Slot should take credit for evolution of Darwin

HAVING rather harshly called him out for his attitude and effort recently, perhaps Arne Slot - sat high in the stands - thought he owed Darwin Nunez a favour.

- ANDY DUNN

Perhaps he thought hooking the Uruguayan striker at half-time would have added a grievous insult to the injury his criticism had caused.

But in truth, few people inside Anfield would have been surprised if Nunez had not appeared for the second half of this contest.

Had referee Lewis Smith - or Matt Donohue, on VAR - decided that the Nunez chase of Kyle Walker-Peters and subsequent, premeditated kick at the Southampton fullback was worthy of a red card, Liverpool would have been reduced to 10 men just before the interval - and just after Southampton's Will Smallbone had opened the scoring.

Officiating-wise, it was a decisive moment in the match - and it was not the only one of those that favoured the hosts and maybe signalled that the Reds boss has doubts about one or two of his squad.

Does he have total faith in players such as Harvey Elliott, Wataru Endo and Jarell Quansah? Maybe not.