There is only one place to start. To try and begin anywhere else would be risible, given the glorious way Mohamed Salah changed the course of this game.
In the 31 minutes before the ball arrived at Salah’s feet, the action had been largely forgettable. There had been some signs of promise but for all that Liverpool pressed, Southampton held firm. The indication was that the locals would be in for one of those restless, frustrating afternoons.
But then, fatally, Dusan Tadic dithered on the edge of his own area after Virgil Van Dijk had headed clear a corner. Roberto Firmino picked his pocket, Ragnar Klavan found Gini Wijnaldum and he, in turn, rolled a pass to Salah, who was loitering, 25 yards out.
‘It wasn’t even a chance,’ Jurgen Klopp explained to emphasise the improbability of the position.
Liverpool’s manager was right. A forest of bodies in front of him, an improbable angle but, still, the Egyptian took aim and swept a quite magnificent shot beyond Fraser Forster, one that was destined for the top corner as soon as it left his boot.
It was a special moment conjured by an increasingly special player. There was a consensus when Liverpool smashed their transfer record in June that they had wildly overspent on a player whose previous experience of the Premier League four years ago had been instantly forgettable at Chelsea.
Five months on, it seems the £38million they paid to AS Roma is resembling a bargain. Once again Salah was Liverpool’s key man and, as it turned out, he carved a niche for himself in the club’s record books too in the space of nine thrilling first half minutes.
Such has been the rapid start he has made to life at Liverpool, Salah has scored nine times in his first 12 Premier League appearances for the club, a figure better than those modern striking doyens Robbie Fowler, Fernando Torres and Luis Suarez. The tally for all competitions is 14 in 18 matches.
In common with those three luminaries, Salah has the ability to transform matches and it looks increasingly like he is turning the course of Liverpool’s campaign, too. Whisper it quietly but Jurgen Klopp’s side are clicking into gear and Southampton simply could not contain them.
‘You need these moments,’ said Klopp. ‘We have not had them too often this season. We all know what it has been like after 50, 60 minutes here this season (without a goal). You need these goals and thank God we scored them. That makes all the difference.’
This was Liverpool’s fourth consecutive victory in all competitions, a fine response to the calamity they endured against Tottenham four weeks ago, but what impressed most about this latest success was the manner in which they shut Southampton down once Salah had waved his magic wand.
His second goal was not as spectacular but, still, it gave Liverpool an advantage they were never likely to relinquish and it was dispatched with the confidence of someone who is at the peak of his powers, lifted over Forster after Philippe Coutinho had split Southampton’s defence in two.
‘Fantastic play,’ Klopp beamed. ‘What a pass. I’m pretty sure Phil has played a few passes like this in his life but it is not often you get it in the box and someone is not offside. That is quite rare I would say. So, yeah. Nice goal!’
Mauricio Pellegrino, Southampton’s manager, regularly stood on the touchline with his arms folded tightly, trying to stop the red tide that was washing over them. But he had no way of halting the scintillating runs of Salah, Sadio Mane and Firmino.
‘The second goal made the real difference,’ said Pellegrino, who finds himself in the spotlight after a run of one win in seven games. ‘We changed some players, changed our style but we never created a chance to get back into the game. It is not good news for us. This is a difficult moment.’
Liverpool’s authority was so total that Klopp was able to take off Salah and Mane with a quarter of the game remaining, to save their legs for Tuesday’s assignment in Seville when they will look to reach the Champions League’s knockout phase.
Southampton’s sole intention after Coutinho put a realistic look on the scoreline was not conceding anymore but it was as much to do with Liverpool easing off as it was the visitors digging in; in the final 20 minutes Liverpool’s thoughts had turned to Spain.
Europe is the competition that invigorates Liverpool but it will not be lost on Klopp that they are making progress domestically again with results elsewhere ensuring that Liverpool are now only a point behind Tottenham. They also have the division’s leading marksman in Salah.
He left the field to a thunderous ovation and was wrapped in a bear hug by Klopp; given how Klopp operates, Salah was probably told he should have had a hat-trick and that could have been the case had he not snatched at ninth minute cross from Mane.
Still, two for him and three for his team were more than enough. At the end of a week when he had been admitted to hospital after feeling unwell, this was just the kind of stress free afternoon Liverpool’s manager needed. Should Salah maintain this mood, there will be many more to come.
No-one, and I repeat, no-one , could have predicted what Jurgen Klopp got for his £40m in the summer.
Much was said about the signing of Mohamed Salah , not least that he was an over-priced Chelsea flop who couldn’t handle the pace of the Premier League.
Turns out, not only can he handle it, but he is a goalscorer too… one who is breaking records set by the one and only Anfield legend Robbie Fowler.
Salah’s goals here not only took him past Harry Kane and Sergio Aguero to become the league’s top scorer whilst delivering a simple win over Southampton in the process, it also announced the arrival of a major new talent in the English game.
The little Eygpt winger was sublime in his combinations with Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, and brilliant in his finishing with a fine curling first and then an instinctive run to finish a brilliant Philippe Coutinho pass.
And that was enough to give him more goals in his first 12 Liverpool league games than Fowler himself – which speaks volumes not only for Salah’s talents, but also the beauty of Jurgen Klopp’s attacking wonder at Anfield.
Here are five talking points from Anfield…
When you outscore Robbie Fowler, then you really are something. That is Mo Salah right now, a player who has made his £40m summer transfer fee look a right bargain. His goals tally in his first 12 Premier League games made him not only the top scorer in English football, but also gave him a better strike rate at the start of his career than the Anfield legend Fowler himself. Not bad for a winger who many suggested was quick but couldn’t finish.
Just what is a finisher these days? Liverpool play with a false nine, of sorts, in Roberto Firmino, who isn’t classed as a goalscorer anywhere near the Fowler bracket, but is pivotal to the way the Reds play. His steal from Dusan Tadic to give Salah his goal was a case in point. The Brazilian is a top class player, but rarely gets the recognition his influence on games deserves.
Salah himself is still not regarded as a finisher, even though he leads the likes of Kane, Augero et al. One of my – esteemed – colleagues at the Mirror has been suggesting all season that he needs too many chances before he scores, and to an extent, he has a point. Yet Liverpool DO create those chances, and he does score. Frequently. He missed two before he opened the floodgates here, and yet his two first half finishes were sublime. Welcome to the new game, a modern version of total football, where everyone can do a bit of everything.
He was the villain for Saints, substituted in ignominy after just 55 minutes following his mistake for the crucial opening goal, when he delayed too long on the ball outside his box, and allowed Firmino to steal. And yet, if you watch again, the winger spots Boufal alone and running, with only Philippe Coutinho in his wake, and a pass then and the visitors would surely have been in on goal. Tadic couldn’t get the pass off and paid a heavy price, and yet on small moment are games decided.
Liverpool now have strength in depth, and if they can sign Virgil van Dijk – who played better here than the scoreline suggested – to help out their set piece weakness, then they can become a credible threat to Manchester City at the top of the table. When you think the likes of Lallana, Grujic and Danny Ings couldn’t even make the bench, then Jurgen Klopp has real talent at his disposal.
Liverpool ran out comfortable winners over Southampton in their Premier League clash at Anfield.
Mohamed Salah’s brace and Coutinho’s second half strike saw Jurgen Klopp’s side claim all three points.
But all eyes were on Southampton’s Virgil Van Dijk, whose desired move to the Reds fell through in the saga which lasted throughout the whole summer transfer window.
And this game many across Twitter the opportunity to comment on Van Dijk’s contribution to the game.
When a manager wants to pay a world record fee for a defender and the deal ends up collapsing dramatically, with his club offering a public apology for clandestine meetings that happened near Blackpool’s winter gardens, it is understandable why the story confiscates the focus of an entire summer.
Jürgen Klopp did not sign Virgil van Dijk and so, the significance of Mohamed Salah’s arrival was lost somewhat – even though the finance that secured his move from Roma represented the most Liverpool had spent on any player in their history.
Michael Edwards has been criticised for both his ability to identify targets and negotiate his way through a transfer process since becoming a key figure in Liverpool’s recruitment department. But credit is due with Salah.
It would have been tempting to believe that because the Egyptian was cast aside by Chelsea so quickly, that the Premier League was not the platform for him. And yet here, he scored his thirteenth and fourteenth goals for Liverpool in just eighteen games.
Statistically, Salah is converting chances at a quicker rate than Robbie Fowler when he entered Liverpool’s first team in sensational fashion twenty-three years ago. Salah’s feat is made more remarkable that he is not even a centre-forward. It would also be unfair to describe his opener in this game as a chance. There was so much he needed to get right when the ball arrived at his feet twenty-five yards from goal. What followed was not really a shot. In technical terms, it was more of a caressed left-foot pass, with accuracy favoured over power. Even if he had two-sets of arms, Fraser Forster would not have saved it.
The highly-respected Monchi was only a month into his job at Roma when he sanctioned Salah’s departure for £36.9million. What was he thinking? Salah’s qualities are Lionel Messi-eque. He is left footed, plays on the right but has the speed and ingenuity to concern entire defences. He has been the best-value signing of any Premier League club for this season, if not the most outstanding. The Kop has a new hero to worship.
There are signs that Liverpool are maturing under Klopp. The response to a chastising afternoon at Wembley in defeat to Tottenham last month has been excellent: four games, four wins, thirteen goals scored, one conceded.
It has been said that Liverpool will struggle to qualify for the Champions League this season because of improvements at both Manchester clubs as well as Tottenham. With all of their key players now fit at the same time, they are now level with Tottenham and just three points off second place.
Patience was required in this victory because Southampton’s set-up initially could have contributed towards a surge of frustration inside Anfield. Once behind because of Salah’s brilliance, Southampton’s response was flat. Watching them here made you wonder why Les Reed decided to replace Claude Puel with Mauricio Pellegrino, two coaches with similar defensive mindsets, albeit one being more experienced at imposing his methods more impressively. Pellegrino is not that coach.
Liverpool were 2-0 ahead at half-time because of Philippe Coutinho’s pass and Salah’s cross-field sprint and subsequent finish. It became 3-0 when Coutinho was perfectly positioned to slide in a rebound after Roberto Firmino had drilled a shot into Forster’s chest. Liverpool were as convincing as they have been at home all season. For Southampton, the doubts about Pellegrino linger.
After a goalless first period, the visitors reemerged the more energetic of the two sides, and Obafemi deservedly edged Saints in front with his seventh of the season.
The striker netted a second 15 minutes later, before substitute Will Ferry unearthed his first goal of the campaign to ensure all three points travelled back to Southampton.
Intent on remedying the narrow loss against Norwich last time out, Saints largely dominated the first 45 minutes, without creating too many clear-cut openings of note.
Obafemi worked the Royals 'keeper in the 25th minute, striking the ball with potency on the volley and forcing a smart one-footed save from Adam Desbois.
Harlem Hale initiated a counter-attack on the half hour mark, using his pace and instinctive passing to release Obafemi, who whipped a low cross towards Jonathan Afolabi, but the wide man failed to connect.
Will Smallbone, dignified and composed in possession, struck uncharacteristically wide in the 35th minute, as Saints attempted to break the first-half impasse.
After Reading’s liveliest threat, Samuel Faniyan, fired a warning shot early in the second period, Saints reorganised and upped the tempo, instigating the earliest of three well worked goals.
The first arrived courtesy of Obafemi, who pounced upon a fortuitous rebound to stroke home, despite Desbois’ scrambled effort to prevent the ball trickling over the line.
Bouyed by the opener, the goal ravenous striker raced down field in the 64th minute, shrugged off an unenthusiastic tackle, before lashing in to the top corner from 12 yards to double the advantage.
Three minutes had passed before Will Ferry joined the action, and the scoresheet, latching on to Hale’s refined cross to tap home at the back post.
Christoph Klarer had the chance to extend the margin of difference with a headed effort, before some astute goalkeeping from in-form Alex Cull preserved Saints’ clean sheet. The stopper instinctively saved from point blank range in the 80th minute, just as Faniyan looked set to steal a late goal for Reading.
After keeping clean sheets in all four meetings between the sides last season, a repeat was out of the question once Salah curled in a well-taken opener after 31 minutes.
The in-form Egyptian added his second goal four minutes before the interval from a brilliant Philippe Coutinho pass.
Coutinho then added his name to the scoresheet midway through the second half to round off a comfortable victory for Jurgen Klopp’s side.
Mauricio Pellegrino made two changes to his starting line-up as Saints returned to action following the international break.
Wesley Hoedt replaced Maya Yoshida at the heart of the defence, while Shane Long was recalled up front at the expense of Manolo Gabbiadini.
There was a minor early scare for Pellegrino, on his return to Anfield where he had spells as a player and coach, as Dušan Tadić took a painful dead leg in the opening minute, but there would be no lasting damage for the Serbian.
Liverpool did enjoy a brief early flurry, but Saints generally looked comfortable coping with the home side’s obvious attacking threat.
Trent Alexander-Arnold embarked on a determined burst into the box, which left Fraser Forster having to make an uncomfortable juggling save before Salah’s low shot deflected wide on the follow-up.
Then ex-Saint Sadio Mané showed his pace to fly down the left and cross for Salah, who this time tried connecting on the volley but could only steer the chance well wide.
Saints would continue to frustrate Liverpool, who would be restricted to ambitious shots from distance for the most part, with Georginio Wijnaldum denied by Forster and Coutinho twice off target.
But it was through another long-range strike that Salah made the breakthrough after 31 minutes.
In truth Saints had only themselves to blame, as Dušan Tadić was caught in possession on the edge of his own penalty area when Liverpool still had numbers forward from a corner.
With Tadić having failed to clear his lines, Salah punished the visitors with a perfectly placed curling shot from 20 yards that left Forster no chance.
Pellegrino’s men seemed to compose themselves following the setback, threatening an equaliser when Cédric’s swirling cross left Simon Mignolet flapping, but would be left with a mountain to climb by the interval.
If the opener was partially self-inflicted, the second was created by a moment of individual brilliance from Coutinho, whose piercing through ball dissected the Saints defence, allowing Salah to race through and double his tally.
There was one nearly moment of a disappointing first half for Saints, as Ryan Bertrand lined up a 30-yard free kick that had sufficient power and dip to beat Mignolet, but just curled fractionally beyond the keeper’s left-hand post.
Pellegrino played his first card ten minutes into the second period, introducing supplementary firepower in the form of Charlie Austin in place of Tadić.
But Liverpool remained the team in the ascendancy and Coutinho went close when he tiptoed his way into a shooting position on the edge of the box before firing inches wide.
Saints did not heed the warning, as the Brazilian finally got his goal midway through the second period.
Mané was the architect, as his clever reverse pass released Roberto Firmino, whose driven shot was beaten out by Forster but only into the path of Coutinho to steer in the rebound from 15 yards.
Pellegrino would introduce James Ward-Prowse and Manolo Gabbiadini in a bid to establish a foothold in the game, but Austin headed over from Ward-Prowse’s first involvement – a typically inviting free kick – and Saints were beaten.
A brace from Mo Salah and a Philippe Coutinho strike earned the hosts all three points at Anfield.
And Pellegrino was left to rue the costly mistakes, which left the deficit insurmountable.
“I think we started well in the first half an hour. We played with energy, pressing well and made some counter-attacks,” the Saints boss reflected.
“After we made a couple of mistakes which against this team we cannot make and with their quality they don’t need too much to create problems.
“After the two goals it was really difficult for us to come back.
“Liverpool are really aggressive in pressing high and it was difficult for us to move the ball. We are used to keeping the possession more than the opponent.
“We know that we are in a difficult moment in terms of results. In these moments though you learn where you are at and we need to express our character.”
Saints’ poor form extended to one win in seven as their tough run of fixtures started with a 3-0 defeat at Anfield.
Mauricio Pellegrino’s side were well beaten by Liverpool, who triumphed via two first half goals from Mo Salah, and one in the second period from Philippe Coutinho, while Saints failed to register a shot on target during the 90 minutes.
The defeat leaves Saints staring at a vital looking home game against Everton up next in which they need three points to ease the nerves as they begin to look over their shoulders during a run which sees them play all of the Premier League’s top six.
Saints had an immediate concern as Dusan Tadic went down injured inside the first minute, but after treatment he was able to continue.
It was an interesting start to the game tactically, with both sides prepared to press high up the field when they had the chance, but were also content to sit in deep to defend.
Liverpool caused a bit of panic in the Saints backline on nine minutes as a deflected shot found Trent Alexander-Arnold. Virgil van Dijk did enough to ensure he couldn’t make proper contact. After Fraser Forster had failed to hold a tough loose ball Mohamed Salah’s shot was blocked.
Moments later Salah had the chance to shoot on the turn but missed the target.
For all Saints’ defensive work, they were still vulnerable to Liverpool’s attacking pressure and Forster had to make two saves in the space of a minute.
First he dived to his right to push away a shot from Geroginio Wijnaldum from outside the area.
Philippe Coutinho was the next to test him with a low drive form 20 yards that required a much better stop to turn wide.
The Brazilian midfielder had the chance to shoot again with a free kick 25 yards out in a decent position, but blazed well over the bar.
Eventually the pressure told as Liverpool took the lead on 31 minutes.
It came in part due to a Saints error as Virgil van Dijk headed a corner clear to the edge of the box where Tadic picked up the loose ball.
He dwelt on it a little too long as he drifted back across the face of the box and was robbed by Robert Firmino.
A few quick passes later the ball was at the feet of Salah just outside the area on the right hand side, and he measured a perfect curling left footed finish that bent inside the far post for 1-0.
Saints put Simon Mignolet under pressure for the first time on 39 minutes as Cedric Soares got in a cross from the right which the Liverpool keeper had to punch away with Sofiane Boufal challenging for the ball.
Things got worse for Saints on 41 minutes as Liverpool doubled their lead.
Coutinho was the provider with a pass that split the Saints defence and Salah was again the finisher. He produced a darting run in front of Ryan Bertrand and behind Wesley Hoedt and chipped a lovely first time past Forster from just outside the six yard box for 2-0.
Bertrand went close with a free kick that went over the wall but wide of the target before half time but at the break Saints had it all to do if they were to get anything from the game.
Boufal had the first real effort of the second period but from a difficult angle it went well over the bar.
The Moroccan was in action again on 51 minutes, trying to work space in the area to get in a shot only to see Dejan Lovren make a sliding block when he did get an effort away.
It was still Liverpool who looked the more dangerous and Forster had to save with his legs to keep out Firmino after another incisive Coutinho through ball.
Pellegrino made his first change on 55 minutes with Charlie Austin replacing Tadic and going through the middle with Shane Long dropping out to wide right role.
Alberto Moreno was blocked out by the back tracking Nathan Redmond as he tried to turn inside in the area rather than shooting first time after another defence splitting pass.
Oriol Romeu picked up the first booking of the game for a foul on Firmino, which was his fifth of the season meaning he will be suspended for the game against Everton.
Coutinho came close again as Liverpool continued to threaten a third but his shot went narrowly wide.
There was no stopping the Brazilian from finally getting on the scoresheet on 68 minutes.
Mane found Firmino with a lovely cut back pass, with the striker’s shot cannoning back off of the body of Forster. It fell to Coutinho who calmly sidefooted home.
It was his last action as he was immediately replaced by Emre Can with James Ward-Prowse also coming on for Boufal.
Austin had a sight of goal from Ward-Prowse’s inswinging free kick but headed wide.
Liverpool made a second switch on 74 minutes with former Saints star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain replacing Mane.
Saints had a final roll of the dice on 79 minutes with Manolo Gabbiadini coming on for Long before James Milner replaced Salah.
Firmino had come close a few times already and clearly fancied a goal but his turn and shot across goal went just wide of the far post.
Can tried to make something happen late on with a surging run but his cross just drifted away and behind.
The fourth official held up the board to show three minutes of added time and Virgil van Dijk made a timely intervention in the area to prevent a possible fourth Liverpool goal after Oxlade-Chamberlain had got the ball off of Redmond and got in a cross towards Firmino.
When the final whistle came it was a welcome relief to Saints, who had long since been well beaten and now face the challenge of picking themselves up before a big home game against Everton they really need to win.
If the evidence that Southampton allegedly had is to be believed, Liverpool had already done the hard work in convincing Virgil van Dijk to move north during a wooing process that included a conversation in Blackpool.
When you need a tower, it would make sense to head to the Fylde coast.
As things transpired, the move fell down amid claims of tapping up, and here was the big Dutchman, as expected at Anfield, but in the referee-esque turquoise and black of Southampton.
While the visiting Saints were scoreless, it is safe to say that Liverpool’s need for a strong centre-half — not to mention a goalkeeper — remains.
There were, on a routine afternoon, a couple of nervy moments that did not need to exist against a limited opponent.
It would appear that the door at St Mary’s, from a club you could regard as Liverpool’s feeder, is ajar.
Going into this one, the Saints had managed to squeeze in three goals at Anfield since 2004 and all three scorers, Sadio Mane, Dejan Lovren and Nathaniel Clyne, now play for the home side.
In the build-up, manager Mauricio Pellegrino was predictably asked whether Van Dijk would still be on the south coast when the January window shuts.
‘I don’t know,’ he responded. ‘I can’t control the market. You never know, because when we talk about money everybody has got a price. The budget is to sign players and the biggest teams have got money to try to sign players.’
He may have well as said ‘fire up the jet engines and tell the pilot to take him to Blackpool’.
Did we learn anything here, in what may have been a dress rehearsal? Not really. Southampton’s decision to part with Claude Puel continues to seem a strange one and they were on the back foot here from the start.
Van Dijk had little to do with Mohamed Salah’s first-half brace. For the first, blame could be apportioned to Dusan Tadic, who was needlessly dispossessed on the edge of his own box before the Egyptian curled in a beauty.
For the second, Wesley Hoedt performed the role of the invisible player admirably as Salah ghosted past him to make it 2-0.
Van Dijk did get forward, and won a free kick on the edge of the box from which Ryan Betrand went close.
Former team-mate Lovren was yellow carded for the foul. The resulting Kop boos were for referee Mike Jones, but you had to wonder whether they may have been aimed at Lovren for injuring their target.
Following the break, Lovren did earn himself a rollicking, from Simon Mignolet, when a Southampton throw-in somehow created a chance for a response.
Admittedly, Liverpool’s central defensive cause was not helped by the loss, through injury, of Joel Matip.
Here Ragnar Klavan stepped up. Last month, the 32-year-old Estonian turned up for training with the bumper hanging off his Mercedes. on Saturday, he was in a defence in which you imagine the wheels falling off are never far away.
Questions have also been asked over Mignolet. Should Klopp come calling, Van Dijk can tell him that he is used to playing in front of an inconsistent keeper.
For the third, Fraser Forster decided not to bother using his hands, curiously chesting Roberto Firmino’s shot into the path of Philippe Coutinho.
Manuel Pellegrino was left ruing Southampton’s defensive errors after Liverpool breezed past them 3-0 at Anfield on Saturday.
Southampton now have just one win in seven after falling to Liverpool, who clinched victory thanks to two goals from Mohamed Salah and a further strike from Philippe Coutinho.
Dusan Tadic gifted Liverpool possession for the first goal, and while Salah still had plenty to do from 20 yards out, it was a sloppy error from the midfielder just outside his own area.
Pellegrino admits he will look at his side’s mistakes and work on how to improve his team in the future.
“After conceding the second goal it was difficult for us to get back into the game. We made a couple of mistakes which you cannot do against this kind of team,” Pellegrino told Sky Sports after the match.
"In the second half, it was even more difficult. We started well, but we never created many chances to score.
"With the first goal, we knew Liverpool would be aggressive, but after losing it in the final third, maybe we can improve this in the next few games.
“We tried to keep the ball but we couldn’t. Liverpool had more pace than us and we have to learn for the future how to play this kind of game.”
Pellegrino refused to blame the international break as a reason for their defeat, but hopes his Southampton side can right their wrongs against Everton on Nissan Super Sunday next weekend.
“For us, we lost more than 50 per cent of the squad, but it’s part of football and we have to adapt,” Pellegrino added.
“Football has something good, because when you lose, you play again in seven days. We will try to do our best against Everton.”
Concerned Saints boss Mauricio Pellegrino admitted his team are in a “difficult moment” after they were comfortably beaten 3-0 at Liverpool.
Saints started the game fairly well, but were never in it once Mo Salah scored his second of the game during the first half.
A lacklustre reaction left Saints defeated again and in a run of just one win in their last seven matches.
Pellegrino said: “For sure it’s not good news for us and we know we are in a difficult moment and now we have to react because every team is really difficult.
“The difference between the group of teams we are is really tight.
“We have to try to react and to show our best face next week.”
Pellegrino had been optimistic ahead of the trip to Anfield, but that proved to be misplaced.
“I think we started well the first half an hour because we were pressing more or less ok, well organised and we make a couple of counter attacks,” he reflected.
“After we make a couple of mistakes that against this type of team you cannot because they have got quality in front and they don’t need too many chances to score.
“After the second goal it was really difficult for us to come back into the game.
“We tried to change some players, to change positionally and even our style playing more direct with Shane or Charlie but we never create this chance to try to score and be in the game.”