Liverpool once again found a way to win late, but their Carabao Cup progress came with familiar flaws and fresh frustrations.
Arne Slot’s side edged past Southampton 2-1 at Anfield to reach the fourth round, yet the result only told part of the story.
Alexander Isak scored his first goal for the club, while Hugo Ekitike bagged the decisive strike in the 85th minute.
Isak was withdrawn at half-time after getting his long-awaited breakthrough. Ekitike scored the winner but was sent off seconds later for removing his shirt, compounding an earlier booking for dissent.
Southampton will rue missed chances. Adam Armstrong hit the crossbar in the first half before Leo Scienza somehow headed wide from close range with the goal gaping.
Those wasted opportunities were punished when Federico Chiesa pressed goalkeeper Alex McCarthy into a mistake on 43 minutes.
The Italian squared for Isak to sweep home his first Liverpool goal since arriving in a £125 million move from Newcastle United.
The goal should have calmed the hosts, but the visitors stayed bold. Liverpool’s reshuffled midfield looked disjointed, and possession was squandered too cheaply.
Southampton got their reward midway through the second half when Wataru Endo misjudged a defensive header from a corner.
The ball fell kindly for substitute Shea Charles, who poked home his first goal for the club.
Anfield grew restless, and the tie seemed to be drifting towards penalties. But Liverpool surged late in the game, as they have done so often this season.
Andy Robertson clipped a precise pass into Chiesa’s run behind the Saints’ defence. The forward controlled superbly before squaring for Ekitike to finish into an empty net.
The relief inside Anfield was immediate. The frustration followed just as quickly when Ekitike, already on a booking, celebrated by taking his shirt off. The referee had little choice but to show a second yellow.
Liverpool also suffered a setback with debutant Giovanni Leoni stretchered off with a suspected knee injury.
