Darwin Nunez scored one purpose and received a penalty for one more after surviving a VAR purple card assessment as Liverpool got here from behind to beat Southampton 3-1 at Anfield and prolong their lead on the high of the desk to 16 factors.
Nunez aimed a kick at Kyle Walker-Peters in first-half damage time however was proven solely a yellow card by referee Lewis Smith, refereeing simply his sixth Premier League sport, earlier than VAR Derek Eaton dominated there had been no clear and apparent error.
Southampton had been excellent throughout the primary 45 minutes and located themselves forward on the time of Nunez’s indiscretion, after Will Smallbone had shocked Anfield moments earlier by slotting in an opener following a mix-up between Alisson and Virgil Van Dijk.
Any grievances Southampton could have had on the interval over Nunez’s continued involvement would have been compounded when he pulled the Reds stage six minutes into the second half, slotting house after Luis Diaz had remoted Kyle Walker-Peters out large.
Liverpool had flown out of the blocks from the interval following the half-time introduction of Andrew Robertson, Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott.
However Southampton had been equally masters of their very own downfall, and fewer than two minutes later gave the Reds the possibility to show the sport on its head when Smallbone clumsily introduced down Nunez in his personal field.
Mo Salah wanted no second invitation to internet his twenty sixth purpose in 29 Premier League video games this season, earlier than making that 27 with one other from the spot late on following Yukinari Sugawara’s handball.
Paul Merson counts what number of occasions the referee checks VAR earlier than awarding Liverpool a penalty, which Mohamed Salah went on to attain.
That put the shine on a victory which despatched Liverpool 16 factors clear on the high of the desk – with Southampton left to marvel what might need been had Nunez walked.
Dean: Nunez yellow the precise determination
Former Premier League referee Mike Dean on Soccer Saturday:
“I believe the precise determination is a yellow. You see it from one other angle and it is knee on knee.
“From the conventional TV angle, it seems to be like he is utterly launched him – and he hasn’t.”
Mike Dean discusses why he believes Southampton’s purpose towards Liverpool was offside and if Darwin Nunez was fortunate to flee a purple.
Slot: First-half efficiency was warning signal for PSG second leg
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot was disillusioned together with his aspect’s efficiency however was happy nonetheless that they picked up the three factors with an unconvincing 3-1 win over lowly Southampton.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot:
“It was a really poor efficiency within the first half. Possibly when you see the highlights you may assume we had three or 4 probabilities, however we weren’t within the sport in any respect and it wasn’t a shock we conceded a purpose.
“The primary half was a warning signal, hopefully. We have skilled already, in Paris, that the depth, the way in which they play – it was very excessive for us on that night time. If I examine it with the depth we performed with at this time, it is not one, two, three, 4 or 5 steps, it is most likely six, seven or eight in direction of the depth of PSG.
“We discovered a method to win it within the second half. I attempted the whole lot earlier than the sport, within the media, in my conferences to clarify how troublesome a sport it was going to be and the way we needed to play on a special depth stage than we did towards PSG.
“Possibly to get used to that stage of depth we will expertise once more. However in the long run, I needed to make some onerous selections at half-time to create a sure anger with the gamers. Those who got here on had been essential for us.”
