The root cause was inadequate refereeing As you say, mistakes happen. We were punished via a great finish. Ironically the defence was actually good bar that one mistake, it was our attack that was poor (and Saints defending was very good)
Can I just add that it was never a free kick in a million years that gifted them the goal. Doesn't make any difference who was where. Look at the 'foul' and compare the contact with at least half a dozen proper fouls on Salah and Mané, in particular the two outstanding wrestles to the ground that weren't given in fact both went the other way. How can you fight fairly against that. We didn't deserve to win and neither did Southampton. 0-0 would have been a fair result.
Nah we deserved the win. Was all over you that first half and created a couple more half chances. Our defence was exceptional too.
I wasn't disagreeing with that really (though I can't remember the lead up foul), I just disagreed with his comment that we didn't deserve it as I thought we were good value for it all round.
There's a gif compilation doing the rounds of some of the thuggish challenges that beggar belief they went unpunished. The Salah and Mané ones I've already mentioned. Walcott studs up two footed one on Milner is a straight red. Compare those to the non contact resulting in a free kick and a goal. The inconsistency in the officiating is shocking and that's my complaint, not the result. We didn't do enough to win. They didn't either.
Salah clearly at fault there... ... He didn't fall to the ground clutching his neck pretending he can't breathe. If you don't do that, how is the ref supposed to take the foul seriously these days. Refs only take things seriously if you overreact.
If the authorities held routine examinations of the performance of refs (and VAR) and they were made to explain and justify these decisions, then I'm sure the standard would improve. I know we'll be accused of whining over this because we lost, but it's just ridiculously poor.