By J Wade
January 23 2005

Southampton has scored a vital 2-0 victory over Liverpool at St Mary’s Park to give Harry Redknapp his first victory as Saints’ manager. The goals came in the first half from David Prutton and Peter Crouch as Liverpool’s defence imploded.

The win allows the Saints to climb one point above Norwich to 18th on the Premiership table, yet the club still remains deep in relegation trouble.

Liverpool, meanwhile, has just completed a horror week, having lost to arch-rival Manchester United last round, going out to Burnley in the FA Cup midweek and losing today to remain in fifth position on the table.



Indeed the Reds appeared to be still suffering their midweek hangover as Prutton took the lead for the Saints in the fifth minute.

New signing Mauricio Pellegrino was caught in possession by Prutton, who took a return pass from Crouch before smashing the ball past Jerzey Dudek.

Callum Davenport’s foul on Milan Baros almost gave Liverpool the chance to equalise immediately, yet the Reds forwards made a hash of the set play and failed to take advantage.

Liverpool continued to press and in the 14th minute Baros fed to Steven Gerrard, yet the skipper could only shoot over from fifteen metres.

In the 22nd minute Saints doubled the lead when the Liverpool defence pulled away allowing Prutton to run into space and cross to Crouch, unmarked at the far post, who headed home his sixth of the season.

It was a much-improved Liverpool after half time though as Baros worked himself into space to fire inches wide

Fernando Morientes was then denied twice, while Gerrard belted a shot inches over the bar after being played in from a free kick.

Liverpool: Dudek, Warnock, Pellegrino, Hyypia, Carragher, Riise, Hamann, Gerrard, Luis Garcia, Baros, Morientes
Subs: Carson, Traore, Raven, Sinama Pongolle, Biscan

Southampton: Niemi, Higginbotham, Lundekvam, Davenport, Telfer, Delap, Redknapp, Svensson, Prutton, Crouch, Nilsson
Subs: Smith, Ormerod, Jakobsson, Jones, Oakley