Origi and Sturridge star for rampant Reds

Already Jurgen Klopp senses the silverware but beyond that there will be delight at how Sturridge inspired such a comeback on his comeback which lasted just under an hour and included a devastating five-minute, two-goal spell.

This was the striker’s first start under the manager who had suggested that he and the club needed to manage the way he deals with injuries better. Need to manage the pain. But this was most definitely serious pain for Southampton.

There were goals for Sturridge and even more for Divock Origi, a hat-trick, his first goals for Liverpool, as Klopp’s side – and it now really looks like Klopp’s side – produced another impressive, high-energy performance. The Saints succumbed. Not that it had started that way.

Klopp had breezily brushed off the fact that he had made six changes. Inside a minute – 39 seconds to be precise – he may have wished he had made seven.

Southampton scored and there was no doubt that Alberto Moreno, one of the five who also started against Swansea City on Sunday, was culpable as he simply allowed Sadio Mane to run across him to meet a centre from Ryan Bertrand after the full-back had been teed up by Dusan Tadic down the Liverpool right. Mane rose and planted a powerful close-range header beyond Adam Bogdan. Simple as that.

Soon after and Mane met another cross, this time from Tadic, with Joe Allen failing to track him. The header was held by Bogdan. It was clear that another one of the Liverpool changes in Connor Randall - at right-back for Nathaniel Clyne – was quickly being exposed with Tadic running at the 20-year-old, who blocked him off, earning an early caution.

A shot by Steven Davis sailed over and a header from Dejan Lovren – like Adam Lallana booed against his former club – drifted wide from a corner with the early goal increasing the pace even further. Finally Liverpool got a run with Divock Origi breaking only for his low cross to run behind the onrushing Sturridge.

Yes, Sturridge. The striker had not started a game since Brendan Rodgers’ last game in charge, the Merseyside derby in early October, and, with England manager Roy Hodgson watching, the attention had trained on him prior to the kick-off.

Hodgson will have been delighted by what he then witnessed as Sturridge latched onto a long ball forward from Allen, taking it away from Steven Caulker, who fatally backed off, checking and then striking a low left-foot shot back across Maarten Stekelenburg and into the net.

In a few seconds there was what Liverpool, and England, have missed; there was further compelling evidence of what a high-class striker Sturridge is.

He was not finished there. Liverpool won possession back, with Lallana pressing high, and he slipped a short pass to Emre Can then who struck a brilliant angled ball over the Southampton defence, and with the outside of his right boot, that Sturridge ran onto.

Adjusting Sturridge waited for the ball to bounce in front of him and the guided it beyond the stranded Stekelenburg for the calmest of finishes.

Southampton were stung and tried to respond and claimed for a penalty when Tadic tried to lift the ball past Randall who seemed to lean into it with his arm. Referee Robert Madley was unmoved. The frustration of the home fans rose. Then they were stunned. Liverpool won a corner. It was half-cleared by Virgil Van Dijk with the ball running to Moreno who struck a crisp, first-time shot that Origi deftly flicked back Stekelenburg who may well have had it covered.

It was also Origi’s first goal for Liverpool. And it came just before the half-time.

What did Southampton have left?

A chance dropped to Graziano Pelle, finally in behind Martin Skrtel, but he sacrificed power for accuracy and Bogdan easily held his shot.

They were struggling to gain momentum although Mane was given a glimpse of goal, after an incisive pass from Cedric Soares, but his shot on the run inside the area was blocked by the covering Lovren.

Liverpool also continued to threaten with Lallana turning sharply, running at goal but then slicing his shot wide before Klopp, sensibly, withdrew Sturridge who he had already called over and spoken to about how long he would remain on the pitch for.

His absence was not felt. In fact his replacement, Jordon Ibe, then created the opportunity from which Origi killed this contest. Ibe ran inside and slid a pass. Again Caulker stood off but even so Origi had much to do - and then proceeded to do it as he hammered a fierce-right foot shot that flew past Stekelenburg.

Liverpool were not finished. Ibe scored. He chested down Moreno’s cross and, as Van Dijk was slow to react, drilled a low right-foot shot just inside the post.

Finally it did end, near the end, with Origi claiming his third as he headed home substitute Brad Smith’s cross. Devastating.

Source: Telegraph

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.