LIVERPOOL boss Jurgen Klopp paid tribute to Saints and admitted his side were lucky to come away with a resounding win.

Saints were made to rue a handful of missed first-half opportunities when the Reds struck four past them after the break.

But Klopp was magnanimous in victory and felt the scoreline doesn’t paint the full picture.

He said: “First and foremost, I really have to say, wow, Southampton – what a team that is.

“I am so long in football and never saw a turnaround like that. When I saw them playing at home against Chelsea months ago, I was really worried.

“Doing that kind of turnaround is just exceptional. The set-up they have is constantly causing you problems, if you do the wrong things – which we did in the first half in some moments.

“The strange thing of this game is that it’s not even too high [a scoreline], it’s just strange that Southampton could have won it as well.

“That just shows how difficult it was. Even more so, we are really pleased about the outcome.”

Beating Saints saw Klopp’s side further extend their advantage at the top of the Premier League.

It’s now only a matter of when and not if they will end their 30-year wait to be crowned Champions of England.

But the real question is whether they can remain unbeaten and match Arsenal’s record from 2003/04.

But Klopp felt, especially with Danny Ings and Shane Long wreaking havoc in attack, that his Reds always had to be alert to the danger against Saints.

He added: “Their defending is really good and then their counter-attacks are exceptional.

“Ingsy and Long, what they do there up front, how they got supported by the midfield and the wingers, is just exceptional.

“That’s why we had the problems in the first half, because we lost the balls in the wrong moment.”

Despite their unassailable lead at the summit of the Premier League table, Klopp isn’t allowing himself or his side to get carried away.

"I promise you I don't lie: we don't feel it. We just don't feel it. It doesn't feel a second like it's really special, it just feels the hardest work” he continued.

"That's why I am so happy the boys can go now for a week somewhere else, do what they have to do to come back recharged, refreshed. Then we prepare for Norwich and the rest of the season.

"That's the only thing I know and all the rest we have to see. So many things can happen in football.

"It is our duty to win football games and that's what we've tried now for a while."