Liverpool collected another three points and a clean sheet as they picked up where they had left off before the international break.
With Joel Matip out through a knock - Ragnar Klavan was joined by the returning Dejan Lovren in central defence.
Elsewhere Emre Can was named as a sub, whilst Jordan Henderson returned to the side. Trent Alexander Arnold was preferred at right back to Joe Gomez - probably due to the latters international exploits and one eye on the upcoming Sevilla and Chelsea matches.
But the LFC defence wasn't involved too much as the reds deservedly took a 2-0 lead into half time thanks to the goalscoring phenomenon that is Mo Salah.
He scored his 8th and 9th league goals - a new league record for the reds - 9 goals in his first 12 games eclipsing Robbie Fowler's start with Liverpool.
And it takes in total his haul to 14 goals in 18 competitive appearances since the Egyptian joined the reds just this summer.
His first goal was exquisite - the reds harried the Saints when they won the ball from a Liverpool corner. Via Klavan and Gini - Salah collected the ball at the corner of the penalty area before turning and curling a beautiful shot past Fraser Forster.
As it happened: LFC 3-0 Southampton
Ten minutes later as half time approached - he made it two.
This time Phil Coutinho was the provider - threading a ball through the middle - which Salah ran on to and nutmegged the ball through the onrushing keeper's legs.
There were more chances after half time - for both sides. At one end Dejan Lovren did well to keep his cool and block a shot from deep inside our area. This coming after he had collected a yellow card for a crunching foul on Virgil van Dijk in the first half (oooh).
Eventually the reds got the third that ended any hope of a Southampton comeback.
It was Firmino who drove an angled shot at the keeper that could only be punched into the middle of the area and Coutinho was on hand to fire in the rebound.
Coutinho, Mane and Salah were all subbed off to applause from the fans, and hugs from their manager, as the focus now turns,to the midweek fixture against Sevilla in the Champions League.
An excellent result from Liverpool that keeps them seriously involved amongst the teams at the top who are trying to close that huge gap to Manchester City.
Liverpool have won their last 3 games at Anfield 3-0 and the away game against West Ham was also won by a 3 goal margin.
Man of the Match: Mohammed Salah
