Liverpool’s poor performance in the 1-0 defeat to Southampton in the EFL Cup semi-final first leg only left Reds fans grateful for one thing - that there is a second.
The Reds were very poor on the south coast, going down to Nathan Redmond’s first half goal but really fortunate that they didn’t lose by more .
It was a display to worry Liverpool supporters as a promising season has just begun to stutter in recent weeks, and there are no more famous Reds fans than Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher.
And the former Liverpool defender was certain about the best thing that his former team could do during such a poor performance.
Just accept it and get out of there.
And Carragher was far from alone in that opinion among Reds fans, with all of them counting their blessing that it was ONLY a 1-0 defeat.
So while we all know the saying “game of two halves”, it seems as though Reds fans are counting their blessings that this is a game of two legs.
Jurgen Klopp admitted his Liverpool side will need to improve drastically if they want to beat rivals Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday.
The Reds lost to Southampton 1-0 in the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final and are without a win in their last three games in all competitions.
And with a daunting trip to Old Trafford to face an in-form Manchester United only four days away, Klopp believes the Red Devils stand as favourites for the clash.
“We can do much better and we will do much better,” Klopp told talkSPORT.
“And of course, if we play like we did tonight against United, I think we can save the money for the petrol.
“We should and we will do better. United is the big favourite because of our performance tonight, but that’s not the worst role in life, we will be there and we will be ready.”
Nathan Redmond scored the crucial goal for the Saints to hand them a slender advantage going into the second leg at Anfield in a fortnight’s time.
Liverpool were largely unimpressive and had to rely on their underfire goalkeeper Loris Karius to rescue them on a number of occasions, to keep the aggregate score within touching distance.
“I think we started really well and we saw why we were here [in the semi-finals] and then we concede a goal.
“Obviously tonight, it was enough to change the game and it changed in this moment. We lost a lot of things of what you need in football; timing for defensive situations and being compact.
“Our passing game was a little bit nervous – we gave the ball away so easily and needed Loris Karius to save our lives two or three times.”
Liverpool stand as the league’s top goal scorers, notching 48 goals in their opening 20 games of the season.
But having gone two successive games without a goal against Plymouth Argyle and Southampton, Klopp believes his side are struggling to break down deep lying defences.
“They were in a really deep formation and in our good moments they had no idea how to defend – except for being deep – and we could have done much better.
“We had chances to cross but we lacked that last look to see if a lad was there to finish. We usually do a lot of things better, we have to accept it like it is and everything is still possible.”
Liverpool were well beaten 1-0 by Southampton in the first leg of the semi-final at St Mary’s but Claude Puel’s side could only make it 1-0. The hosts had plenty of good chances to improve that lead but squandered them.
“That might be the difference for Liverpool in the second leg” Cedric Soares should have squared to Jay Rodriguez and Nathan Redmond saw his chipped effort come back off the bar and somehow stay out. With a bit of luck both could have gone in an Redknapp thinks Southampton may have missed their chance to hammer home a decisive first-leg result.
Discussing Redmond’s effort that came back off the bar Redknapp told Sky Sports: "You need that little bit of luck, and that’s the difference. "That might be the difference for Liverpool in the second leg.
"Because, as I say, in that first half, Southampton’s performance today - I didn’t see it coming. “I genuinely didn’t. I thought they were very good. They’ve given themselves a very good chance.”
Virgil van Dijk versus Daniel Sturridge was ‘like watching a man play against a little boy’ according to Jamie Redknapp, as the highly-rated Southampton defender dominated the Liverpool striker in their EFL Cup tie.
The Saints beat the Reds 1-0 in the semi-final first leg, with Van Dijk comfortably keeping the England forward quiet to secure the clean sheet and demonstrate why he is valued at £50million.
Speaking as a pundit on Sky Sports, Sportsmail columnist Redknapp said he had been very impressed with the Dutchman, but was also critical of Sturridge.
He said: ‘He is immense. I say it every time I watch him, he just gets better and better. You know what it was like tonight, it was like watching a man play against a little boy with Daniel Sturridge. He bullied him all game. He never gave him a sniff.’
Sturridge failed to impress on a rare start for Liverpool, and Redknapp feels he is unlikely to earn a place in Jurgen Klopp’s regular starting XI on the basis of this performance.
The former Liverpool midfielder feels Sturridge did not do enough to assert his influence on the game, as he endures a frustrating season.
Redknapp said: 'Daniel Sturridge didn’t do enough today. He didn’t move around, he didn’t have enough touches in the box. I know, he might be in there thinking, I didn’t get the service. But for great centre forwards, it doesn’t matter, they don’t need service, they make things happen for themselves and he didn’t do enough today.
‘At times he was on the periphery wasn’t he? It was frustrating. Last year, when they won 6-1 here and I think it was Jurgen Klopp’s first real look at him and he probably thought great, this is someone I could use and he has got so much pace.’
Redknapp, who also played for Southampton, criticised Sturridge’s team mate Emre Can as well, as Liverpool suffered a deserved defeat they will have to put right in the second leg at Anfield on January 25.
He said at half-time: 'Every time Emre Can has had the ball, he has made six touches and tried to show us how good he is. Keep it simple because with Southampton, they’ve got two banks, the four and the five, and they’ve just tried to make it difficult.
‘They’ve got to move the ball quickly, they’ve got to be fast with their passing. Can has slowed the game down too much.’
Nathan Redmond scored the only goal of the game in the first half to earn the hosts a win at St Mary’s.
No wonder Jurgen Klopp was laughing on the touchline at the final whistle.
Klopp will know Liverpool are incredibly lucky to still be in the tie and to still have a chance of getting to Wembley after a very bad night at St Mary’s.
Liverpool were awful, thoroughly outplayed and Southampton could easily have won by three or four as they wasted a string of gilt-edged chances to make the return leg at Anfield in a fortnight a mere formality.
Klopp explained why he was smiling afterwards by admitting that he was just glad Liverpool did not suffer a heavier defeat.
“It was the third best result we could have had,” said the German. “You can win, draw or lose 1-0.”
He knows they got away with it.
Nathan Redmond scored the winner, but should have had a hat-trick while keeper Loris Karius may just have signalled a change in his fortunes in English football after a sticky start following his summer move from Mainz.
Karius bailed out Liverpool with a string of super saves to answer some of the brutal criticisms he has faced since being dropped from the league side for Simon Mignolet.
But Klopp will be grateful he picks Karius for the cups, because he was just about the only Liverpool player to do himself justice.
Even with Philippe Coutinho coming on as a late substitute, the Reds just could not get going while Daniel Sturridge failed to grasp his opportunity up front and even Roberto Firmino was substituted.
It could - and probably should - have been all over and that is the only comfort for Liverpool.
Southampton, who have not won a major trophy for 41 years, let them off the hook.
Liverpool did not live up to their billing as red-hot favourites and Klopp has, in truth, suffered more than his fair share of disappointment in the cups.
Klopp lost two finals last season - the League Cup and Europa League - while they were also held to a goalless draw at home by fourth-tier Plymouth in the FA Cup on Sunday.
For all the energy and promise Liverpool have shown in the Premier League this season, they looked flat and short of intensity here. It was very hard to understand as this was by no means Klopp resting players and saving the big guns for Sunday’s showdown with Manchester United at Old Trafford.
It was a near full strength line-up, bar perhaps injured captain Jordan Henderson and Sadio Mane, who is now away on Africa Cup of Nations duty.
And how they missed them.
Liverpool just did not produce on the night.
Incredibly, this is the Reds’ 17th League Cup semi-final and they have won the trophy eight times, so they should have not needed reminding it is an important competition.
But, despite a start as bright as their luminous hi-vis third kit, they fell away badly and allowed Southampton to take charge and dominate the match.
It was all Liverpool early on — Emre Can’s chipped ball into the box was headed down by Saints old boy Adam Lallana and Roberto Firmino’s fierce shot was beaten away by keeper Fraser Forster.
That was the closest they came all night, though.
The tide turned after that moment and Karius’ first save came with a terrific block from Ryan Bertrand after 19 minutes.
A minute later, he could not prevent the all-important winning goal.
Defender Ragnar Klavan missed a clearance, but Steven Davis and Jay Rodriguez combined brilliantly to send through Redmond, who raced clear, kept his composure and buried a shot into the far corner.
Redmond could have made it two just before the break — he really should have scored — but his close-range shot was brilliantly beaten away by Karius.
Saints full back Cedric smashed a great opening into the side netting after 67 minutes, but the biggest chance for a second came seven minutes from time.
Substitute Shane Long broke down the left and found Redmond at the back post but rather than smash the ball, he dinked it over Karius and it hit the bar.
The single-goal scoreline means the tie is still alive and Liverpool will know they are lucky to still even be in with a shout of a likely Wembley showdown with Man United.
Claude Puel admitted a sense of frustration that Saints didn’t take a bigger leap towards Wembley after beating Liverpool 1-0 at St Mary’s.
Though Puel was understandably delighted with the performance of his players in last night’s EFL Cup semi-final last leg, he was also rueing a few missed chances that could have meant a greater cushion for the return leg at Anfield.
He said: “I think it was a great performance against this team and these players.
“At the beginning of the game we have had some difficulties to recover the ball, after with good organisation we kept a clean sheet and we can do a good performance with the ball with set attacks sometimes and all the counter attacks.
“I think it is a little frustration at the end of the game that it is just a win with one goal up, and I think with a little more efficient or a little more luck we can do another result.
“I think it was important to keep this result with a clean sheet, with a win and to keep chances to qualify for the second game away against Liverpool. We will see this.”
He added: “I think there is a little frustration at the end of the game with all this many chances and possibilities to score.
“I am happy also to see the level of the team and of the players.
“It was interesting for the confidence for the next game to see the possibilities with good concentration and quality.
“It was an interesting game for us but now it’s important to keep this good resolution and good possibility for the next game.
“We have time to think for the come back against Liverpool, and now it’s important to keep focus for the game in the Premier League against Burnley on Saturday and we will see if we have the same ability and concentration about this game.”
Puel was keen to emphasise the point that his players must take the belief and confidence gleaned from the win over Liverpool into the Premier League.
They will be looking to halt a run of three top flight defeats when they travel to Burnley on Saturday.
“A great performance against this team, many chances against any opponent and just one chance at the beginning of the game for Liverpool,” reflected the Saints boss.
“It was a good performance from my players, but now it’s important to keep this attitude, this level, in the Premier League and the next game against Burnley is very important for us.
“After a bad Christmas it is important to have a good answer and keep good quality.
“This cup is a pleasure and exciting games but we have time to consider the comeback and the second leg.
“Now it’s important to keep all our motivation for the next game against Burnley.”
Claude Puel claims Southampton should have scored more against Liverpool in EFL Cup semi-final
Claude Puel was left to rue a string of missed chances as Southampton failed to put Liverpool to bed in their EFL Cup semi-final first leg.
The Saints will take a slender advantage to Anfield for their second leg on January 25 after Nathan Redmond’s first-half strike secured a deserved victory for the dominant hosts.
But it was the three further opportunities Redmond spurned - including striking the crossbar late on - that wrangled Puel, although he was ultimately pleased with the performance.
“It a great performance against this team but we are a little disappointed with the result considering the chances we had,” he told Sky Sports.
"It was important to win with a clean sheet ahead of the second leg at Liverpool, we had a strong, fantastic game. I think this was the first time Liverpool had just one chance in a game.
"We defended together very well and we played good football with many chances. In the end we were unlucky and unhappy with the result because we know away at Liverpool will be very difficult, but it was a good performance from my team.
"We were strong together and had very good spirit, it was very interesting.
"We played the same as we did against Liverpool in the Premier League, strong in defence with good possession but [in that game] we didn’t have the possibility to have chances and to keep the ball and to control sometimes.
"This game was interesting because we stayed strong together in defence and were better with keeping the ball and counter attacks.
“It was a very good game but it’s just the first leg and one goal ahead. We will see in the second leg.”
Southampton arrested a four-game winless streak while also taking a substantial stride towards their first League Cup final appearance since 1979.
Puel was not willing to indulge in the prospect of taking Saints to Wembley though, opting to challenge his side to continue their cup form into the Premier League.
“Wembley is far away at the moment,” he added. "It’s important to stay concentrated.
"This competition is exciting and it’s a pleasure but now it’s important to focus on our Premier League game with Burnley because we have lost three in a row.
“It’s important for us to react. When you see the performance tonight the fans will not accept a bad game in the Premier League so we need to concentrate and recover against Burnley.”
Nathan Redmond scored the only goal of the game as Saints produced an impressive performance to earn a slender advantage ahead of the return leg in two weeks’ time.
Despite being wary of the threat Liverpool ahead of the second leg, Puel was thrilled with his side’s display at St Mary’s.
“I think we can see a strong game, a fantastic game from my team against a good team with good players,” Puel told southamptonfc.com.
“I think it’s the first time this season that Liverpool stay with just one chance from the game.
“This gives us this perspective with good work, all the players together with the fans and also to attack to recover the ball, create chances and possibilities.
“At the end of the game we had a conversation and we’re one goal up and we know it will be difficult for the second match.
“But it was important to win, to stay with a clean sheet and we will now see for the return leg.”
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says his side were fortunate to come away with a 1-0 defeat at Southampton in their EFL Cup semi-final first leg.
The Reds were outplayed for much of the tie at St Mary’s but have to now only overturn a narrow deficit in the return leg on Wednesday 25 January.
Klopp told BBC Radio 5 live: "It could and should have been 2-0, 3-0.
“The best thing for us is the result. We know that we can play better at Anfield, nothing is decided.”
Nathan Redmond’s first-half goal gave Southampton the win, but the former Norwich winger should have increased their lead from two good chances.
Redmond himself said after the game that he “should have scored four”, after he hit the crossbar and Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius made several good saves.
Klopp added: "We cannot be happy with the performance, Southampton cannot be happy with the result. I can’t remember a clear chance for us.
“We gave the ball away so easily and we needed Loris Karius to save our lives two or three times.”
Liverpool lost the League Cup final to Manchester City on penalties last season, while Southampton lost their only final 3-2 to Arsenal in 1979.
Liverpool welcomed back forward Philippe Coutinho from injury as a second-half substitute, and Klopp believes his side will put in a better performance in the second leg.
“We will strike back, we will be a different team, a different side, everything will be different at Anfield,” he said.
"It’s still possible to go to Wembley, and that’s the target.
“We have to show a reaction - but it would be cool if we could already show a reaction at the weekend, because we probably need a better performance to get something at Old Trafford [against Manchester United on Sunday in the Premier League].”
Goals from Jonathan Afolabi and Michael Obafemi secured Saints safe passage into the fifth round, and Fleming was pleased with the way his men dealt with the physical threat posed by the hosts.
“It was difficult conditions,” he started.
“It was very, very windy and they set up in a formation that is really difficult to play against in a 4-3-3. Credit to them, they made it very difficult for us.
“But massive credit to our boys – they dug in. They showed at Old Trafford that they could play a technical game and come out and do well in that.
“Tonight was very much a blood and guts kind of game; second balls, battles and we came out on top as well. I can’t credit the boys enough for that.”
Match-winner Obafemi started the evening on the bench at the DW Stadium, but came on to score with his first touch of the tie.
And Fleming was impressed with the striker’s response to missing out on a starting berth.
“Obviously the boys look forward to these kinds of games so much,” he explained.
“But you’ve got to put that disappointment to one side. In the last game Will [Smallbone], who has been outstanding all season for us, found himself on the bench, but he showed a great attitude and came on and scored the winner.
“Michael did exactly the same today. He was very disappointment not to start but he put it to one side and when he came on he looked very, very sharp.”
Southampton manager Claude Puel praised match-winner Nathan Redmond for his strike against Liverpool in the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-final, and says the forward has a striker’s mentality.
Redmond struck the only goal of the game with 20 minutes on the clock when he slotted the ball past Loris Karius, and constantly threatened the visitors throughout at St Mary’s.
It was Redmond’s first goal since he scored against Manchester City in October, and Puel says it’s down to the former Norwich man to continue his form.
“It was important he scored because it’s a very good player with many qualities but I think we’ll see,” said Puel.
“It’s important now that he plays well because he has all the quality.
“It’s the first time he played in this position and, if step-by-step, he can improve a bit then because of his quality with scoring and good running, he has all the qualities of a striker, and has a striker’s mentality.”
Nathan Redmond was the hero as Southampton stunned Liverpool in the EFL Cup semi-final first leg.
The Saints winger netted in the 20th minute to inflict only the third defeat of the season on Jurgen Klopp’s Premier League high-fliers.
But Claude Puel’s side blew a string of chances to put the tie beyond a hugely disappointing Liverpool side going into the second leg later this month.
Redmond missed a gilt-edged chance late in the first half and also hit the bar deep into the second.
Redmond said: “I should have had four goals today. At least we can take a lead to Anfield.”
Saints captain Virgil van Dijk was delighted with the win. He said: “We played good football at times against a great team. Now we need to believe – a final is something special for the club.”
Victory for Saints was only their first in five matches after a run of three defeats and a draw.
Anfield boss Klopp, who threw on fit-again Philippe Coutinho in the second half, said: “It’s a deserved win for Southampton but it’s only half-time.”
He might have scored the goal which helped Southampton take a baby step towards Wembley but Nathan Redmond still oozed frustration on Wednesday night.
The Saints forward netted in the 20th minute of his side’s EFL Cup semi-final first-leg clash with Liverpool at St Mary’s - a strike which proved to be the only goal of the game.
But, after seeing two shots superbly saved by Reds keeper Loris Karius and another come back off a combination of the crossbar and Dejan Lovren’s forehead, Redmond was understandably unfulfilled afterwards.
‘I should have had four today, on another day they might go in but we got the win in the first leg, so will take it on to the second leg now,’ he told Sky Sports.
'I think probably the first one or the last one (was the most frustrating), I didn’t realise how much time I had.
'The last one I tried to be a bit too smart and try and chip it over him but I learn from those mistakes and try to put it right in training and in the next game.
‘As Virg (Virgil van Dijk) said, we got the clean sheet and the win in the first leg, so we take that on in the second one.’
Redmond was awarded the man of the match award, as much for his support of his defenders as his attacking efforts, and he revealed how much he had put into the game.
‘I haven’t worked hard like that in a long time but you know, it’s credit due to the whole team,’ he said.
‘It’s what’s needed for not just going forward but defensively, one to 11 and even the subs coming on, we’ve all got to work hard for each other and we did that today.’
Jurgen Klopp admitted he could not explain why his Liverpool side were so bad in their 1-0 EFL Cup semi-final first leg defeat to Southampton and that they were lucky not to be out of the tie already.
The Liverpool manager, however, insisted that after Loris Karius saved their skins with a series of brilliant saves, the Reds can take Southampton back to Anfield and ‘strike back’ to progress to Wembley.
Nathan Redmond’s first-half goal secured the victory but the winger was denied twice more by Liverpool’s goalkeeper and struck the crossbar.
Asked if he knew why it went so badly wrong, Klopp replied: 'I tried already – three, four times now, in other interviews, but I cannot make it better with whatever I say.
'After we conceded one goal the game changed. Even I would try to explain it, it’s not that easy. I’m actually not used to a reaction like this from my boys but they have to accept that tonight it was not good.
'We had not a lot of chances – if we had some [at all]. Maybe Roberto Firmino in the first half. One or two other moments.
'We had a lot of moments in and around the box where we could have had a chance but we didn’t make anything of it and that was the situation.
'So, the performance of course doesn’t feel too good. That’s how it is but for the final, I would think it’s open. So in this moment, you have two disappointed managers after the game.
'One because he lost and the performance wasn’t good and the other because he only won 1-0 and has to go to Anfield afterwards. So that’s how it is. We will strike back. We will be a different team. It will be different.
'Everything will be different at Anfield. So for us it’s still possible to go to Wembley and that’s the target.
'If you don’t win and you don’t draw, losing 1-0 is the third best result. I don’t like it too much but it’s still possible and this team always shows a reaction.
‘We have to show a reaction against Southampton but it will be cool if we could also show a reaction at the weekend, because we probably need a better performance to get something at Old Trafford.’
In a bizarre moment in the 75th minute, Klopp handed Daniel Sturridge a note and the striker had to hare over to Dejan Lovren to show him, then sprint over to find Adam Lallana to show him, too, before returning to his position up front and discarding the piece of paper.
Klopp explained it was to demonstrate a ‘new system’ to switch to 3-5-2 and added: 'Maybe it was a little bit too late. We gave the paper when the game was already running again, that was our mistake.
‘That’s not about being frustrated. That’s about thinking you have chance, that’ s all.
‘What type of guy would I be if I sit outside if we play well I think I’m a wonderful manager? That’s not like this, we tried to help, we thought it makes sense to have real wingers, high, make it more difficult for them to defend the wing.’
Southampton boss Claude Puel admitted he was not fully satisfied with the result.
‘There is a little frustration at the end of the game with all this many chances and possibilities to score,’ he said.
The Frenchman left club captain Jose Fonte out of the squad after the defender handed in a transfer request and added: ‘We will see the next days about the possibility [of leaving] or not for Jose. We say before this game I wanted to keep stability on the team because the possibility Jose leaves the club.’
SAINTS goal hero Nathan Redmond was left to rue his missed chances despite putting Claude Puel’s side in the driving seat against Liverpool in their EFL Cup semi-final double header.
Redmond’s first-half strike was the difference at a packed-out St Mary’s and ended Saints’ four-match winless run in all competitions on their first appearance in the last four of a major competition since 2003.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool finished runners-up in the competition last season and will return to Anfield needing to overturn a 1-0 deficit.
“I should have had four today, on another day they might go in. We got the win in the first leg so we take it on to the second leg,” Redmond said.
Redmond netted his fourth goal of the season on 20 minutes, but had several opportunities to extend Saints’ lead.
But which one did he rue the most?
“The first one and the last one,” he said. “The last one I tried to be a bit too smart and just chip it over. I’ll take those mistakes and try to put it right in training and the next game.
“We got a clean sheet and a win in the first leg so we’ll take that on to the second.
“It’s credit to the whole team, we’ve got to work hard for each other and we did that today.”
Saints’ captain against Liverpool, Virgil van Dijk, who once again took the armband in the absence of Jose Fonte, was satisfied after keeping a clean sheet.
Puel’s side are yet to conceded in the League Cup, making it four shutouts against the Red, which is more than any other side.
“We won today and kept the clean sheet which is the most important thing,” he said. "We played some good football at times, obviously Liverpool are a great team. We were good on the ball as well. It was a great team performance today.
“It’s all about communication. They have a lot of movement up front and a lot of running so we really talked to each other and I think we did it really well and it’s a good win to go to Anfield.”
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