Report: Saints ousted at Anfield

Saints were outstanding in the first half in particular, especially the first 10 minutes in which they poured forward, creating chance after chance, but were unable to beat Liverpool’s cup specialist Caoimhin Kelleher in the home goal.

The Reds were fortunate to lead at half time, both on the balance of play and in the manner of the goal, as debutant Lewis Koumas’s shot deflected in off Jan Bednarek a minute before the interval.

There were further opportunities in the second period for Kamaldeen Sulemana, who had already hit the post in the first half, and Shea Charles, but Liverpool substitute Jayden Danns took the tie away from Saints with two goals in the last 20 minutes.

Russell Martin made eight changes to his side who fell to Saturday’s home defeat to Millwall, with only Jack Stephens, Jan Bednarek and Joe Aribo remaining in the starting line-up.

There was a first appearance of 2024 for James Bree, back from the injury he sustained at QPR just before Christmas, while Joe Lumley continued in goal as Saints’ cup keeper.

James Bree made his return from a two-month injury lay-off at Anfield

Saints have lacked their usual sharpness in the last couple of games, but the same could not be said of their start at Anfield.

Liverpool had barely touched the ball from the Saints kick-off when Sékou Mara had the ball in the net in front of the Kop, running in behind Virgil van Dijk to finish confidently from a fine Aribo pass, but he was a yard offside.

Aribo was instrumental again moments later, surging into Liverpool territory and jinking away from two challenges before slipping the ball to his left for Kamaldeen, who tried to pass the ball first time inside the far post and was unlucky to clip the outside of the upright.

Mara then pressed 19-year-old James McConnell into a mistake on the edge of his own box, setting up a chance on his left foot that Kelleher had to get down sharply to turn aside.

The Irish stopper, who kept a clean sheet in Liverpool’s Carabao Cup triumph at Wembley three days prior, was busy again when Charles fed the run of Samuel Edozie, who turned inside and saw his shot deflect into the path of Mara, but the keeper was equal to it when the Frenchman attempted to lift the ball over him.

That was all inside an outstanding first 10 minutes from the away team. Liverpool’s youngsters did slowly begin to get a grip on the game, but Saints kept coming.

Joe Aribo was impressive again in the Saints midfield

Joe Rothwell went close following his own half-cleared corner, drifting inside to open up the angle and sending a shot towards the far corner that just lacked enough curl to find the net.

The first moment of alarm would not arrive for 20 minutes. Saints had played out from the back brilliantly on a number of occasions but found themselves caught out when McConnell pounced and played a quick pass into Cody Gakpo, but a crucial intervention denied the Dutchman a clean route to goal.

At the other end, wide men Edozie and Kamaldeen were enjoying the space afforded to them by Liverpool’s typically high defensive line.

Kamaldeen, whose only two goals in Saints colours came against Liverpool on the final day of last season, was too slippery for Joe Gomez and Jarell Quansah, darting between the two and speeding away, but his shot was rather tame and Kelleher could fall on top of it.

The same could not be said of Harvey Elliott’s attempt two minutes before Koumas scored, as the midfielder struck a fierce 25-yard drive that sent Lumley flying to his right to get a strong palm to the ball.

But Lumley was powerless to prevent Koumas’s fairy-tale moment a minute before half time. Receiving the ball from fellow Academy starlet Bobby Clark, he found a yard of space on the edge of the box to hit a shot that looked destined to be a simple save for Lumley until it deflected off Jan Bednarek to wrong-foot the keeper and roll into the bottom corner.

It might have got worse for Saints when Koumas fed the run of Gakpo in stoppage time, but Lumley advanced to shut down the angle and Liverpool’s senior attacker dragged the chance wide.

Caoimhin Kelleher denies Kamaldeen Sulemana early in the second half

Scoreline aside, Martin must surely have been pleased with what his team had produced, and the pattern continued in the second half straight from the restart.

Edozie crossed from the right towards Mara, who was only denied a tap-in by Ibrahima Konaté, on for van Dijk at half time, before the ball ran through for Kamaldeen at the far post who was thwarted by the legs of Kelleher.

There was another Saints chance, this time for Bednarek, from a corner soon after, but the defender’s touch was too heavy when just a deft flick with the studs would have been sufficient.

Martin constantly demands courage and bravery from his players, which was certainly not in short supply here, but Saints were playing a dangerous game and a more clinical Gakpo might have put the tie beyond them when he pulled another shot wide of goal.

The Saints boss turned to his bench just before the hour mark, summoning two of his regulars in Kyle Walker-Peters and Adam Armstrong in place of Bree and Kamaldeen.

By now it was Saints’ corners that were worrying Liverpool, as Aribo glanced one off target, before Ryan Manning’s delivery reached the unmarked Charles at the far post, who had more time than he realised and rushed the chance, shooting into the side-netting from a position of huge promise.

Shea Charles fires into the side-netting from another presentable opportunity

Will Smallbone and Ché Adams were next to be called upon by Martin, still with more than 20 minutes left in the tie, but it was a Liverpool substitute that made the most telling impact.

When Saints lost the ball in their own half, Elliott was quick to capitalise and thread a pass in behind for Danns, who lifted the ball over the advancing Kelleher to double Liverpool’s lead, as another teenager celebrated his first senior goal.

Martin was dealt another potentially more significant setback when substitute Walker-Peters was forced off with injury, replaced by Taylor Harwood-Bellis after less than 20 minutes on the field.

It would prove to be a night to remember for Danns, as the 18-year-old added his second goal two minutes from time, following in Conor Bradley’s shot that was well saved by Lumley.

Liverpool: Kelleher, Gomez, Quansah, van Dijk (c) (Konaté 45), Tsimikas, Elliott (Nyoni 78), McConnell (Mac Allister 62), Clark, Bradley, Gakpo (Gordon 90), Koumas (Danns 63).

Unused substitutes: Adrián, Scanlon, Nallo, Diaz.

Goals: Koumas (44’), Danns (73’).

Southampton: Lumley, Bree (Walker-Peters 58, Harwood-Bellis 75), Stephens (c), Bednarek, Manning, Charles, Aribo, Rothwell (Smallbone 69), Edozie (Adams 69), Mara, Kamaldeen (A Armstrong 58).

Unused substitutes: McCarthy, Meghoma, Dibling, Amo-Ameyaw.

Yellow cards: Manning.

Referee: Craig Pawson.