Liverpool hold off Southampton fightback after Núñez and Elliott strikes

Yesterday at 05:06 PM

It was a night that Simon Rusk will never forget, the one when he took charge of Southampton for the first time in the wake of Russell Martin's sacking and carried the fight to Arne Slot and Liverpool. Nobody gave Southampton a prayer – and not only because they had conceded five in defeat in each of their previous two home matches. It has been a season of remorseless struggle for them.

When Liverpool surged into a two-goal lead before the interval, they were strolling and this Carabao Cup quarter-final looked over. Darwin Núñez scored the first and there was then a first goal of an injury-hit season for Harvey Elliott. Slot watched from up in the press box as he served a touchline suspension for three yellow cards. He was comfortable.