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Daniel Sturridge strikes to give Liverpool lift-off against Southampton Daniel Sturridge strikes to give Liverpool lift-off against Southampton
(about 2 hours later)
If the aim is to repeat last season’s stirring title challenge, minus the late heartache, then Liverpool have made a convincing start by beating Southampton in a re-run of last August’s opener against Stoke City. The winning goal brought Brendan Rodgers bounding on to the pitch for the first time since Liverpool’s victory over Manchester City during last season’s title run-in. Relief, not delirium, sparked the Liverpool manager’s invasion on this occasion but the over-exuberance was understandable. Here was a reminder of how that title challenge began.
Convincing, however, applies only to the script and not the performance from Brendan Rodgers’s subdued side. For Southampton at Anfield in August 2014, read Stoke City at Anfield in August 2013. Twelve months ago Liverpool laboured to three points against a team under new management courtesy of a Daniel Sturridge goal and an 89th minute penalty save from Simon Mignolet. The script remained the same for Ronald Koeman’s first day as a Premier League manager. A poacher’s goal from Sturridge plus a sublime 88th-minute stop from Mignolet, who tipped Morgan Schneiderlin’s goal-bound volley on to the bar to preserve a slender lead, left Southampton lamenting undeserved defeat.
Twelve months ago Liverpool were indebted to a Daniel Sturridge goal and an 89th-minute penalty save from Simon Mignolet for victory over a Stoke team under new management. On Ronald Koeman’s first Premier League day in the Southampton post, it was a 79th-minute poacher’s goal from Sturridge plus a superb 88th-minute save from Mignolet, one that deflected Morgan Schneiderlin’s volley onto the bar, that preserved three points for Liverpool. Improvement will and has to come from Rodgers’s side but Southampton departed Merseyside with justifiable regret. Rodgers barely mentioned Liverpool’s performance level in his post-match press conference. The first day back at school was time to accentuate the positives and the manager will not begrudge a repeat of Stoke providing Liverpool’s entire campaign mirrors last season. Among the unspoken concerns must be how Schneiderlin, Victor Wanyama and Steven Davis dominated Liverpool’s central midfield and restricted the home side’s threat. But Koeman summed up the contest perfectly when he said: “We created two great possibilities to score a second goal but the quality of Liverpool is that they don’t need a lot of opportunities to score two goals.”
This was far from a fluid, threatening performance by Liverpool and responsibility for their laboured start lay with Southampton. The mass, lucrative exodus from St Mary’s Stadium this summer may have caused trepidation in those supporters who made the Sunday morning journey from the south coast but the early signs under Koeman brought only encouragement. Disciplined and positive, the visitors worked tirelessly in central midfield to limit space for Liverpool’s front three and had a consistent outlet in James Ward-Prowse and new signing Dusan Tadic. On the first day of life without Luis Suárez, who sent Rodgers a good luck text before kick off, it reassured Liverpool to witness another predatory finish from Sturridge. The England international was largely anonymous against Koeman’s team and, of the 22 players who started, only the Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster touched the ball less. But he got the one that counted. Sturridge has scored 36 goals in 50 appearances for his club, the most prolific return of any Liverpool player since George Allan in the late 19th century, and his 79th-minute winner signalled mass relief around Anfield.
However, as most teams discovered at Anfield last season, Rodgers’ players are always alert to the slightest opportunity.Daniel Sturridge sent a 25-yard shot inches wide of debutant Fraser Forster’s goal and was infuriated when the referee, Mark Clattenburg, denied him a free-kick on the edge of the Southampton area after a clip from Maya Yoshida. Otherwise, Southampton were untroubled and looking increasingly comfortable when they fell behind following a moment of midfield excellence from Jordan Henderson. This was far from a fluid, threatening performance by Liverpool and responsibility for their pedestrian start lay with Southampton. The mass, lucrative exodus from St Mary’s Stadium may have caused trepidation in those supporters who made the Sunday morning journey from the south coast but the early signs under Koeman brought encouragement.
Schneiderlin has made no secret of his desire to follow Adam Lallana, Luke Shaw, Rickie Lambert, Calum Chambers and Dejan Lovren out of St Mary’s before the transfer deadline. Koeman started the France international at Anfield regardless and was repaid with an impressive, professional display, although a half-hearted challenge on Henderson inside the Liverpool half proved costly. The England midfielder powered through a 50-50 with Schneiderlin and sent Raheem Sterling scurrying clear of Nathaniel Clyne with an exquisite left-footed pass. Sterling, backed to show he has advanced “to a new level” this season by his manager, duly applied a measured finish into Forster’s bottom left-hand corner. Disciplined and positive, they worked tirelessly to limit space for Liverpool’s front three and had a consistent outlet in the impressive James Ward-Prowse and new signing Dusan Tadic. Yet, as most teams discovered at Anfield last season, Rodgers’ players are always alert to the slightest opportunity.
The breakthrough injected overdue urgency into Liverpool’s display. Sterling, Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho began to move with greater menace as soon as Steven Gerrard or Lovren, barracked mercilessly by his former club’s supporters, took possession but Southampton’s shape and composure held firm. Liverpool’s attempt to assume control quickly petered out. Southampton were looking increasingly comfortable when they fell behind following a moment of excellence from Jordan Henderson. Schneiderlin has made no secret of his desire to follow Adam Lallana, Luke Shaw, Rickie Lambert, Callum Chambers and Dejan Lovren out of St Mary’s before the transfer deadline. Koeman started the France international at Anfield regardless and was repaid with an impressive, professional display, although a half-hearted challenge on Henderson inside the Liverpool half proved costly. The England midfielder powered through a 50-50 with Schneiderlin and sent Raheem Sterling scurrying clear of Nathaniel Clyne with an exquisite left-footed pass. Sterling, backed to show he has advanced “to a new level” this season by his manager, duly applied a measured finish into Forster’s bottom left-hand corner.
Ward-Prowse almost levelled with a dangerous free-kick to the far corner that drew a fine save from Mignolet. The Liverpool goalkeeper also tipped over from Schneiderlin and, though Sterling tested Forster again on the stroke of half-time, the visitors’ equaliser early in the second half was thoroughly deserved. Superbly executed too. Clyne broke down the right and squared inside to Tadic. The Serbian, the first signing of Koeman’s reign from Twente, back-heeled the ball into Clyne’s path and the full-back lashed an unstoppable shot into the top corner. The breakthrough injected overdue urgency into Liverpool’s display.
Steven Davis squandered a glorious chance to give Southampton the lead shortly afterwards when he shot tamely at Mignolet having been picked out unmarked in front of goal by Ward-Prowse. Glen Johnson produced a perfectly-timed challenge to thwart Ward-Prowse in the area as Koeman’s team looked to capitalise on a pedestrian Liverpool offering but, as in the first half, Rodgers’s team struck when Southampton were in the ascendency. Sterling, Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho began to move with greater menace as soon as Steven Gerrard or Lovren, barracked mercilessly by his former club’s supporters, took possession but Southampton’s shape and composure held firm. Liverpool’s attempt to assume control quickly petered out.
Javier Manquillo’s right-wing cross was headed clear by Victor Wanyama only for his team-mates to switch off at the vital moment. Sterling won the second ball with an unchallenged header inside the area and Sturridge applied the faintest of touches in front of Forster to divert the winner home. Ward-Prowse almost levelled with a dangerous free-kick to the far corner that drew a fine save from Mignolet. The Liverpool goalkeeper also tipped over from Schneiderlin and, though Sterling tested Forster again on the stroke of half-time, the visitors’ equaliser early in the second half was thoroughly deserved. Superbly executed too. Clyne broke down the right and squared inside to Tadic. The Serbian, the first signing of Koeman’s reign from FC Twente, back-heeled the ball into Clyne’s path and the full-back lashed an unstoppable shot into the top corner.
Rodgers bounded on to the pitch in a manner reminiscent of Coutinho’s third goal against Manchester City during last season’s title race. It was relief rather than ecstasy that fuelled the Liverpool manager’s reaction on this occasion, however, and Mignolet’s stunning save from Schneiderlin in the 88th minute, coupled with Shane Long’s miss from the rebound, guaranteed the reprieve. Steven Davis squandered a glorious chance to give Southampton the lead shortly afterwards when he shot tamely at Mignolet having been picked out unmarked in front of goal by Ward-Prowse. Glen Johnson produced a perfectly-timed challenge to thwart Ward-Prowse in the area as Koeman’s team looked to capitalise on a pedestrian Liverpool offering but, as in the first half, Rodgers’ team struck when Southampton were in the ascendency.
Javier Manquillo’s right-wing cross was headed clear by Wa≠nyama but his team-mates switched off at the vital moment. Sterling won the second ball with an unchallenged header inside the area and Sturridge applied the faintest of touches to convert beyond Forster. There was still time for Southampton to recover and Schneiderlin looked to have secured a merited point when he crashed a volley towards the Kop goal from 12 yards out.
Mignolet, however, produced a stunning stop to divert the ball onto the bar and substitute Shane Long headed the rebound wide. Reprieved and relieved, but Liverpool are off the mark.
Man of the match James Ward-Prowse (Southampton)