Southampton vs. Liverpool: Score, Grades, Reaction from Premier League

Liverpool took another step toward the Premier League's top four with a 2-0 victory at Southampton on Saturday at St. Mary's Stadium.

The match started in frantic fashion, with Southampton having two penalty appeals denied in the first four minutes. Between the two controversial moments, Philippe Coutinho gave Liverpool the lead with a spectacular long-range effort in the third minute.

Liverpool doubled their lead in the 73rd minute via Raheem Sterling, taking advantage of a series of Southampton mistakes to seal a victory and move up to sixth place.

Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Brendan Rodgers' men are unbeaten in 10 league matches and now have 45 points through 26 matches. Now just two points behind fourth-placed Manchester United, the Reds will have confidence that they can finish in the top four and claim a UEFA Champions League qualifying spot.

For Southampton, on the other hand, Sunday's result could prove especially damaging. Having challenged surprisingly for the top four all season, the Saints remain just one point behind Manchester United but might have lost momentum with just one win in their last four league matches.

But the hosts will also point to the controversy, and indeed Southampton could have won more than one penalty in the first half alone. In addition, Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet appeared to have handled the ball outside the box when making a save shortly before half-time.

Dreary, rainy conditions plagued St. Mary's ahead of kick-off, but within moments of the first whistle, the match sparked to life.

In the first minute, Southampton had a penalty appeal turned down as Filip Djuricic went to ground in Liverpool's box following a challenge by Emre Can. Replays suggested Can had made contact, but referee Kevin Friend allowed play to continue.

Two minutes later, Liverpool took the lead in spectacular fashion. There seemed to be little danger as Lazar Markovic cut inside from the left flank before passing to Coutinho well outside the box. But with plenty of time and space to pick his spot, Coutinho unleashed a fierce, curling shot that flew in off the underside of the bar, easily beating Fraser Forster from 30 yards.

Further controversy followed in the fourth minute as Southampton had another penalty appeal denied.

Djuricic was involved again, running onto a ball into Liverpool's box before falling under the challenge of Joe Allen. Replays suggested Southampton had an even stronger case for a penalty than before, but Friend again declined to call a foul. 

Instead, Djuricic recovered and passed to Eljero Elia, whose close-range shot was saved by Mignolet.

After the breathless start, the teams settled in around the five-minute mark, and clear chances became less abundant. Liverpool had a penalty appeal of their own turned down in the 32nd minute, when Jose Fonte brought down Raheem Sterling near the byline. Friend again allowed play to continue, with replays again showing Fonte made slight contact with the ball before hacking down Sterling.

Yet more controversy came just before half-time as Elia chased down a long clearance in the 44th minute, racing clear behind the defence. Elia attempted to chip past the onrushing Mignolet, but the Liverpool goalkeeper leapt off the ground to make the save. Replays showed Mignolet handled the ball outside the box, but Southampton did not earn a free-kick, and Mignolet was not disciplined.

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Moments later, the home fans howled in protest again as the ball hit Lovren's arm in the Liverpool box, but no penalty was given. As Friend blew his whistle for half-time, Southampton's supporters expressed their disgust with a chorus of boos.

After the restart, Southampton's Graziano Pelle scuffed a 50th-minute shot wide of the target from 20 yards. At the other end, Jordan Henderson mishit a shot in the 66th minute following good work from Sterling and Alberto Moreno.

Liverpool doubled their advantage in the 73rd minute following a string of errors from Southampton. The usually dependable Morgan Schneiderlin gave away possession in the middle, allowing Liverpool to work the ball to Moreno on the left. Moreno's low cross was intercepted by Matt Targett, but the defender mishit his clearance straight to Sterling, whose first-time shot took a deflection on its way into the net.

Southampton tried to hit back in the 79th minute with a free-kick, but Dusan Tadic's low effort skidded over the wet pitch and into the arms of Mignolet, who saved.

In the 87th minute, Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge forced Forster into a save with a low drive from the left side of the box. Schneiderlin tried his luck with a spectacular overhead kick in the 90th minute, but his shot was too close to Mignolet, who saved comfortably.

Grades

Starting XI	Rating
Substitutes	Rating
Fraser Forster	5.9
Nathaniel Clyne	6.3
Jose Fonte	7.1
Maya Yoshida	7.2
Matt Targett	5.9
James Ward-Prowse	6.1
Victor Wanyama	6.5
Steven Davis	6.6
Filip Djuricic	6.3
Graziano Pelle	6.1
Eljero Elia	6.3
Morgan Schneiderlin (for Davis, 46')	6.8
Sadio Mane (for Ward-Prowse, 57')	6.3
Dusan Tadic (for Djuricic, 75')	6.2

Starting XI	Rating
Substitutes	Rating
Simon Mignolet	7.8
Emre Can	7.3
Martin Skrtel	8.0
Dejan Lovren	7.7
Jordan Henderson	6.9
Joe Allen	6.8
Lazar Markovic	6.8
Jordon Ibe	6.9
Adam Lallana	6.7
Philippe Coutinho	7.6
Raheem Sterling	7.5
Alberto Moreno (for Markovic, 46')	6.4
Daniel Sturridge (for Lallana, 62')	6.5
Glen Johnson (for Ibe, 75')	6.2

Reaction

Southampton manager Ronaldo Koeman, via BBC Sport:

"

We know in football, it's all about scoring goals. We played much better than Liverpool, we had more possession, more chances. I call it unlucky in the decisions of the referee. The second situation is a clear penalty to Filip Djuricic.

Two-nil down, I'm very disappointed about the result but not our performance. It was the same in the first game with Liverpool. With the quality up front maybe we are struggling a bit in last few games because in the last four games we score one goal.

It is a great goal (from Philippe Coutinho), the keeper can't do anything about it. Great goal but we had a great start in the game and we didn't deserve to be one-nil down.

We have more ball domination but we create four or five good positions to score and referee didn't whistle for a clear penalty. Sometimes you need that luck on your side and in the last few games we don't have that.

"

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, via BBC Sport:

"

It was a game we wanted a positive result from. Through winning it we would go three points behind third place, it would be a huge result and it was.

We controlled the game as it went on. Our passing could have been better but the conditions were bad. To come here after a European game and get a win, it's a great result from the players.

(On the Southampton penalty appeals) The player has gone over far too easy, no way that was a penalty. I thought referee Kevin Friend was excellent and I think all his decisions were right.

To come here and keep a clean sheet is a great effort.

"

Follow @MiguelCominguez