Southampton 0-1 Liverpool
An outstanding performance by Liverpool away to high flying Southampton resulted in the Reds finally ending their long wait for a league win, as they inflicted the first home defeat of the season on Southampton.
After a run of 11 league games without a win, Liverpool clearly looked to take the game to Southampton and attacked Saints' goal straight from the kick off, with Riise forcing Anti Niemi into a save after only 16 seconds, and Owen following up with a shot which Niemi again was required to keep out.
Niemi was in fine form, as he was for Southampton's 3-1 Worthington Cup defeat at Anfield in November, and Liverpool's forwards were determined to make life as difficult as possible for the Finnish 'keeper, with 11 shots on the home side's goal in a first half totally dominated by Liverpool.
Following the efforts of Riise and Owen, Danny Murphy was next in line to try his luck at beating Niemi, but the keeper was equal to Murphy's fine volley fom 20 yards, and produced a one handed stop to push the ball away from goal.
With the Reds winning every ball and pinning Southampton back into their own half for much of the opening stages of the game, it came as no surprise that they took an early lead, and Emile Heskey was the scorer, with his first goal in 19 games.
John Arne Riise played a free kick deep intot he Southampton penalty area, and Heskey rose above and a header into the bottom corner of Niemi's goal with the helpless to prevent the ball hitting the back of the net.
The goal was no more than Liverpool deserved, and both the goal provider, Riise, and the scorer, Heskey, came close to doubling the lead soon after. Riise saw a close range shot blocked by a Saints' defender, while Heskey looked certain to add his name to the scoresheet for the second time on the night when he was played through on goal by Gerrard. The big striker took his time and kept his composure, but eventually saw his low struck shot blocked by the legs of Niemi.
Gerrard, who dominated the midfield from start to finish, was next in line to try his luck at goal, but after winning the ball on the half way line from Chris Marsden, and sprinting towards goal, Gerrard's shot was unable to test the keeper as the ball flew narrowly over the goal at the end of the ground where Gerrard had scored a wonder goal for England earlier in the season.
Southampton came back into the match in the second half, with Kirkland called into action a little more frequently than during the first 45 minutes, but the best chance of the half again fell Liverpool's way, with Michael Owen shooting wide from just 6 yards out after Riise had found him with a precise cross during a quick break by Liverpool.
The travelling Kop were in good voice throughout, and as 'You'll Never Walk Alone' was being sung loud and clear from the away section of the crowd, the players on the pitch defended one last cross by a Southampton side desperately looking to maintain their unbeaten home record.
The Saints just couldn't breach the Liverpool defence though, and Liverpool held out for a thoroughly deserved win, ending a terrible run of league results in the process.
With Chelsea beaten earlier in the day by Man United, Liverpool are now just 3 points away from a Champions League place, with a third of the season remaining.
