It was a night Simon Rusk will never forget, the one when he took charge of Southampton for the first time following Russell Martin’s sacking and took the fight to Arne Slot and Liverpool. Nobody gave Southampton a prayer – and not just because they had suffered five defeats in their last two home games. For them it was a time of merciless struggle.

When Liverpool opened up a two-goal lead before half-time, they strolled and the Carabao Cup quarter-final was over. Darwin Núñez scored the first goal and then Harvey Elliott got his first goal of an injury-hit season. Slot watched from the press box as he served a suspension for three yellow cards. He felt comfortable.

And that wasn’t the case as Southampton were lively and dangerous in the second half. Jordan Archer brought them back into the game and missed a great chance to equalize. Southampton had other flickers, not least in stoppage time when Mateus Fernandes felt like he was being dragged down by Jarell Quansah for a penalty. The referee Simon Hooper was unmoved. Liverpool had done enough.

Let’s talk about a baptism of fire for Rusk, a knockout draw against what is easily Europe’s best team so far this season. Rusk’s managerial experience in 2021 only extends back to a spell at the helm of Stockport in the National League. He is best known for his work as a youth coach. He was coach of the England U19 team from August 2022 to the end of 2023.

Rusk encountered what could be described as experimental Liverpool. Slot could have named an excellent XI from the players he couldn’t or wouldn’t draft, but the focus was on those he did select, including Wataru Endo in central defense and the full debut of 17-year-old Trey Nyoni in midfield.

Slot was not the first Premier League manager to temporarily settle in with the dreamers and romantics of the media. Arsène Wenger, for example, once squeezed into the Stamford Bridge press box at Chelsea in 2018 while serving a suspension. Wenger kicked every ball that night.

The view here is panoramic and Slot was able to enjoy the spectacle of his team taking control midway through the first half. The breakthrough came thanks to Trent Alexander-Arnold’s composure on the ball. He was Liverpool’s last man and Southampton had Cameron Archer and Mateus Fernandes around him, but not for the first time Alexander-Arnold simply faltered and stepped forward.

His left-footed pass for Núñez was deflected up and backwards on the track by Jan Bednarek, and at that point every Southampton fan wanted goalkeeper Alex McCarthy to rush out. He stayed home and then slipped, allowing the Uruguayan to sweep past him.

Slot had started Nyoni on the left side of the midfield third, but he moved him to the right wing half an hour ago. Elliott moved in from the right and Alexis Mac Allister moved to left midfield. The step was quickly rewarded.

Another tactical detail was how Endo advanced into midfield when Liverpool had possession, and he was involved in the second game by playing a back pass to Cody Gakpo, who went straight to Elliott. The first touch was good; The finish was low and firm, helped by a slight nod from Ryan Manning.

Rusk had prepared himself to be solid; Five at the back, four in midfield. Tyler Dibling wanted to break through on the right wing and shot at Caoimhin Kelleher after a Southampton break in the 20th minute.

But Liverpool were comfortable in the first half and might have scored another goal. Mac Allister cleverly parried McCarthy from a pass from Alexander-Arnold. Previously, Taylor Harwood-Bellis blocked to parry Elliott.

In the second half, Slot fine-tuned the game again, bringing in Kostas Tsimikas as a left-back and Federico Chiesa as a right-winger. Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez set off. This meant Tyler Morton moved from defensive midfield to right back, Mac Allister dropped in front of the defense and Nyoni moved to left midfield. Slot must love the flexibility of its players.

Southampton needed a break and they got one when a pass attempt from Mateus Fernandes hit Endo full in the face, stretching him out and piling on Archer, who pushed up the inside on the left before cutting into Morton and Jarell Quansah. He formed a beautiful curler in the far corner.

The game had started and Southampton were so close to equalizing in the 61st minute. Substitute Yuki Sugawara crossed and Archer shot at goal from close range, Kelleher reacted well and Morton cleared in front of the line.

Slot doubled down on his selection policy for the evening, James McConnell for Alexis Mac Allister in the 63rd minute was further proof of this. The manager wanted to provide opportunities. Southampton sensed one thing.

Substitute Paul Onuachu was taken off after one pass and there was also the moment when he couldn’t get his feet under control after a cross from another substitute, Kamaldeen Sulemana.

Liverpool went close through Federico Chiesa – he cleared Taylor Harwood-Bellis’ shot off the line – and then, right at the end, came the penalty drama.