Liverpool Defeat Southampton 2-1, Push Premier League Title Race to Final Day on Sunday

 

Southampton’s Nathan Redmond (13’) found the back of the net early, but Liverpool survived the scare with Takumi Minamino’s equalizer (27’) and a second-half goal from Joël Matip (67’).

The result puts Liverpool one point back of first-place Manchester City heading into the final match day of the season on Sunday.

“An incredible performance,” Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said. “After making nine changes, if it didn’t work out it was my responsibility, now it worked out it’s the boys’ responsibility. I thought they did exceptionally well. Some incredible performances tonight.”

Minamino made his first Premier League start for Liverpool after he was loaned out to Southampton for half of last season.

“Taki Minamino is Mr. League Cup and Mr. FA Cup of Liverpool FC,” Klopp added.

Minamino has scored in each of his last two Premier League starts for Liverpool, separated by 514 days.

Southampton, 15th place on the Premier League table, finished their season with just one win in their last 11 league matchups.

“We have played against a good team that made a lot of changes but still had a lot of quality up front,” Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl said. “It was a perfect start for us. We took a lot of risks today – sometimes it was a little bit scary – but the goal was exactly what we wanted to do. We had nothing to lose.”

Southampton have dropped 29 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season. That’s more than any other side since Southampton themselves dropped 29 points in the 2018-2019 season.

“We know we try to get better and we have a lot of things in the summer to do better,” Hasenhuttl added.

Liverpool are the only side to not lose a Premier League match in 2022, currently unbeaten in their first 18 matches this calendar year.

“If I’m in [City’s] situation I don’t feel like I’m champion again [yet],” Klopp added. “It’s football. We have to first win our game. That’s difficult enough.”

Manchester City will face Aston Villa this Sunday, 22 May. Liverpool will kickoff at the same time on the same day against Wolverhampton.