denying that the Dutch-man was at fault for Salah’s 2nd goal as he failed to track the run of the Egyptian and gifted him space to run into.

Virgil Van Dijk – 6/10

Van Dijk and co. were the 2nd best throughout the game as Liverpool's attack put them to sword

It was largely believed that this was a front row audition for the hierarchy at Liverpool to ascertain Van Dijk’s quality but the Dutchman himself would like to forget about the evening. While he was tidy with the ball at his feet, he had trouble dealing with Liverpool’s enterprise, especially with his partner Hoedt struggling.

With Southampton languishing in the 14th spot after this defeat, Van Dijk's time at the St. Mary’s might be coming to an end.

Ryan Bertrand – 7/10

Bertrand was perhaps the brightest of Southampton’s defenders on the evening as he put in an all-round performance. He constantly bombed forward in a bid to test the Liverpool defence and came very close to opening the scoring for the visitors with a free-kick that curled away from the goal at the very end.

Steven Davis – 6/10

With Liverpool running the show in the midfield, Steven Davis was largely restricted to defensive duties.

The Northern Irish midfielder made himself available in the midfield to cause Liverpool problems in the initial stages with his industry and made some vital tackles, interceptions and clearances to ensure that the scoreline remained respectable towards his side despite Liverpool’s pure dominance.

Oriol Romeu – 5/10

The former Chelsea midfielder had one of the toughest games of his life against the Reds. While he made constant tackles, interceptions, and clearances, he was not very successful at restricting the Reds.

The very fact that he won just 25% of the 12 tackles he attempted showcases how ineffective he was against the Reds and it reflected time and again, as the side’s central defenders were left exposed time and again.

Dusan Tadic – 5/10

It was the Serbian who gifted Liverpool their first goal when he had the ball pinched off him just outside his own box and thereafter, was largely restricted to a spectator’s role as he failed to receive adequate support from his teammates.

He created only 2 substantial goal scoring opportunities through the game. It was yet another game where Tadic went missing and if this continues, its time Southampton looked at other options.

Sofiane Boufal – 6/10

The Morrocan winger initially looked threatening against Alexander-Arnold but fizzled out with the passage of time. He failed to create any goal scoring opportunity during his time on the pitch and while he was constantly looking to get past the Liverpool defence, he found little joy as his attacking colleagues failed to adequately support him.

Nathan Redmond – 3/10

Redmond failed to have an impact on the game.

There was very little that we saw of the Englishman throughout the game as he failed to make an impact on the game. He failed to trouble the Liverpool defence and was largely a spectator as Liverpool ran away with the game.

Shane Long – 6/10

While he was at his industrious best yet again, Long failed to trouble the hosts’ defenders as his movement off the ball was well tracked. However, his efforts in his own half cannot have gone unnoticed as he was always available in midfield to help his teammates deal with Liverpool.

Substitutes:

Charlie Austin – 5/10

Austin came on for the ineffective Tadic in the 55th minute but proved to be equally ineffective against a side that seemed to be in cruise mode.

James Ward-Prowse – 4/10

The 23-year-old failed to make an impact on the game after coming on for Boufal in the 69th minute.

Manolo Gabbiadini – NA

The Italian had very little time to make an impact on the game.