Mohamed Salah believes Liverpool's ability to win without playing well is the hallmark of champions, after they fought back to beat Southampton 3-1 at Anfield.

The Premier League leaders moved 16 points clear of second-place Arsenal on Saturday, with Salah scoring two second-half penalties as the Reds overturned a 1-0 half-time deficit.

While Arsenal have two games in hand to come, against Manchester United on Sunday and Chelsea next week, Arne Slot's side now need just 16 further points to wrap up the title.

After the game, Salah was asked if Liverpool had shown the quality of champions, and he told Premier League Productions: "Yeah, because I don't think we played well today. 

"Maybe in the second half, we played a little bit better, but [in the] first half, we didn't play well at all. But if you want to win the Champions League or the Premier League, you have to win those games."

Asked what Slot had said to the players at half-time, Salah added: "There was a bit of frustration. The manager, his head. He was going for us! 

"But that's something you need sometimes, because [in the] first half, the game was sloppy. We were just slow and taking our time and, in the last minute, they managed to go ahead. 

"But we are now more experienced, we can manage that situation, and I'm glad that we did."

Salah's two successful spot-kicks took him to nine goals from penalties in the Premier League this season, with no player ever scoring more in a single campaign while maintaining a 100% record (Cole Palmer also scored nine penalties without missing in 2023-24).

The Egyptian also reached 44 goal involvements this term (27 goals, 17 assists), the joint-most ever recorded by a player in a 38-game Premier League campaign. 

Andy Cole (in 1993-94) and Alan Shearer (in 1994-95) both reached 47, but they did so in 42-game seasons.

Salah's 184th Premier League goal also moved him level with Sergio Aguero as the joint-fifth highest goalscorer in the competition's history, a landmark he was delighted to reach.

"I knew about the record, but I didn't think about it while I was playing," Salah said of matching the former Manchester City forward.

"It's a good record to equal; Sergio is a great player, he was a legend here for the league. So, I'm happy about that, and I'm happy about the win as well."

Southampton boss Ivan Juric, meanwhile, believed Liverpool's first penalty – awarded when Will Smallbone felled Darwin Nunez from behind – should not have been given.

"We had really good moments in the first half," he told BBC Sport. "I think the first penalty was not a penalty and that changed the match. I am satisfied with how we played today.

"This cannot be a penalty ever. I'm sorry it happened because it was 1-1, and it changed the match a little bit.

"We have lots of young players who want to grow up and improve. We can lose games, but we have to fight like we fought today."