Southampton 1-0 Liverpool: 5 talking points as defending champions fall to second defeat of the season | Premier League 2020-21 

#3 Trent-Alexander Arnold has a game to forget for Liverpool

Trent-Alexander Arnold gave away possession 38 times

Over the last three years, Trent-Alexander Arnold has proved his mettle in the Liverpool squad.

The academy graduate has played a key role in the successes enjoyed by the team and is living the dream with his boyhood club.

His combination with Andrew Robertson on the Liverpool flank is priceless, and his attacking impetus has suggested a more advanced role later in his career.

However, the England international was way off the pace against Southampton and put out arguably his worst performance in a Liverpool shirt.

🥴 Trent Alexander-Arnold vs Southampton:✅ Error leading to opposition goal😬 Lost possession 38 times - a record in a PL match this season🔁 Subbed off 77th-minute 🌡️ WS Rating 5.30 - lowest in nearly 12 months pic.twitter.com/B5UgQzpHLm

— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) January 4, 2021

He failed to effectively deal with Ward-Prowse's cross in the build-up to the goal, and this set the pace for the game.

Alexander-Arnold was lacking his usual verve and drive, while he offered next to nothing in an attacking sense.

In total, the 22-year-old gave away possession a staggering 38 times - 10 more than any other Liverpool player - as well as the highest in the league this season.

It came as no major surprise when Jurgen Klopp substituted him for James Milner in the 77th minute, and fans of the club would be hoping that this game was a one-off.

#2 Title race blown wide open

Manchester City are still in the title race

Two of the last three Premier League campaigns had a runaway leader who effectively wrapped up the title by Christmas, while Liverpool and Manchester City engaged in a two-horse race far beyond the rest of the chasing pack in 2019.

This season has, however, been different, as a combination of several factors has given us one of the most dynamic campaigns in recent memory.

With 17 matchdays gone, the table is a clustered zone, and all it takes is one negative result for a team to spiral down the standings.

Despite this defeat, Liverpool still lead the way on goal difference but their position at the top is extremely precarious. They could lose in a fortnight when they trade tackles with a resurgent Manchester United, who have a game in hand.

The Red Devils have impressed in recent weeks, making their 6-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur earlier in the season look like a distant nightmare.

Further down in fifth place lies Manchester City, who are just four points behind the champions with two games in hand. If the Cityzens can win their outstanding fixtures, the top of the table could well look very different in the next few weeks.

Even Aston Villa in 8th are not left out, as just seven points separate them from Liverpool, with the Villans holding a two-game deficit.

In essence, just seven points separate the top 10 teams on the table, with Southampton's victory over Liverpool helping to open the title race even further.

The Premier League prides itself on being the most competitive league in the world. In this most unique of seasons, that is proving to be the case.

#1 Impressive Danny Ings haunts Liverpool

Danny Ings scored his 7th goal of the season

Danny Ings was arguably the revelation of the Premier League last season and ended the campaign with a respectable tally of 22 league goals.

The 28-year-old had initially spent time with Liverpool but his spell at Anfield was mired by injuries, restricting him to just 14 Premier League appearances in three seasons.

While his talent might never have been in doubt, the arrival of Ralph Hasenhuttl at St Mary's has helped the England international develop into one of the most complete forwards in the league.

Just @IngsDanny welcoming in the new year the only way he knows how 💥 pic.twitter.com/7HKPeHSnSs

— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) January 5, 2021

Since the German's appointment in 2018, the former Burnley man has been directly involved in 39 goals, scoring 31 and assisting eight.

His calmly lobbed goal with his weaker foot against Liverpool bore the hallmarks of a great striker and underlined his growing confidence in his own abilities.

It was his 7th goal from 13 Premier League appearances this season. In this form, he could well fire Southampton to the upper echelons of the league table.