Southampton vs. Liverpool result: Reds survive early scare to keep Premier League title hopes alive

Kyle Bonn

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Southampton vs. Liverpool result: Reds survive early scare to keep Premier League title hopes alive image

Man City made its move, and Liverpool responded in kind, ensuring the Premier League title race will come down to the final day of the season.

After City barely survived against Newcastle, needing a three-goal comeback to secure all three points, Liverpool also fell behind early but managed to grind out a victory on the season's penultimate matchday. Now, with the Reds sitting a point adrift at the top of the table, the two teams will look to better the other's result on Sunday.

Nathan Redmond put Southampton up early and put Liverpool's title chase on life support with a deflected strike 13 minutes in. The hosts were dangerous in spurts, but had to fend off waves of high Liverpool pressure and attacking flow.

Liverpool found an equalizer through Takumi Minamino, making his first Premier League start for Liverpool after a loan spell at Southampton last season. Then, after halftime, the Reds broke the deadlock as Joel Matip looped an awkward but effective header into the back of the net off a corner.

Now, with Liverpool chasing an historic quadruple, Jurgen Klopp essentially has two finals to look forward to as the season comes to a close: one in the Premier League against Wolves and one in the Champions League against Real Madrid. The only wrinkle is Man City must slip for Liverpool to have a chance to claim them both.

MORE: Premier League standings & table races

Sporting News will be following the match live and providing score updates, commentary and highlights as they happen.

Southampton vs. Liverpool final score

  1H 2H Final
Southampton 1 0 1
Liverpool 1 1 2

Goals:
13th min — SOU — Nathan Redmond
27th min — LIV — Takumi Minamino
67th min — LIV — Joel Matip

Commentary:

FULL-TIME: Southampton 1-2 Liverpool

The Reds' second-string lineup manages a come-from-behind victory and ensures the title race will come down to the final day of the season. It's not exactly the ideal finish for Liverpool, but it's enough for now.

Jurgen Klopp clearly prioritized the Champions League with his starting lineup, and the minimum job required was achieved. Southampton gave it a real go at times, troubling the Reds on numerous occasions, but couldn't build off Nathan Redmond's early goal.

90+1 min: Southampton crops up with a surprising stretch of positive attacking play, a reminder that the game is far from done and dusted just yet for the visitors. Liverpool survives the push, barely. Che Adams nearly got a shot off in a dangerous area.

86th min: Alex McCarthy gives the ball away with a poor attempt to play out of the back, and Curtis Jones has a go on goal. It's deflected behind, and Ibrahima Konate heads over on the set-piece. Liverpool have looked less dangerous over the past 10-15 minutes. While the Reds will be happy with the win, they'll have wanted a more prolific effort in front of net.

79th min: Southampton brought Oriol Romeu and Stuart Armstrong on a few minutes ago, and Liverpool is now finding it more difficult to get through. Southampton packed in while defending, clearly directed to avoid conceding another first. Liverpool pressing very high after losing the ball, but Southampton dealing with the pressure well.

Jurgen Klopp brings on Naby Keita for Roberto Firmino, which sees Minamino move back into the front line.

73rd min: An awkward moment for Liverpool as a cross from the left forces Kostas Tsimikas to put it out over the end line for a Southampton corner. Tsimikas just stuck his foot out at it and lashed the ball dangerously past the Liverpool goal.

67th min: GOAL! LIVERPOOL! How has Joel Matip found the back of the net there? As a Liverpool corner swung in, Mohamed Elyounoussi was the first to meet it, but his cleared header didn't make it far enough. Matip just casually pinged it towards goal, and it found the top corner in agonizing fashion, almost in slow motion as it looped through the air.

It's a clunky effort, maybe even deflecting off Kyle Walker-Peters who challenged with Matip for the header, but it won't matter for the Reds. On a night the Reds need a win, style points don't matter.

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63rd min: Liverpool savior Divock Origi gets ready to come on for Harvey Elliott. Can he keep Liverpool's title hopes alive? The Reds need a win for all intents and purposes. Minamino drops into midfield.

55th min: The game is opening up a bit, with the game being played mostly in the attack thirds. Both teams are playing at a frenetic pace, charging through the midfield whenever on the ball.

Harvey Elliott hits the side netting with a very tight-angle shot.

51st min: James Ward-Prowse, one of the most in-form free-kick takers in the world, clatters the wall with a 30-yard effort. It had pace but can't get by the pack.

49th min: CHANCE, Liverpool! Diogo Jota fires just wide! The Portuguese striker controlled beautifully on the doorstep, and he so nearly put Liverpool in front, but the ball flashes by on the wrong side of the post.

46th min: We're under way for the second half at St. Mary's. Jordan Henderson will be coming on for Liverpool, replacing the injured Joe Gomez. Presumably, Henderson or James Milner will take over at right-back. Trent Alexander-Arnold is not on the bench for Liverpool, rested for the day, but Andrew Robertson is available.

Something to note, multiple broadcasts of the match, including NBC Sports in the United States and Sky Sports in the UK, took a closer look at the build-up to the Southampton goal at halftime. The resounding conclusion was that Lyanco's tackle on Jota was a clear foul, having barged through Jota's leg to reach the ball. As the broadcasts both pointed out, it's a really difficult determination for Martin Atkinson to make real-time, but that's what VAR is in place for. VAR did take a look at the decision, and did not flag it for Atkinson to review at the monitor. Tough pill for Liverpool to swallow no matter the result, as even if the Reds win, they will have one less goal made up on differential.

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HALFTIME: Southampton 1-1 Liverpool

The first 45 minutes were largely dominated by Liverpool, but the scoreline won't do the Reds any favors. A fabulous strike from Nathan Redmond has cancelled out former Southampton loanee Takumi Minamino's equalizer.

Still, Liverpool was rampant after leveling the score, and if that run of play continues, hard to see how the Reds don't walk out of here with three points. Southampton needed halftime, and they need changes too.

45+2 min: Concern for Joe Gomez who may have suffered a nasty injury in first-half stoppage time. The Liverpool defender came together with Nathan Tella, and got his left ankle stuck underneath him. He's receiving lengthy treatment.

37th min: Firmino again comes close, blazing over with a vicious shot from the top of the 18-yard box. The Brazilian is searching for a goal, and Liverpool continues to press hard and high.

34th min: Roberto Firmino nearly catches Southampton napping, sneaking in at the near post, but his leaping cross is blocked away by James Ward-Prowse, out for a corner. Saints hardly with a kick of the ball the last 10 minutes or so.

29th min: CHANCE, Liverpool! A double opportunity from the visitors with Southampton back in a shell. First, Diogo Jota nearly produced a spectacular strike with an acrobatic scissor kick, but his shot is blocked. On the follow-up, James Milner has a hit which McCarthy can only push aside laterally.

27th min: GOAL! LIVERPOOL! It's level, and the Reds are yet still alive at the top of the table. Excellent entry feed into the penalty area by Joe Gomez finds Diogo Jota, and with his back to goal, the Portuguese striker settles and feeds Takumi Minamino for the roofed finish past McCarthy.

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22nd min: Penalty shout from Liverpool, but replays show Curtis Jones went down incredibly easily on the edge of the area. More likely to be a booking for diving than it would be for a penalty.

19th min: CHANCE, Liverpool! On a free-kick, Roberto Firmino has the ball in the back of the net, but Firmino is offside. The replay actually shows there's three Liverpool players offside on the delivery, so take your pick.

Reds pouring on the pressure now, Southampton playing well on the counter but struggling to defend in the half-court.

17th min: After falling behind, Liverpool are on the attack. The Reds produce a wonderful bit of attacking flow, centered around Takumi Minamino, but the final ball is just out of reach of Roberto Firmino.

13th min: GOAL, SOUTHAMPTON! Liverpool's Premier League title chase is in tatters! It's a wonderful goal from Nathan Redmond, who struck a right-footed curler that deflected off the leg of James Milner and buried into the top corner. Jurgen Klopp is FURIOUS on the sidelines, as he thought there was a foul in the build-up, but it won't matter, and the Reds are behind.

It was Diogo Jota who was dispossessed to start the break, via a crunching tackle by Lyanco, and it's hard to see whether the Saints defender got the ball or not. Referee Martin Atkinson said it was legal, and Southampton broke with ferocity.

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10th min: CHANCE, Southampton! The first real opportunity of the match falls to the hosts, as Broja leads a counter-attack and takes it himself. The Saints forward got past Matip but his shot from a very tight angle is turned away by Alisson. Matip got beat but did well to push Broja wide where Alisson could cover the very acute shooting angle. The veteran defender was clearly favoring the middle, as defenders are instructed.

7th min: Lots of defending for Southampton to do, but Liverpool can't profit from the first corner of the game. Good early aerial defending from the Saints squad.

There's a lengthy delay after Ibrahima Konate took an elbow to the face, but after on-field treatment he's up and ok to continue.

1st min: Kickoff at St. Mary's! Liverpool need to win or draw to keep their Premier League title hopes alive, but a win is the far more helpful result. Lose, and the title is officially Man City's.

20 mins to kick: Southampton are the inferior side talent-wise today, but James Ward-Prowse is a wanted man and could net Saints a hefty profit.

60 mins to kick: Lineups are in. Jurgen Klopp was expected to rotate his Liverpool lineup to some extent, but he's essentially deployed an entirely second-choice starting eleven. Luis Diaz is even rested, with a front three of Roberto Firmino, Diogo Jota, and Takumi Minamino. The Liverpool boss is still excited to feature his players.

105 mins to kick: Southampton have lost eight of its last 11 Premier League matches, with just one win in that span. Can the Saints put up a fight against Liverpool, or will they succumb to the Red machine and become a footnote in a vicious title race?

120 mins to kick (5:45 p.m. local): The match tonight is a must-win for Liverpool in the Premier League race; only a loss eliminates them mathematically from title contention, but a draw just about shuts the door as well.

While Liverpool are still expected to roll against Southampton, a few missing starters such as Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk could give Reds fans just a slight amount of worry...

Southampton vs. Liverpool lineups

Southampton is without Tino Livramento who tore his ACL in late April. However, the recent team news is more positive. While Southampton is one of the healthier teams in the Premier League at this point, a number of players expected to return for this match have not.

Stuart Armstrong and Fraser Forster were thought to have recovered from their knocks, but neither appears in the starting lineup. Armstrong makes the bench, while Forster does not appear in the squad.

Oriol Romeu has been a workhorse this season but sees the bench for a second straight match, while Che Adams has also failed to reclaim his starting role. Instead, it's Mohamed Elyounoussi who comes into the attack alongside Nathan Redmond and Armando Broja.

Southampton starting lineup (3-4-2-1): McCarthy (GK) — Lyanco, Salisu, Stephens — Walker-Peters, Diallo, Ward-Prowse, Tella — Elyounoussi, Redmond — Broja.

Southampton subs (9): Caballero (GK), Valery, Bednarek, S. Armstrong, A. Armstrong, Romeu, Djenepo, Long Adams.

Jurgen Klopp had a number of decisions to make, knowing the chances of a Premier League title hang in the balance, but also aware of the upcoming Champions League final on May 28. Any importance placed on the remaining two league matches could jeopardize the health of players for the European title match.

That was evident when Liverpool saw Fabinho and Mohamed Salah limp off in consecutive matches last week, and Virgil van Dijk is also now dealing with an injury problem. While they are all expected to recover in time for the Champions League final, their health has been considered by Klopp in this match, knowing the Premier League title might be just too far out of reach to justify their presence.

Salah and van Dijk in particular were ruled out by Klopp pre-match, and Fabinho's participation in league play at all is in serious doubt, leaving today's game too soon for his return.

Klopp has gone even further, selecting an entirely second-choice starting lineup. The only regular starters in the 11 are Diaz, goalkeeper Alisson, and center-back Joel Matip. Otherwise, the entire squad has been rotated, with even Luis Diaz rested. That leaves room for a pair of young midfielders in Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott.

Liverpool starting lineup (4-3-3): Alisson (GK) — Tsimikas, Matip, Konate, Gomez — Jones, Milner, Elliott — Jota, Firmino, Minamino.

Liverpool subs (9): Kelleher (GK), Williams, Robertson, Thiago, Keita, Henderson, Oxlande-Chamberlain, Diaz, Origi.

How to watch Southampton vs. Liverpool

  UK USA Canada Australia
Date Tues, May 17 Tues, May 17 Tues, May 17 Wed, May 18
Time 7:45 p.m. BST 2:45 p.m. ET 2:45 p.m. ET 4:45 a.m. AEST
TV channel Sky Sports Main Event USA Network, Universo    
Streaming NOW TV fuboTV DAZN Optus Sport

UK: The match between Southampton and Liverpool is available in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event, and streamed on NOW TV.

USA: Tuesday's match at St. Mary's Stadium is available in the United States on USA Network (English) and Universo (Spanish), both of which can be accessed via fuboTV via a free trial for new users.

Canada: In Canada the match is available via DAZN.

Australia: Fans in Australia can watch the match on Optus Sport.

MORE: How Liverpool can win the Premier League title

Southampton vs. Liverpool betting lines, picks & prediction

Odds via DraftKings (USA) & Sports Interaction (Canada)

Liverpool will be resting a number of players in this match, not necessarily conceding the Premier League title, but placing it below the Champions League on the priority list. Still, there's a clear objective today for the Reds: not only win, but win by as many goals as possible.

Southampton are no pushover, with a top coach in Ralph Hassenhutl and an elite player in James Ward-Prowse, but the depth is not there, especially defensively. This Saints side has shipped 15 goals in its last six league matches, dating back to a 6-0 walloping at the hands of Chelsea. Last time these two teams met it was 3-0 by halftime, and this time, if that happens again, the Reds won't shut it down through the final 45 minutes.

Liverpool should feast, and while the lack of starters is enough to make the high over total a questionable bet, the Liverpool spread should be more than enough.

Pick: Liverpool +1.5 (-105 on DraftKings)

Prediction: Southampton 0-3 Liverpool

  USA
(DraftKings)		 Canada
(Sports Interaction)		 UK
(SkyBet)
Southampton Win +700 +730 +230
Draw +475 +411 +250
Liverpool Win -270 -310 +110
Both teams
to score Y / N		 -140 / +110 -159 / +101 -165 / +120
Over / Under
3.5 goals		 +115 / -140 +115 / -147 -125 / -110
Liverpool -1.5 -105 -107 -
Southampton +1.5 -115 -118 -

Kyle Bonn

Kyle Bonn Photo

Kyle Bonn, is a Syracuse University broadcast journalism graduate with over a decade of experience covering soccer globally. Kyle specializes in soccer tactics and betting, with a degree in data analytics. Kyle also does TV broadcasts for Wake Forest soccer, and has had previous stops with NBC Soccer and IMG College. When not covering the game, he has long enjoyed loyalty to the New York Giants, Yankees, and Fulham. Kyle enjoys playing racquetball and video games when not watching or covering sports.