Mohamed Salah ended his goal drought as Liverpool ran out 3-0 winners over Southampton.

The deadlock was broken when Wesley Hoedt turned Xherdan Shaqiri’s cross into his own net before Joel Matip doubled the advantage with a close-range header.

Jurgen Klopp’s side maintained their flawless start to the season on the stroke of half-time when Salah prodded home after a Shaqiri free kick rattled the crossbar.

Here were the key talking points from Anfield:

Klopp makes his own Anfield history

 

History is a subject Jurgen Klopp has routinely shied away from at Liverpool, but a win over the Saints etched the German’s name into Anfield’s rich tapestry.

No manager in its 126-year history managed to triumph in all seven of their opening fixtures to a new season. Even the great Bill Shankly only mustered six.

Kenny Dalglish’s side recorded 10 successive victories at the start of 1990/91 yet it was preceded by a 1-1 draw with Manchester United in the Charity Shield.

Klopp may not yet have the silverware to match his illustrious predecessors but his new-found place in Liverpool’s record books can no longer be under dispute.

Shaqiri showcase vindicates Reds’ gamble

 

Xherdan Shaqiri’s Liverpool career was always going to be a question of patience.

With Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino occupying the front line and a largely settled midfield, he would always need to seek opportunities where possible.

Fresh from Tuesday’s game-changing cameo against Paris Saint-Germain, Shaqiri underlined again just why Klopp views him as a useful alternative to call upon.

Cutting inside, his cross led to a comedy of errors in the South Coast side’s defence that culminated in Wesley Hoedt turning the ball into his own net.

He deserved a goal in his own right and should have had it on the stroke of half-time but for the woodwork, from which Salah finally ended his goal drought.

Shaqiri’s signing represented a gamble for Liverpool. His quality has never been disputed but he flattered to deceive during a three-season spell with Stoke City.

Already, that bold decision is beginning to reap a handsome reward.

Salah proves class is permanent

 

Form is temporary and class is permanent – and Salah remains living proof.

Three score-less outings in succession had seen the Egyptian questioned. True to the classic footballing adage, however, he was never going to fade into obscurity.

Before turning in Shaqiri’s stoppage-time free kick, he had done everything expected of him; regularly offering an outlet for his teammates in attack.

All that was lacking was a goal, which may have come sooner had a brilliant back-heeled effort found itself on the right side of Alex McCarthy’s left-hand post.

Klopp’s lack of concern at Salah’s inability to find the target was well-founded it seems.

Heavy metal football at half-tilt

 

Liverpool are yet to find their stride but at half-tilt, they remain impressive.

Klopp made three changes to his starting line-up, with Shaqiri’s start afforded James Milner a needed rest while Joel Matip replaced Joe Gomez in defence.

With less than a half-hour played, they were two goals to the good and though another followed before the break, stayed in cruise control from thereon.

Southampton never looked like posing any genuine threat to their hosts’ goal, even when Virgil van Dijk succumbed to injury midway through the second half.

Next week’s double-header with Chelsea will likely produce a more considered approach but Klopp’s side continue to overpower without fully breaking stride.