Mane (left) looked back to something approaching his form of recent seasons with a sharp display against his former club
Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara says Jurgen Klopp's men will keep "fighting for a small miracle" to make the Champions League places after scoring his first goal for the club in the win against Southampton.
It is a victory that puts pressure on fourth-placed Leicester City, who lost 4-2 to Newcastle United on Friday.
Klopp's men took full advantage of Leicester's defeat by moving within six points of the top four - and have a game in hand on the Foxes.
Sadio Mane opened the scoring against his former club, heading home Mohamed Salah's cross moments after Alisson had made two saves in quick succession.
Alisson gifted Southampton a chance to equalise late in the game when he passed straight to Che Adams, but the Brazil goalkeeper made amends by saving the Scotland striker's shot.
Spain midfielder Thiago then scored his first Reds goal in added time to hand Klopp his 100th win at Anfield in all competitions.
It will also have pleased the German manager that his side earned a clean sheet despite the inexperienced Nathaniel Phillips and Rhys Williams forming their centre-back pairing.
"There are small chances. We are realistic with our situation," Thiago told BBC Sport about his side's top-four hopes.
"The most important thing is the three points. We dominated the game and created a lot. If you can help with a goal it's more than welcome."
Southampton are still not safe from relegation but their Premier League status could be secured when West Bromwich Albion and Fulham play their matches later this weekend.
Liverpool 2-0 Southampton: We showed 'fight' - KloppA return to form at Anfield
After being imperious at home in the past three seasons, Liverpool's title defence faltered mainly as a result of losing six top-flight games at Anfield for the first time in 67 years.
But despite being on a run of just one win from their last 10 home league games, they made a bright start against Southampton with Salah twice testing Fraser Forster early on and Diogo Jota firing straight at the former England goalkeeper.
Liverpool's stand-in captain Georginio Wijnaldum also headed against the top of the crossbar from a corner, while a Saints break resulted in Alisson having to make a point-blank save from Adams with Nathan Redmond firing straight at him from the rebound.
Just 40 seconds later, Senegal winger Mane rose above Kyle Walker-Peters to head home Salah's inswinging cross. Remarkably, it was the first time the forwards have combined for a goal in the Premier League this season.
Nathan Tella headed straight at Alisson just before the break, and after Adams spurned his opportunity late on, substitute Roberto Firmino fed Thiago to seal victory with a 20-yard strike into the bottom corner.
- Reaction to Liverpool's win over Southampton
Good experience for defensive duo
Phillips and Williams became Liverpool's 20th centre-back pairing of an injury-hit season when they started the home defeat by Fulham on 7 March.
Williams had not started since, but with on-loan Turkey defender Ozan Kabak and Ben Davies - yet to play since signing in January - ruled out with "minor fitness concerns", the 20-year-old was reunited with Phillips, 24.
This time the academy products looked more assured than against the Cottagers. Williams gained possession more times than any other Liverpool player (eight), with Phillips making the most clearances (five).
Liverpool 2-0 Southampton: Saints were brave in defeat - Hasenhuttl
They could not be faulted for Adams' first chance as they were left exposed by a break that allowed Tella to race clear.
And while they were missing when Tella rose unchallenged for his header before half-time, it was Alisson who was very much the culprit when Adams should have equalised in the second half.
The visitors perhaps got in behind the Liverpool defence more often than boss Klopp would have liked but there is no doubt his inexperienced defensive pair will have learnt a lot from further top-flight exposure.
Phillips in particular has shown up well with Liverpool's three key centre-backs injured and if he can help his side to more clean sheets in their last four games, they could salvage something from a miserable campaign.
Saints feeling Ings' absence
Manager Ralph Hasenhuttl had tears in his eyes after Southampton beat Liverpool in the reverse fixture on 4 January, a win that lifted them up to sixth in the table.
Just two league wins since then have left Saints looking over their shoulder and this latest defeat illustrated the main area in which they are lacking.
They made enough chances to get something from the game, with substitute Ibrahima Diallo also stinging the palms of Alisson with a second-half volley.
But in the continued absence of top-scorer Danny Ings, they struggled to find a finishing touch.
While they hope the England striker returns before the end of the season, he is likely to have plenty of suitors in the summer,.
Even if Saints can hang on to their prize asset, Hasenhuttl may feel he needs reinforcements up front if they are to avoid a similarly poor run next term.
'Top four not impossible'
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp speaking to BBC Sport: "They are well organised and have an intense style of play. They had their moments. We set up their biggest chance ourselves but we deserved the three points.
"We scored a really nice first goal but it's familiar for us now to not finish the game early so we had to stay in the game and scoring a wonderful second goal obviously was a big relief."
On being in the race for the top four: "We are kind of. It's not impossible but it's difficult. We will give it a try and see where we get to."
Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl speaking to BBC Sport: "The difference was that they scored and we didn't. I think we maybe had more chances - clear chances - than they did.
"How we wanted to play was OK. We created good chances, we tried to build up through the lines and we were brave, as you have to be against a big side.
"We were cool until the final third and there the coolness was gone. This is what you need to have against such a team."
Salah and Mane rekindle connection - the stats
-
Liverpool kept their first home clean sheet in nine Premier League games, since drawing 0-0 with Manchester United in January.
Southampton have earned just 11 points from their 18 Premier League games in 2021, fewer than any other side this calendar year (W3 D2 L13).
They have now failed to score in five consecutive Premier League away games against Liverpool, with Sadio Mane the last player to score at Anfield for Saints in the competition in October 2015.
Mohamed Salah's assist for Mane's opener was the 15th time the duo have combined for a Premier League goal for Liverpool, but the first time this season.
Trent Alexander-Arnold created five chances in the match, his most in a single Premier League game since February 2020 (six vs West Ham).
Mane has scored two goals in his last three Premier League games for Liverpool, having netted in just one of his previous 14.
Thiago became the 140th player to score a Premier League goal for Liverpool, and the first to score his first goal from outside the box since Divock Origi in December 2015.
What next?
Liverpool's rearranged game at Manchester United will take place on Thursday (20:15 BST), before they visit West Brom on Sunday (16:30).
Southampton host Crystal Palace on Tuesday (20:15) and have another home game on Saturday against Fulham (15:00).
Player of the match
AlissonAlisson
with an average of 7.65
-
LiverpoolLiverpoolLiverpool
SouthamptonSouthamptonSouthampton
Liverpool
Avg
Squad number1Player nameAlisson
Average rating
7.65
Squad number10Player nameMané
Average rating
7.53
Squad number6Player nameThiago Alcántara
Average rating
7.43
Squad number47Player namePhillips
Average rating
7.41
Squad number3Player nameFabinho
Average rating
7.24
Squad number26Player nameRobertson
Average rating
7.23
Squad number66Player nameAlexander-Arnold
Average rating
7.23
Squad number11Player nameMohamed Salah
Average rating
7.10
Squad number20Player nameDiogo Jota
Average rating
6.96
Squad number46Player nameR Williams
Average rating
6.82
Squad number5Player nameWijnaldum
Average rating
6.79
Squad number9Player nameRoberto Firmino
Average rating
6.77
Squad number15Player nameOxlade-Chamberlain
Average rating
6.28
Squad number17Player nameJones
Average rating
6.07
Southampton
Avg
Squad number17Player nameArmstrong
Average rating
6.26
Squad number44Player nameForster
Average rating
6.21
Squad number23Player nameTella
Average rating
6.19
Squad number2Player nameWalker-Peters
Average rating
6.19
Squad number35Player nameBednarek
Average rating
6.17
Squad number5Player nameStephens
Average rating
6.09
Squad number4Player nameVestergaard
Average rating
6.06
Squad number11Player nameRedmond
Average rating
5.98
Squad number10Player nameAdams
Average rating
5.81
Squad number32Player nameWalcott
Average rating
5.69
Squad number14Player nameObafemi
Average rating
5.60
Squad number27Player nameDiallo
Average rating
5.33
Squad number12Player nameDjenepo
Average rating
5.14
Squad number8Player nameWard-Prowse
Average rating
4.00
-
Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text
Line-ups
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
1Alisson
66Alexander-Arnold47Phillips46R Williams26Robertson
6Thiago Alcántara3Fabinho5Wijnaldum
11Salah20Jota10Mané
1Alisson
66Alexander-Arnold
47Phillips
46R Williams
26Robertson
6Thiago Alcántara
3Fabinho
5Wijnaldum
11SalahSubstituted forOxlade-Chamberlainat 87'minutes
20JotaSubstituted forFirminoat 79'minutes
10ManéSubstituted forJonesat 90+3'minutes
Substitutes
9Firmino
13Adrián
15Oxlade-Chamberlain
17Jones
21Tsimikas
23Shaqiri
58Woodburn
76N Williams
89Koumetio
Southampton
Formation 4-4-2
44Forster
2Walker-Peters35Bednarek4Vestergaard5Stephens
32Walcott8Ward-Prowse17Armstrong11Redmond
10Adams23Tella
44Forster
2Walker-Peters
35Bednarek
4Vestergaard
5Stephens
32WalcottSubstituted forDialloat 66'minutes
8Ward-Prowse
17Armstrong
11RedmondBooked at 61mins
10AdamsSubstituted forDjenepoat 79'minutes
23TellaSubstituted forObafemiat 66'minutes
Substitutes
1McCarthy
12Djenepo
14Obafemi
22Salisu
27Diallo
31Ramsay
40N'Lundulu
47Ferry
64Jankewitz
Referee: Kevin Friend
Match Stats
Home TeamLiverpoolAway TeamSouthampton
Possession
Home54%
Away46%
Shots
Home14
Away12
Shots on Target
Home6
Away6
Corners
Home8
Away4
Fouls
Home10
Away6
Live Text
Post update
Match ends, Liverpool 2, Southampton 0.
90'+5'
Full Time
Second Half ends, Liverpool 2, Southampton 0.
90'+3'
Post update
Offside, Liverpool. Alisson tries a through ball, but Curtis Jones is caught offside.
90'+3'
Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. Curtis Jones replaces Sadio Mané.
90'+3'
Post update
Offside, Southampton. James Ward-Prowse tries a through ball, but Kyle Walker-Peters is caught offside.
90' goal
Goal!
Goal! Liverpool 2, Southampton 0. Thiago (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Roberto Firmino.
89'
Post update
Offside, Liverpool. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain tries a through ball, but Roberto Firmino is caught offside.
88'
Post update
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by James Ward-Prowse.
87'
Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain replaces Mohamed Salah.
81'
Post update
Offside, Liverpool. Andrew Robertson tries a through ball, but Sadio Mané is caught offside.
80'
Post update
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Stuart Armstrong.
79'
Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. Roberto Firmino replaces Diogo Jota.
79'
Substitution
Substitution, Southampton. Moussa Djenepo replaces Che Adams.
78'
Post update
Attempt missed. Diogo Jota (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Mohamed Salah.
78'
Post update
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Kyle Walker-Peters.
77'
Post update
Attempt saved. Che Adams (Southampton) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
71'
Post update
Corner, Southampton. Conceded by Alisson.
71'
Post update
Attempt saved. Ibrahima Diallo (Southampton) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Michael Obafemi with a headed pass.
69'
Post update
Attempt saved. James Ward-Prowse (Southampton) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
69'
Post update
Attempt blocked. Kyle Walker-Peters (Southampton) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Nathan Redmond.
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