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Liverpool end season with madcap draw at relegated Southampton – 5 talking points
Southampton and Liverpool ended their disappointing seasons with a topsy-turvy eight-goal draw at St Mary’s.
The Reds raced into a two-goal lead on the south coast thanks to goals from Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino, on the latter’s final appearance for the Reds.
However, strikes from James Ward-Prowse and Kamaldeen Sulemana dragged the hosts level against a much-changed visitors, who then conceded again at the start of the second half when Sulemana ran from inside his own half to score.
Adam Armstrong made it 4-2 within seconds of coming on after a Jordan Henderson error, before quickfire goals from Cody Gakpo and Jota made it 4-4.
Mo Salah had several chances to win it for Liverpool but the hosts held on for a draw.
Here are the game’s talking points.
1. The final, final goodbyes
A week on from their farewells in front of the Kop, there were final starts for James Milner and Firmino in a Liverpool shirt – the rarely seen dark green one they should have sported more often this season.
The presence of both, plus the shuffling of the pack elsewhere, indicated that this really was a final day to get out of the way for Liverpool, who looked much more interested in the summer than on planning for the future.
Caoimhin Kelleher, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip and Kostas Tsimikas also got starts too, with the future of all four in question as the summer overhaul begins.
It is no wonder the game went wild.
2. Defending takes a week off
The sun was out on the south coast, and so defending on both sides decided to start the summer early.
The phrase ‘all at sea’ might well have been invented for the manner in which Southampton conceded the opening two goals to Jota and Firmino, before Liverpool then replied in kind with some horrendous defending to let the hosts back in it.
It was hardly the most serious of occasions.
3. Sulemana has all the tools
The club record January signing Sulemana has been rarely seen since pitching up on the south coast, but he showed here that he could just be a man to lead the fightback from the Championship.
His rapid pace was on show for Saints’ third goal as he raced through a fairly static Liverpool side, but having done so it was the coolness of his finish which really stood out.
Saints fans might feel his impact could be worth the wait.
4. Liverpool suddenly look full of goals
Much has been made of the poor defending and midfield play from Liverpool this season, but their attacking numbers have been way down too.
Injuries to Jota and Luis Diaz, the slow integration of Darwin Nunez and Firmino slowing down are all partial explanations for that, but the fact that the Reds didn’t have Gakpo on board until January is another reason too.
The Dutchman has looked so at home during his first half season with the club, and keeping him available along with Jota and Diaz has to be a key goal for Klopp next season.
5. Madcap ending to poor seasons
Despite the entertainment on show on the south coast, neither side can escape from the fact that these have been desperately poor seasons, something which has resulted in the Championship next season for one and the Europa League for the other.
Southampton are going through some off-field change and will need to make a solid start to next season to get fans on board with the idea of bouncing straight back, while Liverpool need a hard refresh as plenty leave and plenty arrive.
Both are likely to look very different on the last day of next season, when they’ll hope to be fighting for something more tangible.
