Leaders Liverpool held at Southampton

Liverpool missed a chance to go clear at the top of the Premier League after squandering a string of chances in a dull 0-0 draw against Southampton in driving rain at St Mary's Stadium on Saturday.

Liverpool have 27 points from 12 games, ahead of Manchester City on goal difference. Third-placed Chelsea, on 25, can leapfrog both of them when they visit struggling Middlesbrough on Sunday.

The visitors dominated the first half and came close when former Southampton forward Sadio Mane, who moved to Liverpool in the close season, forced a good save from goalkeeper Fraser Forster.

Georginio Wijnaldum drove a long-range effort over the bar for Liverpool before the leaders wasted their best chance when Roberto Firmino shot wide with the goal at his mercy after a defence-splitting pass by fellow Brazilian Philippe Coutinho.

(Writing by Zoran Milosavljevic; Editing by Tony Jimenez)