David Lynch’s 5 Key Takeaways from Liverpool’s 2-1 Win Over Southampton | OneFootball

Liverpool Edge Southampton in Carabao Cup Thriller at Anfield

Liverpool booked their place in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over a spirited Southampton side at Anfield. The match, reviewed in depth by David Lynch on his YouTube channel, offered compelling talking points about squad depth, youth emergence and tactical resilience under Arne Slot.

Fringe players answer Slot’s call

With 11 changes to the starting XI, Slot took a bold approach. Lynch noted early on, “You were slightly worried that Liverpool’s knack of pulling a win out of the fire was maybe not going to translate over to the fringe players.” Yet, as has so often been the case under Slot, the Reds found a way, thanks to a late Hugo Ekitike winner.

Despite the win, Lynch was fair in his assessment, describing it as “a largely even contest” and giving credit to Southampton for their performance: “They came here… and they performed impressively really. You can see that in the numbers. 10 shots for Liverpool, 13 for Southampton. Expected goals: 1.85 to 1.87 in Southampton’s favour.”

He emphasised that while Liverpool had to “make the game”, Southampton could press and hit on the break — and did so with success.

Leoni and Chiesa shine on a night of firsts

One of the standout performers, according to Lynch, was debutant Giovani Leoni. The Italian, only recently signed, impressed massively before being stretchered off with a concerning injury. Lynch was full of praise: “He looked like he’d been here for years… 97% passing accuracy, the best of any player who played 45 minutes or more.” He added, “He dealt with Southampton’s press and physicality so well.”

The injury was a sour note: “He looked in an awful lot of pain… would you be really that surprised if his season’s over after that?” Lynch admitted he hoped for better news but feared a serious layoff.

Federico Chiesa was another name Lynch couldn’t ignore. The Italian winger delivered “his best performance for Liverpool since coming in last summer,” notching two assists and creating more chances than anyone else on the pitch. “He worked his socks off throughout,” Lynch said, praising not just his creativity but his work rate off the ball. With four shots, four chances created and five ground duels won, Lynch believes Chiesa “deserves to play more and I hope he can build on that.”

Striking options pay off handsomely

Liverpool’s decision to sign both Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak had drawn criticism from some quarters, but Lynch believes this match vindicated that strategy. “Can you imagine a better example of this working?” he asked rhetorically. “Both played a half each and both scored.”

Isak opened the scoring and “could have had a second” within the opening minute. Ekitike, who came on in the second half, struck the winner before being sent off for a second yellow card, a moment Lynch described as “a moment of madness.”

Even with the red card, Lynch defended Ekitike’s impact, noting: “That’s five goals from eight appearances for Liverpool so far. Ridiculous numbers.”

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The depth up front, he stressed, is essential: “You cannot do that by driving Alexander Isak into the ground or doing the same with Hugo Ekitike… you need them both.”

Squad value and competition benefits

Beyond individual performances, Lynch highlighted the importance of progressing in the Carabao Cup. “This is such an important opportunity to use the squad to its full extent… you need to get minutes into these players.” Joe Gomez and others, he noted, benefited from the rotation.

Federico Chiesa’s absence from both the Premier League and Champions League squads raised eyebrows, but Lynch believes “a performance like that has got to move him up the pecking order slightly.”

In summary, Lynch’s analysis leaves no doubt that Liverpool’s win over Southampton was more than just a cup tie victory. It was a night that underscored the value of depth, the promise of youth and the hard truths of elite competition.