Liverpool maintain their festive form with a well-deserved victory over a Southamton side that looked short of ideas and inspiration.
Stand-in striker, Sinama Pongolle secured maximum points with a well-taken finish after running onto a perfectly weighted Xabi Alonso through-ball.
Harry Redknapp started with striker Kevin Philips on the bench and decided to leave James Beattie out of the squad altogether.
Michael Owen - enjoying his winter break from La Liga - was in the stands cheering on his old teammates.
Man of the match Steven Gerard bossed the midfield throughout and Liverpool could have won by more with John Arne Riise's obligatory thunderbolt thumping off the crossbar late in the second half.
Antti Niemi kept Southampton in the match, but was lucky not to give away a penalty late in the game as he came out, missed the ball and clattered Riise who was clean through on goal.
Liverpool consolidate their place in the top six and are now only two points away from the Champions League places and, more importantly for the scousers, cut the gap on local rivals Everton to six points.
