Darwin Nunez scored one goal and won a penalty for another after surviving a VAR red card review as Liverpool came from behind to beat Southampton 3-1 at Anfield and extend their lead at the top of the table to 16 points.
Nunez aimed a kick at Kyle Walker-Peters in first-half stoppage time but was shown only a yellow card by referee Lewis Smith, refereeing just his sixth Premier League game, before VAR Derek Eaton ruled there had been no clear and obvious error.
Southampton were superb across the first 45 minutes and found themselves ahead at the time of Nunez’s indescretion, after Will Smallbone had shocked Anfield moments earlier by slotting in an opener following a mix-up between Alisson and Virgil Van Dijk.
Any grievances they may have had at the interval would have been compounded when Nunez pulled the Reds level six minutes into the second half, slotting home after Luis Diaz had isolated Walker-Peters out wide.
Liverpool had flown out of the blocks in the second half following the half-time introduction of Andrew Robertson, Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott. But Southampton were equally masters of their own downfall, and less than two minutes later gave the Reds the chance to turn the game on its head when Smallbone clumsily brought down Nunez in his own box.
Mo Salah needed no second invitation to net his 26th goal in 29 Premier League games this season, before making that 27 with another from the spot late on following Yukinari Sugawara’s handball.
That put the shine on a victory which sent Liverpool 16 points clear at the top of the table – with Southampton left to wonder what might have been had Nunez walked.
More to follow…
