Liverpool stretched their lead on the Premier League summit to 16 factors as Mohamed Salah scored two penalties in a comeback 3-1 win over Southampton at Anfield.
With Arne Slot watching from the stands as he served the second recreation of his two-match touchline ban, Southampton threatened an upset when Will Smallbone took benefit of a mix-up between Virgil van Dijk and Alisson to fit residence simply earlier than half-time.
However Liverpool had been a workforce remodeled after the break, when Slot launched Andy Robertson, Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott in a triple substitution.
Darwin Nunez stayed on regardless of seeing a kick at Kyle Walker-Peters checked for violent conduct and cleared by the VAR, and he tapped Luis Diaz’s cross residence for a 51st-minute equaliser.
Three minutes later, the Uruguayan was fouled from behind by Smallbone, permitting Salah to sidefoot into the top-left nook from the penalty spot.
A handball from Southampton substitute Yukinari Sugawara allowed the Egyptian to attain one other spot-kick two minutes from time, making the factors secure.
Whereas Southampton keep backside on 9 factors, Liverpool maintain an enormous benefit over second-placed Arsenal, who face Manchester United and Chelsea of their two video games in hand within the subsequent eight days.
Information Debrief: Salah’s finest marketing campaign
Whereas Nunez deserves credit score for turning this contest round early within the second half, Salah was the hero but once more for Liverpool.
He has now scored all 9 of the penalties he has taken within the Premier League this season.
No participant has ever taken extra spot-kicks in a single marketing campaign whereas sustaining a 100% success fee, although Cole Palmer had an an identical document for Chelsea final season.
Salah can also be as much as 44 purpose involvements within the Premier League in 2024-25 (27 objectives, 17 assists), making this his finest marketing campaign after he managed 42 contributions in 2017-18 (32 objectives, 10 assists).
The Egyptian is simply three purpose involvements away from tying the all-time season document, with Andy Cole and Alan Shearer managing 47 apiece in 1993-94 and 1994-95, respectively.
