Liverpool close in on the top four as Thiago Alcantara scores his first goal for the Reds

Thiago Alcantara-Liverpool

Liverpool picked up a 2-0 win over Southampton in the Premier League earlier tonight.

The Reds will be desperate to secure Champions League qualification for the next season and tonight’s win takes them within six points of a top-four finish.

Sadio Mane scored the opening goal of the game on the 31st minute, and Thiago Alcantara wrapped up the scoring with a sensational long-range effort towards the end of the game.

Thiago should have stayed on against Newcastle

Liverpool dropped two points against Newcastle United in the last game after conceding a late goal.

The Reds lost control of the game after Jurgen Klopp decided to take off Thiago Alcantara.

The Spaniard’s performance tonight sums up why he should have stayed on until the end of the game.

His calmness and composure helped the Reds close out the game tonight against Southampton, and he could have done a similar job against the magpies last time out.

Alisson, the star of the show

The Brazilian goalkeeper produced a couple of big saves to keep a clean sheet tonight, and his side could have easily dropped points without his heroics.

Furthermore, Alisson did well to sweep up behind his defenders. The Brazilian was alert to dangers, and he came off his line to help out the back four-time and again.

Improvement needed in the final third

Liverpool managed to secure a 2-0 win over Southampton, but Jurgen Klopp will be expecting a better performance from his front three in the remaining matches.

The likes of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota had chances to increase Liverpool’s advantage. Still, they lacked the sharpness and the confidence to bury a vulnerable Southampton side tonight.