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Liverpool earned a 3-1 win over Southampton as they scored two goals from penalties.
Ivan Juric felt that Liverpool’s decisive penalty that earned them victory over Southampton was ‘too soft’.
The Saints, rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table and doomed for relegation, were expected to be on the receiving end of a thrashing against the champions-elect. But the Reds were made to work for their 3-1 win at Anfield, which saw them move 16 points clear at the summit.
Liverpool’s midweek Champions League win over Paris Saint-Germain took its toll in the first half against Southampton. They scarcely created a clear-cut chance and were punished in stoppage-time after a defensive mix-up between Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker allowed Will Smallbone to break the deadlock.
Arne Slot’s men were much improved after the break, though. They equalised through Darwin Nunez’s strike in the 51st minute and then the striker was involved in the all-important moment. He was adjudged to have been fouled by Smallbone, with referee Lewis Smith awarding a penalty and VAR agreeing. Mo Salah stepped up and bagged to put Liverpool ahead and move outright third in the club’s all-time top scorer charts.
The Reds wrapped up the win in the dying embers through another penalty. Smith initially did not give a spot-kick when Yukinari Sugawara handled inside the box - but the on-field official overturned his decision after reviewing the incident on the pitchside monitor. Salah again stepped up to net his 31st goal of the season.
What’s been said
Liverpool took another step closer to being crowned champions - and Southampton dragged further towards the Championship. But Juric was left unhappy by the officiating. The Saints boss said: "I have to say I am a little bit disappointed. I don't know about the other decisions, but with the first penalty.
"It was too soft a contact for it to be a penalty in England. I didn't like this decision but I have to say that in the second half, we are really young. There is a moment that you have to be more focused, more concentrated. I think we can use what happened in the future for these young guys.”
‘You cannot give a penalty’
Sugawara also conceded a penalty for handball in Southampton’s 3-2 loss to Liverpool in the reverse fixture at St Mary’s earlier in the season. Juric did not complain about the latest decision. He added: “I know that in the first game it was also the handball of Yuki. I think he was a little bit pushed today but he has to be more careful. You cannot give a penalty [away] in this kind of situation."
On his side’s performance, Juric added: "I think we did some really good games in this period but the last two games were really bad. Today we changed a little bit our way of playing and I think the players felt very comfortable - and we did some really good things. We want to still be an aggressive team but let's say a little bit less that I have been used to in my life. I think the players in this moment need that, to be closer to each other, and I think they did well."
Related topics:Premier LeagueSouthampton
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