Southampton 1-2 Liverpool: Reds survive late Saints onslaught as they extend EFL Cup unbeaten run past two years

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A clip posted online this week showed Darwin Nunez working on his English language skills in the company of a young fan – with the Liverpool star returning the compliment by teaching the girl some Spanish phrases.

Nunez's lingo is improving — and it would appear his English lessons have now seen him turn to the chapter about swear words and Liverpool strikers from around the 2012 era. 'You're just a s*** Andy Carroll' is the jibe often chanted by opposition fans. Last night, he took it personally.

With taunts from those in the Northam Stand still ringing in Nunez's ears after he lost possession, the Uruguay striker was wheeling away in celebration after opening the scoring. Ever the pantomime villain, Nunez cupped his ear to the terraces and gave it large in return.

Whether he has aced the lesson on English sarcasm or not is a different matter, as the Liverpool fans poked fun at Southampton by singing their own rendition of the chant. Nunez blew them a kiss and seemed to chuckle at the joke from the travelling Kop.

His goal set the Reds on their way to another Carabao Cup semi-final, with Harvey Elliott adding a second on his first start of the season. That cushion was needed late on after Cameron Archer pulled one back and Saints threatened to equalise.

This was a makeshift Liverpool XI, with eight changes made from Saturday's Premier League draw with Fulham. Plenty of teenagers were called upon, though the true star was the veteran: Japan captain Wataru Endo, playing out of position in defence to put in an imperious display

Darwin Nunez opened the scoring for Liverpool on a rainy night in Southampton

Harvey Elliott doubled the advantage as the Reds looked to be cruising to victory

Cameron Archer scared the visitors in the second half but the Saints could not follow it up

It was Endo, 31, who made a vital intervention in the dying embers to prevent a certain goal when substitute Paul Onuachu saw his close-range shot blocked. And his defensive partner Jarell Quansah needed a stroke of luck as a late foul – when last man back – went unpunished.

But apart from that nervy end, this would have been a rather relaxed evening for Arne Slot, who sat up in the press box due to a touchline ban for picking up three yellow cards. 'My seat was good, warmer than on the line,' joked the Dutchman after the game, with assistant Sipke Hulshoff in charge and braving the stormy conditions pitchside.

He cut a calm figure with no headphones or direct line of communication to the touchline visible as he perched next to analyst Roderick van der Ham, who joined the club from Feyenoord last month.

The pair might as well have tuned the laptop in front of them to a warming Christmas film on Netflix, such was the non-event of the opening exchanges. As torrential rain made for a soggy affair, Slot would have been happy they left the spine of their team at home.

Captain Virgil van Dijk and top scorer Mohamed Salah remained up north while Ryan Gravenberch, Alisson, Luis Diaz and Dominik Szoboszlai also skipped this long trip. Trent Alexander-Arnold, though, was forced to travel given a defensive availability crisis.

And it was the stand-in captain who created the first goal, out of nothing. It started with Alexander-Arnold facing his own goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, with two Saints forwards charging towards him. Under pressure, it seemed from the stands.

He shimmied past one, sent the other jolting past him and, before Southampton knew it, Alexander-Arnold was out of trouble and playing a defence-splitting pass to Nunez. All that was between Nunez and a goal was Alex McCarthy.

Given the forward is out of form at the moment, with just three goals all season before this match, scoring this easy chance was certainly no formality. But he confidently slotted home into the bottom corner – before giving some lip back to the home fans behind the goal.

Arne Slot sat up in the press box after picking up three yellow cards this season

Trent Alexander-Arnold was forced to travel given a defensive availability crisis

Eight minutes later, it was two. And this was a goal that was reminiscent of Sunday, when Tottenham rocked up at this ground and broke through the Southampton defence like a hot knife through butter to lead 5-0 at half-time.

With youth coach Simon Rusk in the dugout after Russell Martin was finally sacked in the aftermath of that embarrassment, the Saints hierarchy will have noted that the new boss may need to be a magician to solve this shoddy defence.

Cody Gakpo jogged through and picked out Elliott, unmarked in the penalty area, for the youngster to score after an in-game positional tweak. It could have been three not long after as Liverpool broke through again but Alexis Mac Allister was denied by McCarthy.

At that point, it felt like it could have been another harrowing night for Southampton – but whatever Rusk said at the break saw them come out for the second half a revamped team. Suddenly they were causing trouble and limiting the danger at the other end.

They pulled a goal back on 59 minutes as Archer cut inside from the left channel and curled a rasping finish into the far corner. And the striker could have had a second minutes later but was denied by a smart reflex save from Kelleher after a close-range shot.

Liverpool made changes to make their XI even more makeshift and, if Slot looked comfortable earlier, by this point he probably felt rather agitated. There is a Premier League to be won – and, who knows, maybe a seventh European Cup. This trophy is no priority but he wants to win it.

Saints' presence grew but, like they did in the final of this competition last season, Liverpool's band of youngsters and fringe stars held on and fought to win. Far from pretty, but job done and now Slot is just two ties away from his first piece of silverware on these shores.

SOUTHAMPTON (5-3-2): McCarthy 7; Harwood-Bellis 6, Wood 5, Bednarek 5 (Brereton Diaz 84); Bree 5 (Sugawara 60, 6), Aribo 6 (Lallana 84), Downes 6 (Sulemana 73, 6), Fernandes 6, Manning 6; Dibling 7, Archer 7 (Onuachu 73, 6).

Simon Rusk was in the dugout after Russell Martin was finally sacked in the aftermath of a 5-0 loss against Spurs

Liverpool were hanging on as substitute Paul Onuachu saw a shot blocked by the superb Japan captain Wataru Endo

Subs not used: Lumley, Edwards, Fraser, Amo-Ameyaw.

Booked: Downes.

Scorers: Archer 59.

Manager: Simon Rusk 7.

LIVERPOOL (4-2-3-1): Kelleher 7; Alexander-Arnold 7 (Chiesa 46, 6), Quansah 7, ENDO 7.5, Gomez 6 (Tsimikas 46, 6); Morton 6.5, Mac Allister 6 (McConnell 63, 6); Elliott 7, Nyoni 6.5 (Danns 86), Gakpo 7 (Jota 62, 6); Nunez 7.

Subs not used: Jaros, Nallo, Norris, Ngumoha.

Booked: Elliott.

Scorers: Nunez 24, Elliott 32.

Manager: Arne Slot 7.

Referee: Simon Hooper 6.

Attendance: 26,503.