It was an evening that Simon Rusk will always remember, the one when he took cost of Southampton for the primary time within the wake of Russell Martin’s sacking and carried the battle to Arne Slot and Liverpool. No one gave Southampton a prayer – and never solely as a result of they’d conceded 5 in defeat in every of their earlier two house matches. It has been a season of remorseless battle for them.
When Liverpool surged right into a two-goal lead earlier than the interval, they had been strolling and this Carabao Cup quarter-final appeared over. Darwin Núñez scored the primary and there was then a primary objective of an injury-hit season for Harvey Elliott. Slot watched from up within the press field as he served a touchline suspension for 3 yellow playing cards. He was snug.
After which he was not as a result of Southampton had been vibrant and harmful within the second half. Jordan Archer obtained again them again into it and he would miss a giant likelihood for the equaliser. Southampton had different sparkles, not least in stoppage time when Mateus Fernandes felt he was dragged down for a penalty by Jarell Quansah. The referee, Simon Hooper, was unmoved. Liverpool had finished sufficient.
Speak about a baptism of fireside for Rusk, a knockout tie in opposition to absolutely the perfect workforce in Europe thus far this season. Rusk’s expertise as a supervisor had gone no additional than a spell on the helm of Stockport within the Nationwide League in 2021. He’s finest recognized for his work as a youth degree coach; he was answerable for the England Underneath-19s from August 2022 till the tip of 2023.
Rusk was up in opposition to what needed to be described as an experimental Liverpool. Slot might have named a wonderful XI – just about – from the gamers he couldn’t or didn’t name upon however the focus was on these he chosen, taking in Wataru Endo in central defence and 17-year-old Trey Nyoni’s full debut in midfield.
Slot was not the primary Premier League supervisor to take up short-term residence with the dreamers and romantics of the media. Arsène Wenger, for instance, as soon as squeezed himself into the Stamford Bridge press field at Chelsea in 2018 as he served a ban. Wenger kicked each ball that evening.
The view right here is extra panoramic and Slot might benefit from the spectacle of his workforce taking management after the halfway level of the primary half. The breakthrough objective was outlined by Trent Alexander-Arnold’s composure on the ball. He was Liverpool’s final man and Southampton had Cameron Archer and Mateus Fernandes round him however, not for the primary time, Alexander-Arnold merely swayed to step up and away.
His left-footed go for Núñez was diverted up and again by Jan Bednarek on the stretch and, at that time, each Southampton fan needed the goalkeeper, Alex McCarthy, to hurry out. He stayed at house after which slipped, permitting the Uruguayan to comb previous him.
Slot had began Nyoni on the left of the midfield three however he moved him over to the right-wing earlier than the half hour. Elliott tucked in from the fitting and Alexis Mac Allister went to left midfield. The transfer was swiftly rewarded.
One other tactical element was how Endo moved up into midfield when Liverpool had possession and he was concerned within the second, taking part in a return go to Cody Gakpo, who went proper to Elliott. The primary contact was good; the end was low and agency, helped by a slight nick off Ryan Manning.
Rusk had set as much as be stable; 5 on the again, 4 throughout midfield. Tyler Dibling appeared to impose himself off the fitting wing and he shot at Caoimhin Kelleher after a Southampton break within the twentieth minute.
However Liverpool had been snug within the first half they usually might need had one other objective. Mac Allister drew a sensible save out of McCarthy after an Alexander-Arnold go. Earlier, Taylor Harwood-Bellis blocked to disclaim Elliott.
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Slot tweaked once more for the second-half, introducing Kostas Tsimikas at left-back and Federico Chiesa on the right-wing. Off went Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez. It meant that Tyler Morton moved from defensive midfield to right-back, Mac Allister dropped in entrance of the defence and Nyoni went to the left of midfield. Slot has to like the flexibleness of his gamers.
Southampton wanted a break they usually obtained one when an tried go from Mateus Fernandes smacked Endo full within the face, laying him out and falling for Archer, who surged up the inside-left earlier than chopping inside Morton and Jarell Quansah. He formed an exquisite roller into the far nook.
It was recreation on and Southampton had been so near the equaliser on 61 minutes. The substitute, Yuki Sugawara, crossed and Archer flicked at objective from close-range, Kelleher making a high-quality response save and Morton finishing the clearance from in entrance of the road.
Slot doubled down on his choice coverage for the evening, James McConnell for Alexis Mac Allister within the 63rd minute additional proof of it. The supervisor needed to supply alternatives. Southampton sensed one.
The substitute, Paul Onuachu, was crowded out after one run and there was additionally the second when he couldn’t type out his ft after a cross from one other substitute, Kamaldeen Sulemana.
Liverpool went shut by way of Federico Chiesa – he had one shot cleared of the road by Taylor Harwood-Bellis – after which, on the very finish, got here the penalty drama.
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