LIVERPOOL – In a show of total dominance, Liverpool overwhelmed Southampton 4-0 on Saturday and fell one point behind leaders Chelsea in the English Premier League.
Diogo Jota twice, Thiago Alcántara and Virgil van Dijk scored the goals.
Jürgen Klopp’s relentless side is the league’s top scorer with 39 goals – no team comes within less than eight – and with this victory they came close to leaders Chelsea, who face Manchester United on Sunday.
“It’s a fiery team,” said Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhüttl. “Amazing how well they play.”
Jota marked the time with his double, opening the account when just 97 seconds had elapsed. The Portuguese forward signed his second goal at 32 at the end of a play set up by Mohammed Salah and Jordan Henderson.
After a feint to evade a rival’s mark, Alcántara scored at 37 with a shot whose trajectory was deflected by the Brazilian central Lyanco. Van Dijk sentenced with a volley at 52.
“We could have scored more goals but we lacked a little more composure,” Klopp said.
NEWCASTLE SE DOGS
Newcastle, which have not won a single game since the start of the Premier League season, extended their winless streak to 13 matches by losing 2-0 to Arsenal on Saturday.
Bukayo Saka and the player who replaced him as a substitute, Gabriel Martinelli, scored in the second half. Colero Newcastle, recently acquired by the Saudis, suffered its seventh defeat.
Arsenal retained fifth place in standings but tied in points with fourth West Ham.
Saka opened the scoring in the 56th minute with a cross shot after a skillful pass from Nuno Tavares.
