Southampton - Liverpool summary: Matip goal, scores, stats and highlights, Premier League 2021-22

It will take something special from Villa to prevent Pep Guardiola's side claiming the title at home on Sunday but Liverpool have been relentless to take it to the wire.

Here's how the top of the table looks now, just the one point in it as we go into the final round of fixtures on Sunday.

And there's the whistle! Liverpool come from behind and carve out a 2-1 win to keep the title race alive until the final day!

At the risk of repetition, Konaté again dives in to make a stop and Liverpool have a free kick that they will be in no hurry to take.

Saint are continuing to push and once again Konaté makes two vital clearances.

Ah, no, not given. Liverpool awarded a free kick instead. Three minutes added.

Corner to Saints as Milner flies in to stop Ward-Prowse getting a sniff.

Redmond! The possibility of Southampton levelling this hadnt really occurred to anybody outside of Saint Mary's given their shot count but the winger has other ideas and stings Alisson's palms with a decent effort from the edge of the area.

Konaté! A goal would really cap an excellent performance from the defender and he rises highest in the area to meet Tsimikas' corner but heads just over.

Lyanco turns on the style for Saints, flicking the ball over Origi's head, and the Belgian responds with a foul.

Saints thrown on Che Adams for Broja as Firmino makes way for Naby Keita.

21 shots now from the visitors, just the three from Saints, and only one of those on target.

Liverpool are quite happy to try and keep possesion in the centre of the park now. It's job done as far as the visitors are concerned but they'll push for a third just to make sure if the chance arises, without leaving anything for Saints to exploit.

Konaté makes his presence felt again as he gets across Broja to prevent a break. What a game the Frenchman has put in this evening.

Tsimikas, the hero of the FA Cup final, uses his left peg to good effect again as he nicks the ball off Walker-Peters' boot on the far side of the area. Great defending there.

He doesn't get many and Van Dijk said the other day that he has full faith in his understudy to do the job when the big Dutchman is unavailable and he has come up trumps this evening with what could be a pivotal goal in the title race.

It had been coming but few would have expected it to come from that source! Liverpool swing in yet another corner, Saints clear and Matip reacts quickest to knock it back in with his head without even moving!

If Southampton hang on for a point here, we fully expect a statue of Salisu to be erected outside Saint Mary's tomorrow morning.

Harvey Elliott makes way and Origi takes to the pitch. You wouldn't bet against it, would you?

Movement on the bench and it's Divock "Big Time" Origi who is preparing to come on! He knows a thing or two about scoring important goals, does the Belgian.

Jones! The youngster's involvement has been sporadic this evening but he narrowly misses the target with a curling effort.

74 percent possession for Liverpool and 16 shots from the visitors. Just the three from the hosts.

Another corner for Liverpool, the visitors' seventh of the game... Milner tees up Elliott on the edge of the area but he scuffs his shot. It's all Liverpool at the moment.

Elliott! The youngster gets on the end of a ball into the area and hammers a shot into the side netting. That might even have shaved the post.

The brick wall that is Konaté breaks up a Saints attack and Liverpool launch forward, Redmond, the scorer of the opening goal, firmly operating as a full back now.

There's a bit of pinball in the Saints area and Jota lashes a boot at the loose ball but Stephens makes the block.

Saint Mary's holds its breath as Ward-Prowse gets a chance at a free in Ward-Prowse territory. He's the finest free-kick taker in the league at the moment but can't clear the wall on this occasion.

Jordan Henderson on for Gomez at half time. Let's hope that was nothing too serious after all the injury issues he has had.

Jota! A lovely touch from the Portuguese to tee himself up and he flashes a shot just wide!

We're back underway at Saint Mary's!

And there's the whistle! 1-1 at the break, which isn't a bad result for a very experimental Liverpool side against one that has had 10 days to prepare for this game. Klopp knows that only victory will do though and we suspect we'll see some of the bench-warming big guns before too long.

Gomez gets to the touchline on his own feet though and both sets of fans applaud. It looked like he might have broken something there for a moment.

Saint Mary's has fallen silent as Joe Gomez goes down under a challenge with Nathan Tella. Klopp is wincing and there's movement on the bench already. That looked nasty.

Liverpool launch forward from their own half after a Southampton attack came to nothing and Elliott tries to turn the ball back into the area but is closed down by Diallo.

Salisu is performing a similar task for Saints at the back, the head of the Ghanaian repelling everything that isn't coming into the area at ground level.

Whatever else happens in this game, Konaté is an early contender for man of the match. The Liverpool defender is covering the lines at the back so expertly he is pretty much single-handedly preventing Saints from hitting on the break on the wings.

Firmino! The Brazilian goes close but that was all James Milner, who read a ball out from the defence and played a one-touch pass worthy of Zidane to his striker. What a signing the former England international was for the Reds. He really is the perfect all-rounder. He'd probably do alright in goal if it came to it.

Firmino! What a read from the Brazilian who sneaks in to clip Elliott's deflected cross towards goal. Ward-Prowse is there to turn it behind for a corner. Liverpool have ratched it up a gear now and Saints are buckling.

Jones! Liverpool have their tails up now and the youngster flashes a shot just wide of the post.

What a story for the Japanese player, who latches onto a layoff in the area and lashes a shot past McCarthy at the near post. Firmino was clever enough to tuck the ball back towards the far side and Jota provided the tee-up for Minamino to take his swing and Liverpool are level! 

Liverpool are now playing almost exclusively in Southampton's half and the home side are finding it difficult to being the ball out, largely due to the presence of at least two Konatés on the pitch.

A reminder, if one were needed, that if the result here remains in Saints' favour, City will win the title with a game to spare.

Joe Gomez goes down a little too easily under the attention of Mohammed Salisu and the ref is rightly having none of that.

Saints' goal does seem to have reminded the visitors that they really can't afford to lose this one though and Klopp's side are now attacking with more clarity.

Goooooooooo.... nope! Flag is up! Firmino has the ball in the net from a free kick but the Brazilian and at least two other Liverpool players had been caught offside.

Jota! Liverpool attempt to reply straight away and the Portuguese international sees his shot deflected behind for a corner.

Southampton move the ball quickly from the back and find the winger out on the left. He cuts inside, dances through two challenges and picks his spot, leathering a shot past Alisson from just inside the area. What a goal from the one-cap England international!

Goooooooooooooooool! Redmond! What a strike!

Broja! The Albania international catches Liverpool on the hop from a glorious Waker-Peters ball and drives into the area, but Alisson is out quickly to make a sprawling save. It is no coincidence that while Klopp is willing to rotate almost his entire outfield XI, the Brazilian is between the sticks this evening as usual.

Concern for Klopp as Konaté goes down under a challenge from Ward-Prowse, who used a little more elbow there than he should have done.

Nice interchange between Minamino and Elliott that opens a chance for Milner. There's a slight hint of handball but Martin Atkinson isn't interested and the visitors have to settle for a corner. Looked more like a shoulder than anything.

Saints launch a fairly hopeful ball towards Broja but Konaté is across swiftly to snuff out any danger.

A decent first touch for Minamino, which will help to settle any nerves. He hasn't started in the Premier League this season but swung a boot in there to prevent a Southampton break from the halfway line.

We're off! Southampton get the ball rolling in Saint Mary's!

And Liverpool.

a quick reminder of the teams... Southampton first.

Soccer

Jurgen Klopp rules Liverpool out of move for Kylian Mbappé

In other news, Klopp ruled out Liverpool making a move for Kylian Mbappé during his pre-match press conference, with the PSG star reportedly set to agree to join Real Madrid at the end of the current season. In fairness, and with the caveat that no side in the world would struggle to accommodate the World Cup winner, Liverpool did some excellent business in landing Luis Díaz and if they can hang on to Sadio Mané and Salah this summer, Mbappé won't be missed on Merseyside.

Warm-ups underway at Saint Mary's

The teams are out and going through their paces and we're about 15 minutes from kick-off now.

It's either going to be 0-0 or 4-3 isn't it? Nervy times for Liverpool fans, but we imagine they'll settle for a domestic and European cup treble if the Premier League eludes them.

It's certainly bold from Klopp to rest so many key players but with the quick turnaround from the FA Cup and with the Champions League final on the horizon the Liverpool boss doesn't have a lot of choice. Still, if one thing epitomises this Reds side it is their ability to get the job done even when they are missing players. Klopp has always shown faith in his entire squad and it has worked out pretty well for him overall.

Liverpool starting XI confirmed

A few changes for Liverpool with Keita, Henderson, Robertson, Luis Díaz and Thiago all on the bench. James Milner, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip, Ibrahima Konaté and Kostas Tsimikas all start, as do Takumi Minamino, Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott.

Southampton starting XI confirmed

Che Adams has to make do with a spot on the bench this evening and the returning Alex McCarthy is between the sticks for the first time in 2022. On-loan Chelsea striker Armando Broja will lead the line.

Klopp without Salah and Van Dijk

Liverpool's FA Cup final win over Chelsea proved costly it terms of this evening's game for Klopp, who will be without Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah at Saint Mary's. The pivotal pair are expected to be fit for the Champions League final against Real Madrid on 28 May but it is certainly an inconvenience for the visitors to be without two of their stars this evening. Joel Matip has proven an able deputy to Van Dijk this season and up front Liverpool have Roberto Firmino back.

Southampton haven't had the best of seasons under Ralph Hasenhüttl, who briefly had the Saints stop the Premier League last campaign. However, Klopp will be well aware that Southampton claimed a point at the Etihad earlier in the season and are safe from the relegation mire, maknig this a free swing for the German tactician, who oversaw a 1-0 victory in this fixture last season.

Gerrard the hero again for Liverpool?

Pep Guardiola's side are at home for the last game of the season, when they will host Aston Villa, who are of course managed by Steven Gerrard. Doubtless the Liverpool legend would love to help his old club to the title but few are giving Villa much chance of beating City at the Etihad, where Guardiola's side have lost only twice this season, against Spurs and Palace.

Premier League

Could the Premier League title race be decided by a playoff game?

Should Liverpool be held to a draw this evening, they would be three points behind City going into the final round of fixtures next weekend. That could yet lead to a 39th game to decide the destination of the title, although at this stage it now looks very unlikely. It would take quite a swing in goal difference for the sides to be exactly level at the final whistle. City of course have fond memories of the goal difference rule in England, having won the 2011-12 title on goal difference courtesy of that Sergio Agüero goal.

A must-win game for Liverpool

Liverpool have two games of the season remaining, this one and the final fixture of the season, at home against Wolves. Despite Manchester City being held to a 2-2 draw away at West Ham at the weekend while Klopp's side were busy winning the FA Cup, the maths this evening is fairly straightforward for the visitors: lose, and City win the title.

Hello and welcome to AS USA's live coverage of the Premier League match between Southampton and Liverpool from Saint Mary's Stadium. Kick-off is at 14:45 ET / 11:45 PT (20:45 CET).