Southampton centre-back Virgil van Dijk earned all the plaudits with his solid performance in yesterday’s draw, but Reds duo Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren also put in impressive displays worthy of some recognition.
The defenders helped Jurgen Klopp’s side earn a first clean sheet in the last 12 Premier League away games and made further progression as an improving partnership.
Matip continued his sparkling form with another dominant display and strengthened the case for him being the bargain signing of the season.
Lovren also demonstrated the mental strength that allowed him to overcome a tough start to life at Liverpool by ignoring criticism from the home crowd and putting in a strong showing against his former side.
The Croatian has not only benefited from the arrival of Klopp as manager, but he is now also thriving alongside a confident and composed figure in Matip.
Both men kept the Saints attack relatively quiet for most of the game and played a crucial role in keeping things tight at the back in order to make up for Liverpool’s lack of quality in front of goal.
Fans have taken to Twitter to praise the pair.
Soton could barely get into our half. Matip-Lovren is turning into a solid partnership.
— Jomar (@Lallaicious) November 20, 2016
Watching back some of the match yesterday (for some reason). Matip and Lovren were both immense yesterday.
— Paul (@paulxblog) November 20, 2016
Matip and Lovren looked solid pairing yesterday. @SouthamptonFC didn’t have a sniff up top. @LFC https://t.co/yPnoutym3R
— Paul Ashton (@Taffyash75) November 20, 2016
Lovren and Matip rounding into a quality CB pairing and only getting better, someone said they would months ago……. oh ya that was me
— Beardsley LFC (@LFCVancouver32) November 20, 2016
Have to say what a signing Joel Matip has been. Rock solid and so calm on the ball. Brings the best out of Lovren as well. Great paring
— Carl Marsden (@CarlMarsden5) November 20, 2016
Matip rightly getting praised, by far the best signing by any team this season but I though Lovren was brilliant aswell yesterday
— KeithB_LFC (@Scouse_LFC) November 20, 2016
Had some great chances to win that, decent performance tho, Saints never threatened us, Matip and Lovren bossed it at the back #LFC
— Matthew Weirich (@Widgel11) November 20, 2016
@liverpaul66 Lovren was a complete liability before Matip came in. Matip has made Lovren into a better defender.
— FirminoTeeth (@madden130) November 20, 2016
Matip and lovren were class today swept everything up to stop saints attacks and set us on way to create attacks. Very solid display #LFC
— Jonathan Fowler (@JonathanFowle10) November 20, 2016
Matip and Lovren were solid. Not to concede was a bonus, but hopefully we can start doing so and winning at the same time.
— Rougéz (@dboetan7i) November 19, 2016
By the way Matip and Lovren were superb today. Love Matip seems very much in control in dangerous situations. Real awareness around him.
— Andy LFCDayTrumpers (@AYPrivateEye) November 19, 2016
Really impressed with Matip & Lovren to keep defensive woes away. #LFC collect a well deserved point & march on. #SOULIV
— Sumit Haldar (@Sumwitter) November 19, 2016
Best players were by far Matip and Lovren. Incredibly composed. A great partnership blooming back there. #LFC
— #8 (@KingBasu1) November 19, 2016
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