Liverpool 3-1 Southampton: Salah scores two penalties in comeback win

Liverpool stretched their lead at the Premier League summit to 16 points as Mohamed Salah scored two penalties in a comeback 3-1 win over Southampton at Anfield.

With Arne Slot watching from the stands as he served the second game of his two-match touchline ban, Southampton threatened an upset when Will Smallbone took advantage of a mix-up between Virgil van Dijk and Alisson to slot home just before half-time.

But Liverpool were a team transformed after the break, when Slot introduced Andy Robertson, Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott in a triple substitution.

Darwin Nunez stayed on despite seeing a kick at Kyle Walker-Peters checked for violent conduct and cleared by the VAR, and he tapped Luis Diaz’s cross home for a 51st-minute equaliser.

Three minutes later, the Uruguayan was fouled from behind by Smallbone, allowing Salah to sidefoot into the top-left corner from the penalty spot.

A handball from Southampton substitute Yukinari Sugawara allowed the Egyptian to score another spot-kick two minutes from time, making the points safe.

While Southampton stay bottom on nine points, Liverpool hold a huge advantage over second-placed Arsenal, who face Manchester United and Chelsea in their two games in hand in the next eight days.

Data Debrief: Salah’s best campaign

While Nunez deserves credit for turning this contest around early in the second half, Salah was the hero yet again for Liverpool.

He has now scored all nine of the penalties he has taken in the Premier League this season.

No player has ever taken more spot-kicks in a single campaign while maintaining a 100% success rate, though Cole Palmer had an identical record for Chelsea last season.

Salah is also up to 44 goal involvements in the Premier League in 2024-25 (27 goals, 17 assists), making this his best campaign after he managed 42 contributions in 2017-18 (32 goals, 10 assists).

The Egyptian is just three goal involvements away from tying the all-time season record, with Andy Cole and Alan Shearer managing 47 apiece in 1993-94 and 1994-95, respectively.