Back to the Capital One Cup, for which Liverpool were cut to 6/4 second-favourites after they drew Stoke City (9/1) in the semi-finals. In 10, 15 years, when he looks back on his career, he’ll have no idea about the games he didn’t make in this moment. If you analyse Liverpool’s first goal, it’s a throw-in, if you see how easy they play out and score the goal, that’s not good, and that can’t happen at this level.
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Klopp appeared to feel similarly when, as a precaution, he replaced Sturridge with Ibe in the 59th minute, and had he any remaining doubt it would have vanished only nine minutes later when Origi extended their lead.
Ex-Southampton midfielder Adam Lallana experienced a frosty reception on his latest return to the south coast and was concerned by Liverpool’s sluggish opening.
Stoke stumbled against Sunderland last weekend but have otherwise been in good form, and Hughes’ side will be determined to get back to winning ways against the league leaders.
Emre Can teed up his second in the 29th minute with a ball even more audacious than Allen’s, bent into Sturridge’s path with the outside of his foot.
Divock Origi had not scored in any of his first ten matches for Liverpool, but bagged a hat-trick tonight as The Reds mercilessly scythed apart Southampton in rampant fashion.
Liverpool’s third came on the stroke of halftime as a corner from the right found its way to Alberto Moreno, who drilled the ball low and hard towards goal, allowing Origi to stick out his boot and get the faintest of touches to direct it into the net. I don’t know. You have known him longer than me.
“We want to keep the momentum we have gained”. It was Southampton’s heaviest home defeat since a 6-0 loss to Brentford in March 1959 and Koeman suggested that he would review his tactics ahead of Saturday’s meeting with the Premier League’s bottom club Aston Villa.
Liverpool have plenty of options up front – Christian Benteke and Roberto Firmino stayed on the bench at St Mary’s while Origi bagged a hat-trick – and Klopp withdrew Sturridge on the hour, telling Sky Sports after the game that he will need to be careful to manage his minutes.
‘We have Stoke. I had a few semi-finals in my life, and there was never an easy one.
Just eight weeks into the manager’s tenure, Klopp has whipped the misfiring team he inherited into shape both in terms of energy and efficiency.
“We could have done a lot better with some of the goals”.
Neither player has enjoyed the best start to the season and for differing reasons needed to show new manager Juergen Klopp what they were truly capable of.
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In the second half, Koeman set his side up to go and attack Liverpool from kick off with three players – including Victor Wanyama – formed the Saints backline. “Very complete, defensively strong, good movements”.
