Liverpool 64m duo are giving Jrgen Klopp next evolution, and proving Gini Wijnaldum point right – Liverpool.com

Southampton made life pretty easy for Liverpool at times on Saturday afternoon.

Playing three vs three in the first half against Mohamed Salah, Sadio Man and the prolific Diogo Jota might, in hindsight, have been a slight error from Saints boss Ralph Hasenhttl, but that did not stop plenty of Reds players from impressing.

Jota scored twice, Man looked sharp (his pass for the opening goal was inch-perfect), and Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold assisted in the same game for the first time in almost a year.

This was also just the third time that the midfield trio of Fabinho, Thiago Alcntara and Jordan Henderson had started a match together (the others being against Everton in last season's Merseyside derby, in which Thiago was injured, and in the 3-0 win over Crystal Palace earlier this season).

While there were scares (Thiago losing the ball on the edge of his own box, under pressure from James Ward-Prowse, for instance), Liverpool were largely, as you might expect, in control of proceedings.

After all, this was the midfield trio that was supposed to take Liverpool to the next level; to give them their next evolution and mean that Gini Wijnaldum's departure at the end of last season would not be felt.

Jordan Henderson's importance to the Liverpool side is undoubted, but it is with the other two players Thiago and Fabinho where the most interesting pattern lies, with the duo really forming an excellent partnership.

Liverpool have now played 13 matches with Fabinho and Thiago starting in midfield. The Reds have won 12 of those, drawn one, and lost none. Across that period, they have scored 35 goals and conceded just five.

That record is remarkably good, with Liverpool reaping the rewards every time they are both on the field of play.

The only issue with Thiago so far in his Liverpool career has been that he has not been able to get onto the pitch often enough, and his rhythm has therefore been disrupted.

But he appears in a good vein of form at the moment, and dictated play as he can at his best twice this week.

Fabinho, too, has missed a fair few games over the past couple of seasons, but the Brazilian is instrumental to how Liverpool play; keeping him fit will be vital.

As ever, Liverpool's success this season will come down, at least in part, to which players they can keep injury-free.

Mohamed Salah leads the way in terms of importance, but Thiago and Fabinho are not far behind.

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Liverpool 64m duo are giving Jrgen Klopp next evolution, and proving Gini Wijnaldum point right - Liverpool.com