Joel Matip’s stooping header gave Liverpool a 2-1 win at Southampton on Tuesday (May 17) to maintain the Premier League title race alive till the final day of the season. The outcome leaves Liverpool some extent behind leaders Manchester City ahead of Sunday’s (May 21) last round of games when City are at home to Aston Villa and Liverpool host Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield.
City have 90 points with Liverpool on 89, that means that victory for Pep Guardiola’s aspect in opposition to Villa, managed by former Reds captain Steven Gerrard, would secure their fourth league title in 5 seasons. Juergen Klopp changed 9 of the team who beat Chelsea on penalties within the FA Cup final on Saturday with Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah injured but several others rested.
Klopp’s alternative was looking questionable when Southampton took a 13th-minute lead via a wonderful Nathan Redmond strike after the winger had reduce in from the left flank. Roberto Firmino, who led the line within the absence of Sadio Mane, had a header dominated out for offside because the visitors sought a fast way back into the game.
Watch Liverpool’s Joel Matip score in opposition to Southampton here…
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Heading in a crucial winner to take all three points at St Mary’s pic.twitter.com/CkQ9WEdC60
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 17, 2022
Liverpool, who face Real Madrid within the Champions League final on May 28, drew level within the 27th minute with Takumi Minamino, who spent a mortgage spell with Southampton final season, firing a fierce shot in on the close to post. Defender Joe Gomez, whose Liverpool career has been hampered by injuries, needed to be substituted on the interval after struggling what seemed to be an ankle injury simply earlier than the break.
The goal had taken the wind out of Southampton`s sails and it was no surprise when Liverpool secured the three points after Kostas Tsimikas’s nook was headed in by Matip within the 67th minute. It was a weak effort by Southampton and Liverpool had little bother seeing out the rest of the game and organising what might be a tense final day.
James Milner, the 36-year-old utility player who was given a uncommon begin, praised the back-up gamers for the way in which they took on the game. “The guys are incredible. The guys who may not have played as much but you see it in training every day the level they put in and you can see it when they need to step up,” he stated.
“It is a special group of players and a special football club. We fight to the end and keep going. All we can do is take it as far as we can,” he added.
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