Markus Babbel spent the last desperate minutes limping, but still managed to head Liverpool's late, late winner.

The German defender had only recently described English football as "brutal"and he knew all about the physical side of the Premiership when he was poleaxed in the box as he surged upfield to try to salvage something from a game that was slipping away from Liverpool.

But after going off for treatment, and limping painfully around the track before getting back into the fray, the defender was again in the thick of the battle to nod home the winner from six yards with five minutes to go.

Southampton frankly did not deserve to lose. They had battled well, produced moments of attacking quality, and had kept Liverpool firmly at bay for long spells.

Steven Gerrard had blasted the hosts ahead early on from 35 yards, but once Trond Soltvedt had soon grabbed an equaliser, the Saints had done enough for a point.

Liverpool had been indecisive, scrappy and lacking in cohesion as manager Gerard Houllier had shuffled and rotated his pack searching for the blend that would produce a winner.

In the end it was sheer grit and effort that kept Liverpool going forward, and Babbel's header produced the points to re-ignite their Champions League quest.

Liverpool brought in Robbie Fowler, as expected, up front for Michael Owen and gave new boy Igor Biscan a rest, allowing Gary McAllister a run in midfield.

Southampton were without battling midfielder Chris Marsden with a groin strain, and arrived at Anfield full of confidence - and it showed - after back-to-back wins over Spurs and Derby had started to pull them away from the relegation dogfight.

Liverpool, so inept away from home, are usually such a different proposition at Anfield, and attacked the Saints with relish from the start. But that desire did not last and turned at times to worry and indecision.

Initially, though, the Merseysiders were flowing. Steven Gerrard unleashed a 25-yarder that Paul Jones saved spectacularly, and then Emile Heskey ran from halfway with defenders bouncing off him before his edge-of-the-box drive was blocked.

And Liverpool were soon ahead, Gerrard not deterred by watching his previous effort saved, had another go and this time from fully 35 yards. The ball soared into the top corner.

It was a breathtaking strike and a measure of the growing quality and confidence of the youngster.

But Southampton were not prepared to sit back, defend in depth and hope for survival. They sought to expose Liverpool's problems at the back by playing three men up front.

They started to cause trouble and Stephane Henchoz needed all his composure to block off James Beattie's dangerous run and shot two minutes later.

Southampton's response to going behind hardly lacked confidence, and they were back level on 20 minutes.

Marian Pahars' left-wing corner flicked off Sami Hyypia's head to beyond the far post where Trond Soltvedt lashed a low drive back through a packed area and past Sander Westerveld.

The use of Pahars and Kevin Davies out wide caused Liverpool's defence to think before they ventured forward, and it stopped Babbel and Jamie Carragher attacking as frequently as they would have liked.

And even though Liverpool were on their own patch, it is clear that the deficiencies of their defence puts them under pressure.

Glenn Hoddle's tactical plan had these two wide strikers quickly back to create a five-man midfield whenever danger occurred.

Pahars' pace created space and an angle for a 20-yarder that fizzed wide, while when Babbel did take the risk of venturing forward - leaving Davies unmarked behind him - the German produced a cross that caused danger and then a hooked shot that curled wide.

Beattie, so bright and in excellent current form, was a constant threat, as were the midfield runs of Jo Tessem and Soltvedt. In the midst of all this worry for Liverpool, young Gerrard was sheer quality. Dropping deep to collect and spray the ball around, and then on 36 minutes, finding enough room for another low shot that snaked wide from the edge of the box.

Gerrard Houllier's response to Hoddle's ploy was to push Nick Barmby wide on the right in front of Babbel to test full-back Wayne Bridge. Eventually Barmby was to be taken off to allow Danny Murphy into midfield, and Vladimir Smicer into the hole behind the strikers.

While all this tactical chessplay was going on, Fowler was a static observer, providing none of the movement and graft coming from the Saints' front three.

Smicer, with a 49th minute run and shot, suggested Liverpool were more awake after the break, and Barmby's exit gave the Czech the chance to probe the space in front of Claus Lundekvam and Tahar El Khalej.

Another twisting run from Smicer, this time coming in from the right, saw a glorious opportunity wasted with a stabbed shot wide of the near post.

Murphy's involvement produced tackling and a cutting edge, and that at least gave Liverpool more sustained possession in Southampton's half, and a 60th minute spin and drive from Heskey forced Jones into a fine save by his left-hand post.

The danger from Southampton's flanks was still there, and on 64 minutes Davies got past two men to fire a low drive that Westerveld needed to be alert to block on the near post.

An error by Soltvedt allowed Heskey a chance to unleash a fierce drive that was deflected wide, and then Jones made a brave save at Fowler's feet after a Carragher cross had got to the far post.

On 71 minutes Smicer was next to be sacrificed, and Owen came on to play in a three-man front line with Fowler and Heskey - a rare sight.

Liverpool were lucky to get away with a Henchoz handball in the box, and Beattie and Davies were both hauled down from the back by first Hyypia and then Heskey as the tension mounted.

But that ploy lasted just five minutes before Biscan replaced Heskey and Liverpool were left with the two supposedly warring front men leading the attack.

Babbel was then hurt in a penalty-box skirmish, went off for treatment but then had to come back on as a limping passenger because Liverpool had used all their substitutes.

Hassan Kachloul took over from Pahars, Southampton still intent on pinching something.

But Babbel, still limping, emerged in the box to nod home from close range after 85 minutes from Hyypia's flick-on from McAllister's corner.

It was never pretty, and Saints left the pitch more than upset about their rank bad fortune, while Liverpool just looked drained and relieved.

Teams:

Liverpool Westerveld, Henchoz, Babbel, Hyypia, Carragher, McAllister, Barmby (Murphy 52), Gerrard, Smicer (Owen 72), Heskey (Biscan 78), Fowler.

Subs Not Used: Hamann, Nielsen.

Goals: Gerrard 12, Babbel 86.

Southampton Jones, Dodd, Lundekvam, Bridge, El Khalej, Oakley, Tessem (Rosler 90), Soltvedt, Pahars (Kachloul 82), Beattie, Davies.

Subs Not Used: Moss, Bleidelis, Gibbens.

Booked: Rosler.

Goals: Soltvedt 20.

Att: 38,474

Ref: D Gallagher (Banbury).