SPORTS:
Jurgen Klopp showed his intent from the off by naming a full-strength side, and it took them a matter of minutes to go ahead as Diogo Jota broke clear and eventually finished from close range after good work from Sadio Mane and Andy Robertson.
Southampton had elected to start with a back three, but instead of giving their wing-backs license to attack it simply gave Liverpool all the room they wanted in the final third as they went for the jugular early on.
Mane headed wide before having a goal chalked off by VAR, then Salah curled just past the post. The second goal came just after the half-hour mark when Salah and Jordan Henderson combined on the edge of the box and the Egyptian played the ball to the back post for Jota to apply the finish.
Just five minutes later it was three for Liverpool. This time it was Spanish maestro Thiago who was not picked up as he drove into the box and he fired beyond Alex McCarthy courtesy of a deflection off Lyanco.
Southampton were playing a front three and did work some opportunities for the likes of Armando Borja and Adam Armstrong, but Alisson was equal to both of them as they looked to get back into the game.
Changes came at half-time for Southampton, but it had little impact on the game as Liverpool increased their advantage on 52 minutes. An unmarked Virgil Van Dijik volleyed home from the penalty spot as he was picked out by a Trent Alexander-Arnold corner.
Liverpool continued to push and Jota, Salah and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain came close to adding a fifth, which would not have flattered the home side in any way.
@Southampton
@MoSalah