SOUTHAMPTON 1 :6 LIVERPOOL

Liverpool cruised into the semifinals of the Capital
One Cup as fit-again Daniel Sturridge inspired a
stunning 6-1 win at Southampton.
Responding to manager Jurgen Klopp's subtle
suggestions that he needed to consider playing
even if not 100 percent fit, the striker
demonstrated masterful finishing ability with two
elegant goals to put his team in control after
Sadio Mane had headed Southampton into a first-
minute lead.
With a hat trick from Divock Origi -- his first goals
for the club -- and a further finish from substitute
Jordon Ibe, Klopp's team secured their place in
the competition's final four and moved the
manager ever nearer his first major trophy at the
club.
Klopp is just two months into his reign after
succeeding Brendan Rodgers who failed to win
silverware over three years at Anfield.
Having featured as a substitute in Sunday's 1-0
win at Swansea, Sturridge returned to Liverpool's
starting XI for the first time since the 1-1 draw at
Everton on Oct. 4, which proved to be Rodgers'
last game as manager.
He started alongside Adam Lallana and Origi in a
front three, but it was right-back Connor Randall,
making his second senior appearance, who
threatened to overshadow the striker's return for
entirely the wrong reasons.
In struggling to prevent Ryan Bertrand's left-wing
cross in the opening minute, Randall set the tone
for Liverpool's sluggish early defending which
very nearly cost them defeat. Bertrand's cross
found Mane, and under little pressure the forward
headed into the bottom right corner beyond
deputy goalkeeper Adam Bogdan.
Randall was almost immediately again under
pressure, this time when Dusan Tadic found the
space to cross for Victor Wanyama, but despite
having similar time and space to Mane from in
front of goal, the midfielder headed at Bogdan
who made a routine save.
Sturridge had looked worryingly short of
confidence with his first touches, when he
conceded possession and appeared reluctant to
over-extend his fragile physique. With his next,
however, he scored Liverpool's equalising goal,
and not only showed why he is their most
important player in the pursuit of winning the
Capital One Cup and finishing in the Premier
League's top four, but also why it is so important
he remains fit for England at Euro 2016.
Joe Allen played the striker into the penalty area
with a pass from midfield in the 25th minute, and
after hesitating he showed exceptional
composure to calmly place the ball across the
face of goal and into the bottom right corner
beyond Maarten Stekelenburg.
His second goal, four minutes later, was even
more impressive. Emre Can showed vision to send
the ball into the box with the outside of his boot,
and Sturridge lost Cedric before putting Liverpool
2-1 up with a classy first-time shot.
When Moreno's powerful shot, from the edge of
the area following Lallana's cleared corner, was
deflected in by Origi in the 45th minute,
Liverpool's progress into the semifinals already
began to feel secure.
Klopp appeared to feel similarly when, as a
precaution, he replaced Sturridge with Ibe in the
59th minute, and had he any remaining doubt it
would have vanished only nine minutes later
when Origi extended their lead.
When Allen found Ibe, the forward played Origi in
with a slide-rule ball into the box, and the now-
confident Belgian powerfully struck his team's
fourth into the roof of the net.
Eighteen minutes remained when Ibe, following a
left-wing cross from Moreno, sent an equally
powerful shot into the back of the net from just
inside the area after chesting the ball to control,
and even then Klopp's resurgent team had the
time and desire to score again.
Substitute Brad Smith crossed, again from the
left, deep into the penalty area towards Origi, and
the striker routinely headed in to secure
Liverpool's sixth, and his treble.
PLAYERS
Southampton Liverpool
22 Maarten Stekelenburg Adam Bogdan 34
17 Virgil van Dijk Dejan Lovren 6
26 Steven Caulker Martin Skrtel 37
21 Ryan Bertrand Alberto Moreno 18
2 Cedric Soares Connor Randall 56
10 Sadio Mane Divock Origi 27
12 Victor Wanyama Lucas 21
4 Jordy Clasie Adam Lallana 20
19 Graziano Pellé Joe Allen 24
8 Steven Davis Emre Can 23
11 Dusan Tadic Daniel Sturridge 15
Substitutes
3 Maya Yoshida James Milner 7
15 Cuco Martina Simon Mignolet 22
7 Shane Long Christian Benteke 9
14 Oriol Romeu Jordan Henderson 14
20 Juanmi Roberto Firmino 11
16 James Ward-Prowse Jordon Ibe 33
25 Paulo Gazzaniga Brad Smith 44