Premier League 2019/20: Liverpool survive Southampton scare to move top of the table

Liverpool defeated Southampton 2-1 in their second game of the 2019/20 Premier League season to equal their club record of 11 consecutive top-flight match wins.

Three days after beating Chelsea 5-4 on penalties in an exhausting Super Cup final in Istanbul, Liverpool were slow off the blocks despite coach Jurgen Klopp ringing the changes.

The home side conjured the clearer openings in the first half but it was Senegalese forward Sadio Mane who opened the scoring for Liverpool against the run of play with an exquisite strike on the cusp of half-time.

Mohamed Salah spurned an opportunity to score Liverpool's second of the game but Roberto Firmino was not as profligate, as the Brazilian doubled the Anfield club's advantage 19 minutes from time. A clean sheet was not to be though as Liverpool keeper Adrian's error helped Danny Ings pull a goal back for the home side.

Following his penalty save off Chelsea's Tammy Abraham to seal a fourth Super Cup title for Liverpool in midweek, Spanish keeper Adrian turned in an underwhelming performance at Southampton. Liverpool looked vulnerable at the back for large swathes of the game, in the absence of their injured first-choice keeper Alisson.

In a frantic finish to the game, Ings had a gilt-edged chance from close range to secure a share of the spoils for Southampton but wasteful finishing put paid to his team's hopes as Liverpool held on for a second win in as many games to go top of the Premier League table on goal difference, ahead of Arsenal.

Defending champions Manchester City, on the other hand, lost ground after being held to a 2-2 draw by Tottenham Hotspur. City thought they had won the game late when Gabriel Jesus netted in stoppage time, however, VAR disallowed the goal due to a handball by Aymeric Laporte in the build-up.