Good evening! Thank you very much for joining
Sports Mole for this rare treat of a Friday night Premier League match - and what's more, it could have big implications at both ends of the table!
Victory for Southampton would take them to the brink of safety, but perhaps more importantly would deal a huge blow to Liverpool's title hopes. The Reds need a win to regain top spot from Manchester City, and if they get it then it would be the 26th change of leadership this season.
Kickoff is in just five minutes, so let's have a quick look at the team news before we get underway...
SOUTHAMPTON STARTING XI: Gunn; Valery, Yoshida, Bednarek, Vestergaard, Bertrand; Ward-Prowse, Romeu, Hojbjerg; Long, Redmond
SUBS: McCarthy, Stephens, Targett, Armstrong, Gallagher, Sims, Austin
LIVERPOOL STARTING XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Wijnaldum, Fabinho, Keita; Salah, Mane, Firmino
SUBS: Mignolet, Lovren, Henderson, Moreno, Shaqiri, Origi
KICKOFF: Here we go! Another huge night in the Premier League title race gets underway with Liverpool kicking us off!
As expected, Van Dijk is being booed by the home fans every time he touches the ball after his acrimonious departure last January - he is one of two former Saints players in this Liverpool starting XI alongside fellow key man Mane.
Southampton make a good quick break forward as Hojbjerg nicks the ball off Keita. The ball is eventually played down the left and Redmond clips a cross into the box where Van Dijk is waiting to knock it behind for a corner.
Southampton are very much five at the back when Liverpool have the ball, rather than three with wing-backs. Liverpool haven't been able to break them down so far, but it is still very early days.
GOAL! SOUTHAMPTON 1-0 LIVERPOOL (SHANE LONG)
GOAL! First blood goes to Southampton as Long is presented with a chance that he cannot miss!
Bertrand is given all the space he needs down the left and puts a cross into the box which Hojbjerg flicks on. The ball falls to the feet of an unmarked Long, who takes a touch before firing into the bottom corner!
This was not in Liverpool's script!
Now then - how will Liverpool respond to that major early setback? On the bright side there is still plenty of time to get back into this one, but it will take a comeback against a team that has improved hugely under Hasenhuttl.
Southampton had set up defensively for this match anyway, but now they have something to hang on to. The focus will of course be on the damage this result might do to Liverpool's title hopes, but the impact it will have on Southampton's survival chances shouldn't be ignored either.
CHANCE! Liverpool carve out their first chance of the night as Salah swings a cross into the box which Mane meets with a firm downward header. Gunn pushes it away, but the danger is not yet gone and Keita tries to hook it goalwards, only to clip the outside of the post on its way behind.
Here is the goal which separates the two sides as things stand...
CHANCE! Big chance for Southampton to double their lead and really put the cat amongst the pigeons! Liverpool are caught in possession deep inside their own half and the ball is played in low from the left. Long runs on to it and really should score, but he completely misses his kick and Van Dijk is able to scoop the ball over his own net behind him.
Liverpool just haven't been at the races tonight. Southampton are swarming all over them, forcing mistakes and making themselves first to every ball. Liverpool cannot cope with the intensity at the moment, which is a role reversal to usual.
How big could this moment prove to be both in this match and in the title race? Southampton should have had a second...
Ralph Hasenhuttl really has had an impact on this Southampton side. They are full of intensity and belief, which is far from what they were under their most recent previous managers.
Southampton are packing men behind the ball, with all 11 in their own third at the moment. You cannot blame them either - they have the lead and they are trying to hold on to it - but it is very early to be inviting such pressure on.
Long causes more problems for Liverpool as he wins the ball far too easily against Matip before laying it off and peeling to the back post, but the cross is too long for him when it eventually arrives.
SHOT! Speculative effort from Firmino as he attempts a Zidane-esque volley from outside the area. It is a decent enough effort, but it is never troubling Gunn's goal.
Over half an hour gone now and Liverpool are yet to really click. They have improved defensively and are no longer allowing Southampton to bully them as much, but they are struggling to get much going in attack right now.
Liverpool are seeing plenty of the ball, but it is so hard to break Southampton down. The hosts are almost playing with a back nine at times!
GOAL! SOUTHAMPTON 1-1 LIVERPOOL (NABY KEITA) GOAL! Liverpool have the equaliser! The Southampton players are not happy with what they felt was an offside against Salah in the buildup, but there was plenty of football played between then and when the ball went in.
A couple of crosses go from side to side of the Southampton box before Alexander-Arnold pops up with the quality delivery, and Keita attacks it well to nod the ball over the line despite Gunn's best efforts.
...and that is Keita's first goal for the club. What a time to get it!
CHANCE! Half a chance for Liverpool again as Firmino twists and turns before standing a cross up into the middle, where Mane rises above the rest but cannot get enough on his header.
That Liverpool goal is huge for the title challengers. They needed to get back on level terms before the break as this match was shaping up to be a very difficult one for them. It still is, of course, but that goal appears to have settled them down a little.
Southampton can still be very pleased with their first-half performance here - they certainly have not looked like a side still in danger of the drop. You have to think that under Hasenhuttl - from what we've seen so far - they will be aiming for the top half next season.
SHOT! Salah flicks a throw-in into the path of Firmino, who takes a touch but drags his effort well wide of the target.
There will be one minute of added time at the end of this first half.
HALF TIME: SOUTHAMPTON 1-1 LIVERPOOL
The first half comes to an end at St Mary's and we are all square between Southampton and Liverpool after an intriguing first half.
Liverpool struggled to cope with Southampton in the opening exchanges and were comfortably second best, but they worked their way back into the contest and did enough to go into the break level.
Southampton broke the deadlock after only nine minutes when
Shane Long scored his 50th Premier League, tucking home from close range after being left unmarked inside the area.
It was poor defending all round from the visitors as Bertrand was given too much space to cross and Hojbjerg darted in behind to flick that cross on for Long. From there the striker had time to take a touch before firing past Alisson, who could do nothing to prevent it.
Liverpool finally equalised nine minutes before half time, and it was an unlikely source who came up with it as Keita finally broke his Liverpool duck in timely fashion, nodding Alexander-Arnold's cross past Gunn.
There was a question about offside against Salah in the buildup, but it is not a goal which would have been disallowed by VAR as Southampton had a couple of chances to clear the danger before Keita squeezed it over the line.
Liverpool have been far from their best tonight, though, and both James Milner and
Jordan Henderson have been out warming up at half time - a hint from Klopp that he feels his side are lacking a bit of urgency in the middle third.
Southampton, for their part, have been really impressive so far and may feel hard done by to be level at the break. If they can keep their intensity up for the second 45 minutes then there is definitely something for them in this game.
KICKOFF: Southampton get us underway again for the second half!
Really good work from Valery as he steals the ball off Fabinho and drives down the right before swinging a cross into the middle. Matip seems to leave it for Alisson, but Redmond darts across him and almost gets his head to it.
YELLOW CARD! The first card of the night goes to Bednarek for a trip on Mane.
Not too much has changed at the start of this second half. It certainly doesn't seem as though Klopp gave his players the hairdryer treatment at the break as they have been a bit pedestrian again at the start of this half.
Really good play from Redmond as he skips past Fabinho before trying to take on Matip, but the centre-back deals with it well and Liverpool escape by only conceding a corner.
That corner is swung into the box by Vestergaard, but his header lacks power and bounces harmlessly wide.
Liverpool have been so sloppy in possession at times tonight, gifting Southampton plenty of attacking chances. The visitors have won when not at their best on a few occasions already this season, and they will have to do the same again tonight.
It is alarming how far off the pace Liverpool have been tonight. Passes have gone astray, they have lost almost every 50-50 and they have been far too pedestrian in possession. they can have no complaints if they drop some crucial points tonight.
PENALTY APPEAL! Liverpool want a penalty as Keita bursts into the box and goes down under the challenge of Yoshida, but the referee says no. The replay suggests there was a touch from Yoshida on the player - and none on the ball - but the ball was out of Keita's control.
LIVERPOOL SUBS: Klopp has seen enough here - he makes two changes as James Milner and Jordan Henderson replace Wijnaldum and - surprisingly - Alexander-Arnold.
SAVE! The ball drops to Firmino around 25 yards from goal and he puts his laces through it rather than hanging it into the box for Van Dijk, and it proves to be the wrong choice as Gunn makes a routine stop.
SOUTHAMPTON SUB: Long has done his bit for the team tonight, and he is replaced by Josh Sims here.
CHANCE! Better from Liverpool as Mane skips past Bednarek before cutting the ball back for Firmino, but the Brazilian cannot get his desired contact on the finish.
Here is that Keita penalty shout from earlier - worth a shout but it would have been a harsh one for me...
CHANCE! Almost a chance for Liverpool as Firmino manages to flick the ball over one defender inside the box and is about to pull the trigger when Yoshida comes across to make a flying block!
Southampton have outfought Liverpool for much of this game, which is exactly why Klopp has brought Henderson and Milner on. The Reds have been much better since those two changes.
Having just seen the penalty shout again, it is certainly one which I have seen given before. The biggest question is whether Keita still had control of the ball, which I'm not sure he did.
Less than 20 minutes remaining in this one now and the Liverpool pressure is beginning to steadily grow. Will the Reds need another late winner?
Really good chance for Liverpool to break as Mane slides a pass in to Robertson, who only needs to play it across goal to leave Salah with a simple finish. For once, though, Robertson gets his cross wrong and puts it straight out of play.
YELLOW CARD! Bertrand is the first in the book for time-wasting - I suspect he won't be the last.
Southampton have two players down and they will stay down for as long as they can to tick some more seconds away. Time is running out for Liverpool now!
Important defending from Firmino as he beats Vestergaard and Bednarek to an aerial ball from a corner. He concedes another, but it was a dangerous moment for the Saints!
GOAL! SOUTHAMPTON 1-2 LIVERPOOL (MOHAMED SALAH)
GOAL! The drought is over, and what a time to do it! Liverpool hit Southampton on the counter and Mo Salah carries it all the way forward. Firmino busts a gut to get up in support, but Salah keeps hold and keeps hold before tucking a brilliant finish into the bottom corner!
...and he may have gone eight games without a goal, but that is still history for Salah.
SOUTHAMPTON SUBS: Double change for Southampton in response to that goal as Romeu and Vestergaard are replaced by Stuart Armstrong and Charlie Austin. Attacking changes!
GOAL! SOUTHAMPTON 1-3 LIVERPOOL (JORDAN HENDERSON)
GOAL! That is surely game over now! Liverpool add a third, and it is the captain Jordan Henderson who gets it!
It comes all the way from the back as one long pass forward releases Firmino, who reaches the byline down the right before cutting back and playing a low pass in for Henderson, who works so hard to get into the box and apply the finish.
LIVERPOOL SUB: A late change for Liverpool as Dejan Lovren replaces Keita.
YELLOW CARD! Robertson picks up a late booking for a trip on Armstrong just outside the area.
There will be four minutes of added time at the end of this match.
YELLOW CARD! Henderson picks up a yellow card for a heavy challenge on Bertrand.
YELLOW CARD! Another late booking for Liverpool as Mane kicks the ball away.
FULL TIME: SOUTHAMPTON 1-3 LIVERPOOL
Huge, huge win for Liverpool - and it feels like it too. The fate of the title remains in Man City's hands, of course, but this was a banana skin that Liverpool have successfully avoided when not playing at their best.
Southampton broke the deadlock after less than nine minutes through Ings, but Liverpool levelled things up when Keita finally broke his duck for the club. It wasn't until the 80th minute that Liverpool took the lead as Mo Salah ended his drought, though, and Henderson then added a third to wrap up a massive three points for the Reds.
Right, that is all we have time for this evening!
Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's match as Liverpool come from behind to pick up a crucial three points which takes them back to the top of the Premier League table.
I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction too.
From me, though, it is goodbye for now!
