Liverpool continued their pursuit of defending the Carabao Cup with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Southampton at St Mary's Stadium on Wednesday night. The win marked another step forward for the Merseyside club as they advanced to the semi-finals of the competition.
Darwin Nunez, who had been under scrutiny for his performances this season, opened the scoring for Liverpool with his first goal since October, exploiting some defensive miscommunication within the Southampton ranks. The striker capitalized on Trent Alexander-Arnold's long through ball, which took a fortunate deflection off Jan Bednarek before landing perfectly for Nunez, who slotted it home past Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy after 24 minutes.
Harvey Elliott, making his first start of the season after his injury layoff, doubled Liverpool's lead just eight minutes later. The young midfielder fired the ball low and hard past McCarthy after receiving excellent setup play from Cody Gakpo. This goal marked Elliott's first of the campaign, and it was greeted with jubilance from the Liverpool fans.
Southampton, managed by interim coach Simon Rusk following the dismissal of Russell Martin, started brightly but swiftly found themselves two goals down. Despite their precarious position at the bottom of the Premier League table—with just one win from their last 16 matches—the Saints showed signs of resilience after the halftime break.
The turning point came around the hour mark when Cameron Archer, who was deployed as Southampton's key attacking threat, scored with a brilliant curling effort to cut Liverpool's lead to 2-1. After collecting the ball just outside the area, Archer displayed nimbleness and precision as he maneuvered past Liverpool defenders and executed a picturesque shot beyond the reach of Liverpool's goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher.
Despite Southampton's spirited performance following their first goal, they struggled to consistently break down Liverpool's defensive unit. Taylor Harwood-Bellis put on a defensive masterclass, clearing multiple dangerous attacks, including denying Federico Chiesa's effort from close range.
Referee Simon Hooper faced late pressure when Southampton players demanded a free-kick for what they deemed to be a foul on Mateus Fernandes, who was charging through the Liverpool defense. Hooper, adhering to his judgment, did not award the free-kick—one decision likely to spark debate among Southampton supporters.
On the whole, Liverpool's tactical adjustments after their early lead allowed them to maintain control through the second half, albeit with moments of uncertainty. Manager Arne Slot, who watched the match from the stands serving a touchline ban, opted for two substitutions, replacing Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez with Konstantinos Tsimikas and Chiesa, respectively, during halftime. The tactical swap aimed to shore up the defense but also added fresh attacking vigor.
This victory for the Reds not only secures their place among the last four teams competing for the Carabao Cup, but it also injects confidence amid their somewhat inconsistent league form. Liverpool remains at the top of the Premier League and continues to showcase depth within their squad, as this win came without key players such as Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Dominik Szoboszlai.
Liverpool’s road to the semi-finals also sees them mentality prepared following their recent form, particularly after drawing two of their last Premier League fixtures. Slot will hope this timely win, especially with Nunez returning to form, can be the catalyst for sharper performances during the busy festive period.
For Southampton, this match serves as another reminder of the uphill battle they face as they strive to escape relegation woes. Despite their admirable effort against the defending champions, they must address their league form urgently, as they sit nine points adrift from safety.
Next, Liverpool will face Tottenham, aiming to maintain momentum through the thick of their fixture congestion, as Southampton prepares for their clash against Fulham. The bridge from cup competitions to league survival will be markedly different for these two teams as Liverpool seeks silverware once again.
This match proved to be entertaining, with both teams showing glimpses of their capabilities. Players on both sides were eager to impress, and for Liverpool fans, the victory not only signifies progress but promises exciting football to come. With the semi-finals now around the corner, supporters eagerly anticipate who will be the next challengers to lift the Carabao Cup trophy once again.
