Match ends, Southampton 1, Liverpool 2.
Liverpool beat Southampton to secure an 11th successive top-flight victory and equal their best-ever Premier League winning run - despite a late blunder by goalkeeper Adrian.
With the European champions leading 2-0, Liverpool's number two keeper - starting in place of the injured Alisson - cleared the ball against the shin of substitute Danny Ings to gift the Saints striker a goal against his former club.
Sadio Mane had given Liverpool the lead at the end of the first-half with a delicious arrowed finish from the edge of the penalty area after Saints had gone close on three occasions.
Adrian, who was passed fit despite an ankle injury in a collision with a pitch invader following the Uefa Super Cup win over Chelsea, had kept out Maya Yoshida's header while Che Adams spurned two chances to equalise.
Mane turned provider to set up Roberto Firmino to double Liverpool's advantage with a clever finish and that proved to be crucial given Adrian's mistake in the closing stages.
Adrian's error could have been even more costly for the Reds because in a dramatic finale Ings wasted a great chance to equalise inside the six-yard area.
Mixed afternoon for Adrian
With Alisson ruled out "for the next few weeks" with a calf injury he picked up in the season-opening win against Norwich City, new signing Adrian has found himself immediately thrust into the first team.
On Wednesday, the Spaniard kept out Tammy Abraham's penalty to secure victory over Chelsea in the Super Cup.
But against Southampton, his glaring error put the recent recruit into the spotlight for the wrong reasons - and it was not Adrian's first mistake of the afternoon.
With the game goalless, his attempted clearance following Virgil van Dijk's backpass struck James Ward-Prowse but fortunately spun out of play.
"Adrian had a swollen ankle and we played too many balls back to him in that period," said Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.
"The other players have to then feel more the responsibility for the build-up and cannot give all the balls back to him and hope the pain killers still help or whatever.
"I don't think the goal was because of that, but a few other balls were. He is completely good with his feet."
On the plus side, Adrian then reacted smartly to make one of the saves of the game as he kept out Yoshida's close-range header.
Alisson's presence - alongside that of Van Dijk - brought a calmness to the Liverpool defence last season and since the Brazil keeper's injury, Klopp's side have looked vulnerable at the back.
Norwich scored at Anfield, Chelsea got two in the Super Cup - and could have had more - while on numerous occasions there was alarm in the Reds' defence against Southampton, who were wasteful in punishing the visitors.
Positives for Saints in defeat
Having suffered a 3-0 defeat at Burnley on the opening weekend of the season, Southampton needed to respond in front of their own fans.
Although his team remain without a point, Ralph Hasenhuttl's side gave the European champions a stern test that bodes well for next week's trip to Brighton.
Adams caused problems with his pace while Ward-Prowse worked tirelessly in midfield.
Southampton have not kept a clean sheet in the Premier League for nine games and that search for an impregnable defence continued against Liverpool - but it required a strike of the highest quality by Mane to break the deadlock.
Firmino's goal, in contrast, was a disaster as far as Saints were concerned after they conceded possession at a throw-in and were punished by the Brazil striker.
Adrian's error gave Southampton hope of salvaging something from a game in which they more than matched last season's Premier League runners-up for large parts.
So while Saints have not won a Premier League match since 13 April, they will be confident they can end that run sooner rather than later after this spirited performance.
Will Oxlade-Chamberlain shine this season?
It was far from a vintage performance by Liverpool, but that was perhaps understandable considering they only arrived back in England on Thursday after facing Chelsea in Turkey.
It was not surprising, therefore, that Klopp rotated his team to face Saints - especially in midfield, where Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was given a first Premier League start since April 2018.
He started the Super Cup game in a more advanced wide role and lasted just 45 minutes, but in his favoured midfield position the England player was particularly lively in the first half.
Having recovered from a serious knee injury, if Oxlade-Chamberlain can return to the form he showed at the end of his first season with the club, it will be a huge boost for Klopp, who did not make a major signing in the summer.
He got another 89 minutes under his belt against Southampton - including creating a good chance for Salah - and will hope to face another of his former clubs, Arsenal, next week at Anfield.
Liverpool will play another club with six points in that match and while they are yet to hit top form this season, they will approach the game with confidence having not dropped a point since the goalless draw at Everton on 3 March.
Man of the match - Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
Losing run continues - the stats
- Southampton have now lost all of their last five league games against Liverpool by an aggregate score of 13-2.
- Liverpool have won their first two league games in back-to-back seasons for only the second time in the Premier League era, having previously done so in 1993-94 and 1994-95.
- Southampton have lost both of their first two Premier League games of a season for the first time since their first campaign back in the division in 2012-13 under Nigel Adkins.
- Mane scored his 20th goal for Liverpool in all competitions in 2019, at least eight more than any of his team-mates in this calendar year.
- Mane is the first player to score in his first Premier League start of a campaign in four back-to-back seasons since Mark Viduka did so between 2002-03 and 2005-06.
- Since the start of last season, Ings has scored eight Premier League goals for Southampton, more than any other player.
What's next?
Southampton have a full week to prepare for their trip to Brighton next Saturday (15:00 BST) while Liverpool are also in action on the same day when they welcome Arsenal to Anfield (17:30).
Line-ups
Southampton
Formation 3-5-2
- 28Gunn
- 35Bednarek
- 3Yoshida
- 4Vestergaard
- 43Valery
- 16Ward-Prowse
- 14RomeuBooked at 36minsSubstituted forIngsat 64'minutes
- 23Højbjerg
- 21BertrandSubstituted forDjenepoat 77'minutesBooked at 84mins
- 10AdamsSubstituted forS Armstrongat 68'minutes
- 22Redmond
Substitutes
- 2Cédric Soares
- 9Ings
- 12Djenepo
- 17S Armstrong
- 20Obafemi
- 38Danso
- 44Forster
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
- 13Adrián
- 66Alexander-ArnoldBooked at 79mins
- 32Matip
- 4van Dijk
- 26Robertson
- 15Oxlade-ChamberlainSubstituted forHendersonat 89'minutes
- 5Wijnaldum
- 7MilnerSubstituted forFabinhoat 74'minutes
- 11SalahSubstituted forOrigiat 79'minutes
- 9Firmino
- 10Mané
Substitutes
- 3Fabinho
- 12Gomez
- 14Henderson
- 20Lallana
- 22Lonergan
- 23Shaqiri
- 27Origi
- Referee:
- Andre Marriner
- Attendance:
- 31,712
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home36%
- Away64%
- Shots
- Home14
- Away15
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away6
- Corners
- Home5
- Away9
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away6
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Southampton 1, Liverpool 2.
Post update
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Moussa Djenepo.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Danny Ings (Southampton) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is blocked. Assisted by James Ward-Prowse with a cross.
Post update
Foul by Sadio Mané (Liverpool).
Post update
Moussa Djenepo (Southampton) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Hand ball by Nathan Redmond (Southampton).
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. Jordan Henderson replaces Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Post update
Delay in match because of an injury Moussa Djenepo (Southampton).
Post update
Attempt missed. Danny Ings (Southampton) right footed shot from very close range misses to the left. Assisted by Yan Valery with a cross.
Post update
Offside, Southampton. Maya Yoshida tries a through ball, but Nathan Redmond is caught offside.
Booking
Moussa Djenepo (Southampton) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Moussa Djenepo (Southampton).
Goal!
Goal! Southampton 1, Liverpool 2. Danny Ings (Southampton) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal.
Post update
Attempt missed. Nathan Redmond (Southampton) right footed shot from outside the box is too high following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Southampton. Conceded by Adrián.
Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. Divock Origi replaces Mohamed Salah.
Booking
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Comments
Join the conversation
Err... we have just won a cup ...
One shiny trophy in the bag and it’s only August.
Top of the league.
Sorry haters but there’s nothing to see here unless you are a Liverpool fan.
Saints played well first hall.
We've already won one.
Well, it just goes to show how good Liverpool are.....the envy of all Europe.
And remember, his save won the Super Cup!
........................
I gues counting isn't your strong point then
18 league titles
6 European cups
7 fa cups
8 league cups
3 UEFA cups
4 super cups
IL make it easy for you 18+6=24, 24+7=31, 31+8=39, 39+3=42, 42+4=46.
You should def stay in school kid
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@209. Posted by Jimmy on
15 minutes ago
Liverpool are only 2nd in the league (at this moment in time)'cause they won against Norwich and Soton,if they hadn't they would be nearer the bottom than top.
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Good to see you have a full understanding of how the league system works Jimmy. Thanks for explaining it to us.
Every true fan of their club will start a new season hoping that this may be their year. If you don't hope your club does well, are you a
real fan?