CALL THE KOPPERS!
Reds plotting ram-raid on Euro slots
JURGEN KLOPP called for a perfect finish to reach the top-four – and Sadio Mane supplied one.
The Reds’ chief laid out a road map to the Champions League in which he insisted only victories could lead to their destination.
And it was the Senegalese ace who came up trumps with a first-half header.
Thiago’s late-late deflected strike for 2-0 made it sure.
With key rivals suffering defeats prior to last night’s kick-off, the door had been left ajar for the Merseysiders.
And, following a night in which the busiest man on the field was Saints’ keeper Fraser Forster, they smashed it wide open.
It wasn’t all one-way traffic – the usual nerves surfaced with a rookie centre-half pairing of Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams chosen to keep Ralph Hasenhuttl’s strugglers at bay.
But the visitors’ keeper was forced to work overtime as he repelled a succession of attacks until Mane claimed his 14th goal of the season.
The victory cut the gap on Brendan Rodgers’ Foxes in fourth to just six points – and the Reds have a game in hand.
Standing in their way last night was a Southampton side who have suffered jitters of their own since they topped the table six months ago. Their fall from grace has been as spectacular as their rise and, mathematically, they still needed one victory to cement their place in the top-flight.
That meant Hasenhuttl’s men produced their usual high-octane performance and, but for Forster, the Reds would have been out of sight by the interval.
Forster already had three saves of note in the bank when the Saints worked an opportunity.
Theo Walcott’s ball found Nathan Tella who had escaped Andy Robertson’s attention.
The midfielder’s low cross reached Che Adams.
The striker had time to fire off a shot but Alisson charged from his goal to block – and the value of that intervention was seen a few seconds later when the ball was worked up the other end.
Jack Stephens’s poor clearing header landed at the feet of Fabinho who spread the play out wide to Mo Salah. The Egyptian dinked a ball to the far post and Mane withstood the challenge of Kyle Walker-Peters to nod home.
Before the opener, it had been a familiar story. The chances were not missed as frequently as they had been against Newcastle. But the general theme was the same.
Mane missed the target after a raking pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold in the 10th minute.
Forster then blocked after Salah tried his luck from an acute angle and Diogo Jota jinked his way past three challenges only to see his effort parried clear. Phillips was given a clear run at a corner only to see his header flash inches wide.
Gini Wijnaldum then went closer still, losing his marker at a corner and nodding the ball into the crossbar.
Klopp was given a scare just before the break when Tella was left unmarked only to direct his header at Allison. After the break Allison threw himself at the feet of sub Michael Obafemi.
He managed to block the ball as the midfielder went sprawling and then Ibrahima Diallo tried his luck from range, stringing the keeper’s fingers as he parried over.
Salah was given clear sight from 15 yards, then took too long – but this time, there was to be no payback for the Reds’ wastefulness.