Anfield gives game away as Liverpool points total target becomes clear

Anfield atmosphere gives game away as Liverpool points total target becomes clear

Match verdict from Paul Gorst after Liverpool go 16 points clear at the top of the Premier League

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The replica trophies on display outside Anfield for supporters to enjoy photo opportunities with before kick-off here against Southampton were somewhat symbolic for Arne Slot and his Liverpool players.

For those who lined up to get their hands on copies of both the Premier League and Champions League, they were tangible reminders of a glittering period under Jurgen Klopp when, between 20219 and 2020, they could justifiably lay claim to being the world's best football team.

But, for others, the shimmering silverware near the statue of the iconic Bill Shankly also offered a gentle reminder of what might still be possible at Liverpool this season.

A 16-point lead now over an Arsenal side who travel to Manchester United on Sunday means the Reds have to collect 18 from their final nine fixtures to guarantee that the real thing nestles inside their trophy cabinet in May, and that's assuming the Gunners are flawless themselves from here on in.

The big games keep coming for the Reds as they now turn their attention to the last-16 second leg with Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday before Sunday’s showpiece with Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup.

But if this is indeed what a 'final' is like for Arne Slot's Liverpool, as he stressed it was on Friday, then supporters should be expected to go through the full range of emotions at Wembley next week.

A difficult and often tense first period, which saw the concession of an almost comical first goal in four games, gave way to a sharp three-minute burst that turned it all around in the second half, before a belated measure of control was exerted by the runaway leaders.

It was the contributions of Darwin Nunez that turned the tide for this 3-1 win and ensure that a blistering start to the second half got its reward before the atmosphere was allowed to drift into the sort of nervous territory that so often afflicts performances on the pitch itself.

Uruguay international Nunez marked his first league start since Boxing Day with an equaliser on 51 minutes before he won a penalty shortly after that was dispatched by Mohamed Salah. It was left to the Egyptian late on, once more from 12 yards, to register his 32nd of the campaign and confirm the extension of a remarkable early-March advantage.

Before that, a first half devoid of anything noteworthy caught fire in stoppage time when Will Smallbone profited from a mix up between Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker to roll into an empty net from a tight angle. Having shut out the great and the good of Manchester City, Newcastle and PSG in the last fortnight, it was sloppy in the extreme from two stalwarts of the defence. Van Dijk could have dealt with it more proactively and Alisson should have been quicker off his line.

There was a VAR check almost immediately after the restart after Nunez needlessly swiped Kyle Walker-Peters off his feet. It was rash and unnecessary from the frustrated No.9, who, up until that point, had done little to justify his inclusion. A red card would have been harsh in the extreme but Salah had the foresight to pull his team-mate away from arguments with the Saints players to make sure he stayed on the pitch.

The restart saw Slot, who cut a visibly frustrated figure up in the directors' box as he served the second of his two-game ban, reach for his bench as Alexis Mac Allister, Harvey Elliott and Andy Robertson were introduced.

The changes had an immediate impact and fired on by a red-hot Anfield crowd, Liverpool quickly got their leveller when Luis Diaz, impressive in the second half, tore away down the flank before his low cross was given the finishing touch by Nunez.

The maligned Nunez celebrated with a shushing motion to everyone and no-one in particular but he could easily have been aiming his defiant gesture to the press box where some unflattering first-half appraisals had no doubt been written.

The former Benfica striker remains an enigmatic figure. At his best, he is a whirlwind; a Tasmanian Devil in boots and shin pads, battering his way to goal with power and pace. At his worst, he is clumsy, ragged and ineffective. There may not been a long-term future beyond this summer as clubs continue to circle amid uncertainty, but he will leave as a hero if the Reds end the campaign with the silverware they cherish.

For Salah, the only question of his future is whether he gets the new contract his performances have so richly deserved. His brace of penalties took his tally to 32 for the campaign and he’s now level with the great Sergio Aguero for Premier League goals, into joint fifth with 184.

Having spoken about this being the first of three 'finals' over the next week or so, it was fitting that there were some trophies on show at Anfield on the day. That Premier League replica might not be needed for much longer, however.

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