Liverpool will have it all to do in the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final after Nathan Redmond gave Southampton the upper hand in the tie.
The winger’s first half strike was all that separated the teams at St Mary’s as Jurgen Klopp’s side struggled to pose any real attacking threat to the hosts.
Philippe Coutinho made a long-awaited return after six weeks on the sidelines while the Reds had Loris Karius to thank for keeping the deficit to a minimum.
Here were the key talking points from St Mary’s:
Reds do it the hard way again
Liverpool will identify with Southampton’s garish rendition of ‘My Way’ which greeted the kick-off and final whistle of this encounter.
Much like Frank Sinatra’s signature tune, they continue to do things their own way in the EFL Cup – the hard way.
No matter the opposition or the scenario, one thing has remained consistent about the Reds’ love affair with the competition they have contested 12 times.
Even when they seized the upper hand against Stoke City just 12 months ago, they headed home to Anfield with a slender one-goal advantage to protect.
Now they will have to overcome that same deficit against another team sporting red and white stripes if the Wembley champagne is to remain on ice.
Can’s nightmare season continues
If Juventus’ reported interest in Emre Can is legitimate, Liverpool should be currently asking at least one serious question of the Serie A champions.
Just how much are they prepared to pay for him?
The Germany international has hardly covered himself in glory this season with performances that have been far below-par and this was the latest instance.
Time may remain very much on Can’s side – he turns 23 tomorrow – but there can be no disputing that his decision-making suffered a fresh nadir at St Mary’s.
Karius keeps it low
Jurgen Klopp’s faith in Loris Karius had been increasingly misplaced of late.
Countless public votes of confidence from the Liverpool manager had rang hollow after his goalkeeper’s dubious performances failed to repay that faith.
But Karius may have finally turned Anfield’s much-derided corner with a performance that has ensured his side a fighting chance in a fortnight’s time.
Had he not denied Redmond at regular intervals, the score line may have proved far more insurmountable than the current margin heading into the second leg.
Although he will not be retaining his place for Sunday’s trip to Manchester United, Karius’ road to redemption has finally taken a significant upturn.
Ex-Saints become sinners
None of Liverpool’s trio returning to their former St Mary’s stomping ground will look back on this latest soujourn with any degree of fondness.
Klopp’s admission that Adam Lallana’s debut season at Anfield was an imperfect one was hardly an earth-shattering statistic nor was it well-timed in light of this showing.
Both his passing and crossing were sloppy and save for an early cushioned header for Roberto Firmino, he offered very little else in attack.
He was not alone. Nathaniel Clyne also appeared a pale imitation as he failed to track Redmond in the moments leading up to the fatal 20th-minute goal.
Dejan Lovren was the only one of the three included that escaped wth any real credibility even if he failed to evade the merciless abuse of the home crowd.