This is how national media outlets reacted to Liverpool’s failure to beat bottom-placed Southampton on the final day
The national media’s reaction to Liverpool’s 4-4 draw with Southampton on the final day of the Premier League season.
Liverpool’s season has been dubbed “unacceptable.” – The Daily Mail
The Daily Mail’s Isaan Khan joked that Liverpool made Southampton look like a different team than the one that finished 20th. There was also a nod to James Milner and Roberto Firmino’s emotional goodbyes, with the former receiving the armband.
“One had to double-check the crest on the home team’s shirt as to how, and why, they were performing so well in some periods of the match,” he wrote. “Their forwards took advantage of every opportunity.” It gave fans something to cheer about, and it gave James Ward-Prowse and Theo Walcott a fitting send-off.
“The Reds eventually leveled, but it was largely due to the two men signing off one last time.” On his 619th Premier League appearance, James Milner was given the captain’s armband, while Firmino was given his 362nd.
“The pair are adored by these fans, and rightly so; they have won the Premier League and the Champions League.”
“Their standing ovation at the end at least glossed over, for one day, a decidedly underwhelming campaign in which Liverpool failed to qualify for the Champions League for the first time since 2016.” That is unacceptable in these parts, and Jurgen Klopp is well aware of it.”
Sky Sports reports that the Saints went out with a band.
Sky Sports focused on Southampton’s ability to go down fighting rather than Liverpool’s defensive blunders. The Saints have known their fate since May 13 and have been at the bottom of the Premier League for the majority of the season.
“Saints’ fate was sealed long before the final whistle, with their relegation confirmed two weeks ago,” Laura Hunter wrote. “But they were determined to go out with a bang, coming back from two goals down to win 4-2 in a crazy, but brilliant, 90 minutes of football.”
“Liverpool raced into a two-goal lead inside 14 minutes, thanks to goals from Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino, the latter marking his fond farewell to the club with goals in back-to-back games, having also rescued a draw at Anfield against Aston Villa last time out.”
“Saints re-emerged buoyant, stunning Liverpool with another Sulemana scalp – only his second goal since arriving in January – before Adam Armstrong found the net 49 seconds after entering the field from the substitute’s bench,” said outgoing manager Ruben Selles.
“In the 72nd minute, Cody Gakpo delivered the requisite response for the visitors, tapping home from a sumptuous Trent Alexander-Arnold volleyed cross, paving the way for Jota to have the final say less than 60 seconds later.”
At St Mary’s, the Reds ‘blew’ the game.
The Independent preferred to focus on Liverpool giving up a two-goal lead rather than clawing back the same deficit late on. “Liverpool blew a two-goal lead before battling back from 4-2 down to finish an underwhelming Premier League season with a remarkable 4-4 draw at relegated Southampton,” wrote Ed Elliot.
“On a chaotic afternoon at St Mary’s, quick-fire finishes from Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota salvaged a point for Jurgen Klopp’s side.” After Kamaldeen Sulemana’s brace and goals from James Ward-Prowse and Adam Armstrong overturned early goals from Jota and Roberto Firmino, Saints looked set to end a disappointing season in style.
“But Southampton’s final match under manager Ruben Selles, who is expected to be replaced by Swansea boss Russell Martin in the coming days, ended all square after Gakpo and Jota struck in the space of a minute.”
The ECHO verdict on a game that encapsulates an entire season
“Having regularly flitted between the sublime and the ridiculous over the last nine months, it was only fitting Liverpool did it one last time here at Southampton,” our man Paul Gorst said of the tie and the campaign.
“A remarkable game that ebbed and flowed until the very last seconds ended in a 4-4 draw that, despite its ultimately meaningless nature, acted as a microcosm for much of what has been a difficult campaign at Anfield, bu
t one that was still spliced with enough memorable moments to sustain plenty of optimism in the coming months.”
“A new sporting director is on his way in Jorg Schmadtke, and a big-spending window is required to properly rejuvenate a squad of players who have given so much to their manager and supporters in recent years,” his report continued. The Anfield Road development is also nearing completion, and if the stars align over the summer, there is still much to look forward to as a resident.
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