FINISHING was a visible “difference” between Liverpool and Saints at Anfield as the visitors succumbed to a 4-0 defeat, says Ralph Hasenhuttl.
The Reds were already one goal to the good inside three minutes and that was not even goalscorer Diogo Jota’s first big chance of the match.
Each time the star-studded Liverpool attack swept forward, it looked as though Alex McCarthy could be picking the ball out of his net at any moment.
Saints had a good chance to equalise through Armando Broja saved, while for the remainder of the game they were limited to half-chances thanks to another performance which lacked killer instinct and determination in the attacking third.
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Even when Saints have won this season, they have been wasteful. No player has scored more than two Premier League goals in the 2021-22 campaign.
Hasenhuttl was quizzed about his side’s seeming inability to turn half-chances into big moments, and big moments into successful strikes.
He responded: “There was also a good goalkeeper (Alisson) in the goal who made a few good saves.
“We had good moments I think, to score, there you can see the difference.
“When they are coming in front of goal it is absolutely unbelievable how they played and for us, in the last pass situation, this is different.
He continued: “It is not so surprising to be honest because there must be a reason why they are one of the best teams in the world and we are a team that is doing everything to stay in the league.”
Liverpool have scored nine more goals (39) than any other team in the Premier League this season, and are by far the most prolific team despite sitting behind Chelsea at the summit.
Each of the top three goalscorers in this season's Premier League so far play for Liverpool.
Only one team – Norwich (7) – have scored fewer goals than Saints (11). Incredibly, Saints have scored the same as Tottenham Hotspur and only conceded one more, yet find themselves in 14th, five points behind Antonio Conte’s side in seventh.
The Saints boss did, unprompted, accept full and complete responsibility for the manner of his team’s defeat – admitting he sent his players out with what he described as a “bad plan”.
Continuing to assess how his side were able to be dismantled with little to no resistance by Liverpool, Hasenhuttl added how he believes there is no team that they wouldn’t cause problems.
He added: “I think last week Arsenal lost here, also 4-0, and they had also been on fire.
“So when we speak about Liverpool at the moment, as I said before the game, they are super hungry, super motivated and in an unbelievable flow.
“To stop them, there is no team at the moment that doesn’t have problems here to take something, no matter how well you do.”
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