SAINTS pushed Liverpool all the way in their Carabao Cup quarter-final but succumbed to a 2-1 defeat against the Premier League leaders.

Goals from household names Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott had the rotated Reds side deservedly two ahead at the half-time break.

Saints delivered a second-half performance that was night and day from the first, with Cameron Archer reducing the deficit on the hour-mark.

An attendance of 26,503 could have witnessed a grand slam finish but referee Simon Hooper waved away a clear last-man foul by Jarrell Quansah on Mateus Fernandes.

With only two minutes of added time remaining, Liverpool saw out the contest and booked their place in the final four of the competition. 

Interim boss Simon Rusk said he wanted to keep continuity ahead of the match and his first lineup reflected that, with just three changes from the 5-0 defeat to Spurs.

Hero of the previous rounds James Bree was restored to the lineup with Kyle Walker-Peters absent from the squad after picking up a knock.

Nathan Wood also returned as Rusk reverted to the five-man defence Martin ditched while Cameron Archer replaced suspended Adam Armstrong.

Liverpool made eight changes and were without manager Arne Slot on the touchline, also for yellow card accumulation, and he sat in the media box.

The Dutchman's new era is going swimmingly at Anfield and, although we still await a permanent new boss, the home fans took to this new beginning.

Two long balls forward from the defence inside the first five minutes were greeted with un-ironic cheers from the mostly full St Mary's stands.

There was not much more to report from the opening 20 minutes with the high winds influencing play more than any of the 22 on the soggy pitch. 

Saints had a good chance when Fernandes played in Tyler Dibling but the youngster fired a tame shot goalward when he had options to square.

But Nunez made no mistake in the 24th minute when a Trent Alexander-Arnold, who broke free from Fernandes, pass was deflected into his path.

Captain Alex McCarthy was hesitant and appeared to slip as he closed on the Uruguayan - who silenced the Northam fans goading him with a point to the ear.

Elliott added the second after 32 minutes, finding the gap between two Saints defenders from the edge of the area after he had received from Cody Gakpo.

Nathan Wood had been drawn out of position during the build-up but the shot took an unfortunate touch from Manning to take it past McCarthy.

After a fairly passive first half, the temperature of the encounter started to rise after the break with Flynn Downes and Elliott both yellow-carded.

The pair had been grappling out of possession before Jan Bednarek and Nunez hugged out a disagreement of their own just minutes later.

Archer then pulled Saints back into the contest after 59 minutes with his third cup goal of the season, cutting in from the left to curl into the far corner.

Caoimhin Kelleher denied Archer an equaliser almost immediately after, who performed admirably before his substitution in the 72nd minute.

Paul Onuachu almost made an instant impact but raced into traffic after a powerful run, and the Nigerian later slipped as the big chance presented itself.

Kamaldeen Sulemana delivered a low ball into the box in the final 10 minutes of the clash but Onuachu's loss of footing meant he only struck the air.

Harwood-Bellis cleared off the line to keep Saints alive as the two teams entered six minutes of added time with the carrot of penalties still dangling. 

Fernandes was hauled to the ground by Quansah as he chased a McCarthy long-ball just outside the box but St Mary's was enraged as Hooper wildly waved away the protests. 

Saints: McCarthy; Bree (Sugawara, 59), Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek (Brereton Diaz, 84), Wood, Manning; Downes, Aribo (Lallana, 84), Dibling (Kamaldeen, 72), Fernandes; Archer (Onuachu, 72).

Unused subs: Lumley, Edwards, Fraser, Amo-Ameyaw.

Booked: Downes, Brereton Diaz.

Liverpool: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold (Tsimikas, h-t), Nyoni (Danns, 85), Gomez (Chiesa, h-t), Quansah; Endo, Mac Allister (McConnell, 62), Morton; Elliott, Gakpo (Jota, 62), Nunez.

Unused subs: Jaros, Nallo, Norris, Ngumoha.

Booked: Elliott.

Referee: Simon Hooper.