Five things Learnt from Liverpool vs Southampton

We review Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Southampton on Sunday with ‘five things we learned’.

The match was Jurgen Klopp’s first home Premier League game as Liverpool manager.

The Klopp Era hasn’t started as well as planned with two draws to Tottenham Hotspur and Rubin Kazan in the Premier League and Europa League respectively.

However, there is still a positive atmosphere around Anfield due to the new manager coming in for Brendan Rodgers, but once again, the Reds fans had to settle with just a point.

Christian Benteke’s opener was cancelled out by Sadio Mane, who later got sent-off for two bookable offences.

So after the 1-1 draw at Anfield, here are the Five Things SillySeason learnt from the match.

1. Benteke returns to usual business

The Liverpool forward scored a brilliant headed goal, leaping with superb agility above centre-half Jose Fonte to nod the ball out of Martin Stekelenburg’s reach. The Belgian certainly provided more of a dangerous attacking force than his compatriot Divock Origi in the first-half.

With Danny Ings out until at least April, and Daniel Sturridge once again watching from the sidelines, Klopp will be hoping that Benteke can serve the goals his side need to climb the Premier League table.

2. Klopp handed warm welcome

From the atmosphere that greeted the German manager at the beginning of the game, along with some innovative banners in full support of the ex-Borussia Dortmund boss, there is no doubt the Liverpool faithful are extremely pleased with the recent appointment and fully believe that Klopp is the right man to transform their club into a serious title-challenging side again.

Within the match programme, many of the club’s sponsors, notably Nivea, were also among those wishing Klopp a splendid welcome. ‘Nivea men: welcome Jurgen’ as well as ‘Cream of the Klopp’ were within their advertisement page.

3. Anfield crowd more subdued than normal

The Kop were certainly below their conventional noise magnitude. The biggest cheer came when former Liverpool star Jason McAteer eventually struck the final target in the goal during a supporters’ competition run by kit manufacturer, New Balance.

The quietness compelled a humorous chant from Southampton’s travelling fans, who sang ‘You’re just a ground full of tourists’. And after Sadio Mane’s equalizer, it was the away supporters who produced the most noise until the conclusion of the game.

4. Clasie makes solid impact in first start

There was a debutant among the two starting eleven’s in Southampton’s Jordy Clasie, who arrive from Dutch outfit Feyenoord in the summer. The £12 million man plays a simple game in the centre of midfield, working hard to cover for his back four and keeping his passes of small distance.

A prodigy of Ronald Koeman’s, much is expected of him after lead-frogging academy boy James Ward-Prowse in the pecking order.

5. Coutinho again underperforms

Without a goal since the opening day of the season, Coutinho had another afternoon to forget. He seems to be struggling to Klopp’s high-tempo style, which is surprising given the Brazilian’s immense pace on and off the ball. Perhaps it is due to a lack of ambition or mere laziness from the 23-year-old.

But either way, he must pick up his game unless he will find his slot in Liverpool’s first eleven replaced. Klopp is surely aware of Coutinho’s poor form as the Brazilian was substituted – something he didn’t experience often under Brendan Rodgers.

 

By Ollie Carroll