Mohamed Salah to the rescue as Liverpool fight back to beat Southampton and go eight points clear

Arne Slot's side claim 3-2 victory at St Mary's thanks to late double from Egyptian star

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  Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring their third goal in the 3-2 Premier League win against Southampton at St Mary's Stadium on November 24, 2024. Getty Images

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  Liverpool's Mohamed Salah scores their third from the penalty spot. PA

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  Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their second goal. Reuters

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  Liverpool's Mohamed Salah scores their second. PA

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  Southampton's Mateus Fernandes scores their second goal. Action Images

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  Southampton's Mateus Fernandes celebrates after scoring their second goal. Getty Images

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  Southampton's Adam Armstrong scores their first from the penalty spot. AP

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  Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates. Action Images

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  Dominik Szoboszlai of Liverpool celebrates scoring his team's opener with teammate Curtis Jones. Getty Images

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  Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai scores his team's first goal. AFP

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  Mohamed Salah goes to collect the ball after making it 2-2 at St Mary's Stadium. AFP

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  Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch and Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk appeal to referee Samuel Barrott. Action Images

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  Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy makes a save from Liverpool's Conor Bradley. AFP

Mohamed Salah's late brace capped a fine Liverpool fightback as they edged a five-goal thriller against Southampton at St Mary's to go eight points clear at the top of the Premier League.

Given Manchester City's continued poor form and stunning 4-0 home humbling at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, it was paramount for Arne Slot's team that they took full advantage against the division's bottom side.

That looked far from certain, however, as they saw a 1-0 lead turn into a 2-1 deficit before Salah's decisive intervention. Dominik Szoboszlai had opened the scoring before goals from Adam Armstrong and Mateus Fernandes had the hosts dreaming of an unexpected victory on Sunday afternoon.

But Salah, who had been quiet up until that point, prodded home after fine work from Ryan Gravenberch and then smashed home from the spot after a handball from Saints substitute Yukinari Sugawara.

"They are a good team, good with the ball," Liverpool midfielder Szoboszlai told Sky Sports. "They scored two quick goals but the most important thing was the reaction. We showed it very well and happy with the three points.

"We had a couple of meetings before the game and we know they build-up from the back. Sometimes they do well, sometimes they make mistakes and that was the case here. We pressed really well and got the [opening] goal.

"Everyone knows Mo [Salah]," he added. "He just has to keep going and I hope I play with him for as long as I can.

"It is a great feeling [to go eight points clear] but it is the beginning of the season. We just need to continue and not think where the other teams are."

Southampton's manager Russell Martin has been adamant that they will stick with their progressive brand of football come what may. His intransigence has led to criticism and those dissenting voices were given yet more ammunition by the manner in which they shipped the opening goal.

With Liverpool's forwards eager to press at any opportunity, Southampton's persistence in playing out from the back backfired spectacularly.

Goalkeeper Alex McCarthy rolled the ball out to Fernandes on the edge of the box, who was promptly dispossessed. The ball spilt to Flynn Downes but he scuffed a horrible clearance straight to Szoboszlai, who curled into the corner from the edge of the box.

Architects of their own downfall, Saints immediately set about making amends, as they got the crowd back on side with some aggressive attacking play.

The lively Tyler Dibling, a home-grown gem from the Saints academy, was at the heart of the fightback and his dangerous run earned his side a route back into the game.

The winger took on Andy Robertson and drew a clumsy foul from the Scotland captain – the only question was whether it was inside the box or not. The VAR stuck with the on-field decision and Armstrong tucked away the rebound after Caoimhin Kelleher had saved his initial penalty.

Saints had the momentum and they carried it into the second half as they grabbed the lead with a razor-sharp counter-attack.

From defending a corner, they scored in the space of four passes as Ryan Fraser, Dibling and Armstrong combined to tee up Fernandes, who stroked home with Kelleher unmoved.

Liverpool needed to respond and, as has been the case so many times before, it was Salah who stepped up as he ran on to Gravenberch's sublime pass and poked the ball past the onrushing McCarthy.

Martin made a double change to try to regain control as Cameron Archer and Sugawara entered the action, but the switch quickly cost his side as the latter handled in the box and gave away a penalty.

Salah rifled home to give Liverpool a 3-2 lead and even smacked the post as he chased a hat-trick. That was not to be but it was very much a case of job done as the visitors underlined their status as title favourites.