By Martin Rowe
Southampton conjured up a huge 3-1 win over in-form Liverpool at the weekend to secure a vital three points.
The Barclays Premier League match was the start of the final phase of the season that could see Saints either maintain their place in the division or face relegation to the Championship.
Jos Hooiveld partnered Maya Yoshida at the back as Nathaniel Clyne was reinstated into the Saints side.
While Pepe Reina was deemed not fit enough to start for the Reds so Brad Jones continued to deputise.
And it didn’t take long for an inspired Southampton to take the lead when a flighted cross by Gaston Ramirez found Jay Rodriguez who knocked the ball down to Morgan Schneiderlin who put the ball past Brad Jones after just six minutes.
Saints doubled their lead when Rickie Lambert’s free kick deflected off the wall and past Jones.
That was his 13th of the season and is now the highest scoring Englishman in the Premier League.
Liverpool were back in the game just before the break after Phillipe Coutinho pounced on a blocked attempt by Daniel Sturridge.
Coutinho, described by Mauricio Pochettino as ‘similar to Lionel Messi’, was chased by the Saints in January but chose Liverpool instead.
Saints sealed the points with 10 minutes remaining when Rodriguez received the ball and glided past three players, and despite his first attempt being saved initially, he pounced on the rebound to score his seventh goal of the season and compound Liverpool’s misery.