A Mohamed Salah double and second-half strike from Philippe Coutinho helped Liverpool to a comfortable win over Southampton at Anfield.
The hosts failed to score in four games against the Saints last season but had no such trouble this time around as Egyptian Salah found the net in the 31st minute. Dusan Tadic overplayed on the edge of the area and the ball was fed to Salah whose first touch set up the opportunity and his next touch curled the ball from the edge of the box and into the back of the net, with Fraser Forster having little chance of saving. Salah doubled his tally and the hosts lead eight minutes later.
Coutinho was the architect with a brilliant through ball that was latched onto by an intelligent Salah run, with the Liverpool man prodding the ball past the goalkeeper to net his ninth league goal in twelve appearances. The points were wrapped up in the 68th minute when Coutinho turned from provider to goalscorer.
Sadio Mane played a neat ball into the area which found Roberto Firmino but his driven shot was deflected back into the danger area by Forster and Coutinho struck first time to complete the victory. Southampton did have a couple of moments where they troubled the Liverpool goal including a Ryan Bertrand free kick from 35 yards that was narrowly wide moments before the break, and also when Charlie Austin headed over the bar from close range in the 72nd minute.
However the Saints did not have enough and struggled with the hosts whenever they moved up a gear. Coutinho and Salah were the most potent of the Reds’ forward line and had other opportunities to score including just after the hour mark when an effort from the edge of the box went a foot wide, and the Egyptian Salah also had another good chance in the ninth minute but he hooked his first time volley wide.
