Milner misses first Liverpool penalty as Saints frustrate Reds

Saints goalkeeper Fraser Forster saved Milner's spot kick midway through the second half to ensure the Reds were held to a goalless draw at Anfield.

It means Liverpool have now failed to score in four games against the South Coast side this season.

This was a frustratingly typical 90 minutes for the Anfield faithful, with the visitors parking the bus and Jurgen Klopp's side wasting what few chances came their way.

Klopp surprised somewhat by once again naming an unchanged side, with Adam Lallana remaining among the substitutes and Philippe Coutinho fully recovered from the dead leg suffered on Monday night at Watford.

The first half was dire, Southampton using it as a training exercise in defending with their job made easier by a lack of pace and penetration from Liverpool.

Roberto Firmino, Coutinho and Emre Can all had speculative shots from range, but that was about the sum total of 45 minutes of dire football.

The second half didn't get much better, but Liverpool had a chance on 65 minutes to take the lead when Southampton defender Jack Stephens unwisely stuck out an arm when attempting to deal with a clipped Lucas Leiva ball.

Forster attempted to intimidate Milner by standing over the penalty spot, and it worked as he dived to his right to keep out the left-back's well-hit shot. It was the first penalty Milner had missed in the Premier League since November 2009.

Klopp threw on both Lallana and Daniel Sturridge in pursuit of a winner, but it was another substitute, Marko Grujic, who came closest with a header turned over brilliantly by Forster in injury time.

Now all eyes turned to the Emirates where Liverpool must hope Arsenal and Manchester United play out a draw with the race for the top four now almost certain to go to the final weekend of the season.

Source: Liverpool Echo

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