Copy of Arne Slot explains 'hard decisions' to make Liverpool players 'angry' as Reds boss sees warning signs in comeback win vs Southampton

The league leaders looked listless in the first half of the Premier League clash on Saturday, with bottom-club Southampton taking a surprise lead just before the break through Will Smallbone. Slot, serving the last of his two-game touchline ban, hooked three underperforming Reds stars to create some momentum in the second half.

Kostas Tsimikas, Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones were all taken off and were replaced by Harvey Elliott, Andy Robertson and Alexis Mac Allister. Liverpool would win the game through two Mohamed Salah penalties and a Darwin Nunez effort.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Arne Slot said: "We had to be patient for a goal. It was a very poor performance first half. We were not in the game at all.

"In the end, I had to make some hard decisions at half time to create some anger. The three that came in did really well but I could see from the other eight that they were different.

"I am fully aware you cannot play high intensity for 38 games. Sometimes you have to find another way to win. Hopefully the first half was a warning sign. The good thing is we probably didn't run that much [before facing Paris St-Germain on Tuesday]."

Slot will return to the touchline on Tuesday night for the second leg of Liverpool's Champions League Round of 16 against Paris Saint Germain. The Reds go into that tie with a hard-earned 1-0 win after Elliot and Alisson's heroics in Paris on Wednesday.