Diouf gets Anfield career off to flyer

Liverpool 1, Southampton 0 (half-time)

El Hadji Diouf got his Anfield career off to a flying start with a deadly third-minute strike.

The Senegal World Cup star finished off an Emile Heskey cross with a clinical close-range strike.

Liverpool broke from defence after 31 minutes when Steven Gerrard found Diouf wide on the left with a searching ball.

The new boy controlled it, waited for Gerrard to arrive before squaring the ball to him, with the England midfielder firing wide.

On 32 minutes Telfer’s ball into the box was met by Beattie, but his flick was not strong enough to worry Jerzy Dudek, despite a fine position and good run into space by the Saint.

Two minutes later Diouf found Owen, who teased Claus Lundekvam before attempting a curler from 18 yards that was held low down by Jones.

Southampton were getting plenty of the ball in midfield, where Svensson was taking up good positions and linking defence and attack with some astute passing.

In the 44th minute Chris Marsden turned a Sami Hyypia shot off the line after a corner had not been cleared properly. Seconds later Lundekvam limped off to be replaced by Michael Svensson.