Joint management would appear to suit Liverpool, judging from yesterday's result at The Dell. Then again it was their fourth win at Southampton in five visits; more a case, perhaps, of horses for courses than two heads being better than one.

In fact, from a practical point of view, Liverpool owed their victory less to Gerard Houllier's appointment as an extra pair of hands to work with Roy Evans than Southampton's loss of a defender at a crucial moment.

In the 74th minute Jason Dodd, their captain and right-back, had been hurt helping to break up a Liverpool attack and went behind the goal to finish receiving treatment. In the meantime Liverpool won a throw-in on the left.

Dodd tried to re-enter the field before it was taken but was waved back by the referee, Paul Alcock, and remained a frustrated spectator as Paul Ince headed on Steve Staunton's long throw and Paul Jones could only palm it down for Michael Owen to score one of his simpler goals. The referee was correct but it was still a hard way for Southampton to lose, particularly as their defence had worked so assiduously to deny Owen scoring opportunities.

Although Liverpool generally passed the ball more imaginatively and at times looked like winning the game through their consistent width and attacking mobility, the amount Southampton put into the game should have earned them a point. They still have not won on the opening day since the 1988-89 season but on this occasion they did not really deserve to lose.

Liverpool's was a mixed performance. The arrival of Houllier has coincided with an even more positive approach, to judge from the initial line-up, which had Ince, Jason McAteer, Steve McManaman and Patrick Berger frequently pushing forward to support Owen and Karlheinz Riedle.

They also look stronger on the flanks now that Staunton has been brought back to Anfield after a seven-year absence. The threat of Staunton on the left was complemented by the attacking inclinations on the right of Vegard Heggem, who increasingly turned Southampton's defence the longer the match progressed.

For a time early in the match it was tempting to believe that Liverpool's enduring problems at the back of the last few seasons were beginning to be solved. Jamie Carragher and Phil Babb dealt competently with Egil Ostenstad and Mark Hughes, but once Southampton began to achieve more pace and accuracy with their crosses the doubts returned.

Nevertheless, Liverpool did show more resilience and character. Heggem's presence on the right meant that McAteer played in central midfield, helping Ince to protect the back four.

Southampton appeared to be at an early disadvantage when they lost John Beresford from the left of their midfield after only seven minutes. He was replaced by Wayne Bridge, an 18-year-old local product who steadily combined with Scott Hiley to threaten Liverpool down that flank.

When Southampton took the lead in the 36th minute, however, the goal followed one of Ripley's crosses from the right. After taking a ricochet off Staunton the ball looped into the middle where Ostenstad's head glanced it down into the far corner. The swiftness of Liverpool's response was encouraging for those who feel this may be Anfield's season to make a serious title challenge. Within two minutes McAteer had found Owen on the left and from his cross the timing of Riedle's leap left Richard Dryden earthbound as the German nodded the scores level.

Dave Jones had pointedly started the game with Matthew Le Tissier on the bench and afterwards the manager said he would be willing to listen to offers for the player. For more than an hour it appeared that Le Tissier's only contribution would be to keep goal during the substitutes' halftime kick-in. When he did replace Ostenstad for the last 23 minutes it was to little immediate effect, partly because he was pushed up alongside Hughes, which is hardly his natural role.

Nevertheless he might have saved the match for Southampton at the last when the Liverpool defence allowed a dropping ball to reach him in the penalty area only for him to drag his shot wide.

Southampton: Jones, Dodd, Beresford (Bridge 7), Hiley, Lundekvam, Dryden, Oakley, Palmer, Hughes, Ostenstad (Le Tissier 68), Ripley (Beattie 75). Subs Not Used: Howells, Moss. Goals: Ostenstad 36.

Liverpool: Friedel, Heggem, Staunton, Carragher, McAteer, Babb, Ince, Berger (Harkness 75), McManaman, Riedle, Owen. Subs Not Used: Kvarme, Thompson, Leonhardsen, James. Booked: Riedle, Heggem, Harkness. Goals: Riedle 38, Owen 73. Att: 15,202

Referee: P Alcock (Halstead).