Liverpool vs Southampton LIVE: Premier League 2018-19 football as it happened at Anfield

Liverpool 3-0 Southampton
Premier League 2018/19
Venue: Anfield

Xherdhan Shaqiri emphatically proved wrong those who doubted his suitability for Liverpool with a starring role in the comfortable 3-0 victory over Southampton.

Some critics questioned his £12million signing from relegated Stoke in the summer but the Switzerland international marked his maiden start for the club with a hand in two first-half goals.

His deflected cross was turned in by Wesley Hoedt for the opener and a brilliant curling free-kick against the crossbar presented Mohamed Salah with a simple close-range effort for the third.

Either side of those, Joel Matip scored his first at Anfield, and his first anywhere since November, as Southampton were pulled apart by a Liverpool side still nowhere near top gear.

A sixth successive league victory - seventh in all competitions - maintained a 100 per cent record and took Jurgen Klopp's side back to the top of the table with an improved goal difference.

Relive the action with Standard Sport LIVE at Anfield!

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TV, online and live stream coverage

The match will not be televised live in the UK.

Standard Sport will have LIVE coverage from Anfield, with Liverpool correspondent David Lynch in attendance.

Head to head record

The sides have met 38 times in the Premier League, with Liverpool winning 18 of those games, Southampton 10, and the teams sharing 10 draws.

Liverpool got the better of the Saints last season, winning 3-0 at Anfield at 2-0 at St Mary's.

Team news

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Salah, Shaqiri, Mane, Firmino

Subs: Fabinho, Milner, Keita, Gomez, Sturridge, Moreno, Mignolet

Southampton XI: McCarthy, Vestergaard, Hoedt, Bertrand, Cedric, Hojbjerg, Romeu, Lemina, Targett, Redmond, Long

Subs: Yoshida, Davis, Austin, Ward-Prowse, Armstrong, Gunn, Bednarek

Referee: Paul Tierney (Lancashire)