LONDON: Premier League leaders Liverpool needed two Mohamed Salah penalties to beat bottom-of-the-table Southampton 3-1 on Saturday.
Liverpool stretched their lead at the top to a massive 16 points, despite a sloppy first 45 minutes.
Fresh from a smash-and-grab 1-0 Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool boss Arne Slot made just three changes.
However, the Dutchman was forced into making three half-time alterations to kickstart the champions-elect.
Southampton have taken just nine points from 28 games all season, but stunned Anfield when Will Smallbone fired the visitors in front in first-half stoppage time.
Alisson Becker was Liverpoolâs hero at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday but the Brazilian and Virgil van Dijk got in each otherâs way to allow Smallbone to roll into an unguarded net.
Slot turned to Harvey Elliott, Alexis MacAllister and Andy Robertson at the break, and the changes had the desired effect with two goals in three minutes before the hour mark.
Darwin Nunez levelled with a sharp near-post finish from Luis Diazâs cross.
Nunez was then upended inside the area and Salah converted from the spot.
The Egyptian slotted home a second penalty two minutes from time to take his tally for the season to 32 goals.
Second-placed Arsenal have two games in hand on the leaders, the first of which comes away to Manchester United on Sunday.
But it appears a matter of when not if Liverpool will clinch just their second league title in 35 years.
Crystal Palace shrugged off the loss of top scorer Jean-Philippe Mateta to a serious ear injury to beat Ipswich 1-0 thanks to Ismaila Sarrâs winner.
The Eagles have won nine of their last 11 games in all competitions and climb to 11th.
Brighton boosted their own Champions League hopes courtesy of Joao Pedroâs 98th-minute penalty to beat Fulham 2-1.
Raul Jimenezâs spectacular strike opened the scoring for Fulham, but Jean Paul van Hecke levelled before half-time.
Pedroâs spot-kick lifts the Seagulls to sixth and within one point of City.
Aston Villa travel to Brentford and Wolves host Everton in Saturdayâs later kick-offs.










