Adam Lallana and Dejan Lovren might have started the day as the most unpopular men on the pitch – but, by the end, they had pretty stiff competition from referee Kevin Friend.

The boos that rang round St Mary’s at the end of each half had as much to do with the official, as they did the result or either of the returning ex-Saints.

Friend turned down three penalty appeals for Ronald Koeman’s side in the first half – with the two that came in the opening four minutes particularly hard to stomach for the hosts.

He also could have penalised Liverpool keeper Simon Mignolet for appearing to handle outside his area, while he did little to improve his standing with the home crowd by overlooking incidents such as Emre Can wiping out Nathaniel Clyne.

Lovren and Lallana were perhaps the most grateful of all for his performance, which not only played a part in the outcome, but also distracted a bit of attention from them.

The duo certainly didn’t escape the wrath of the Saints supporters, though.

The manner of their exits last summer still rankle with much of the fanbase at St Mary’s, and they would have known from the moment they emerged for their pre-match warm-up to the first boos of the day that they were in for a tough afternoon.

By the time kick-off approached, the abuse had become more stinging.

Chants of ‘Dejan Lovren, what a ******’ and “Adam Lallana, we ******* hate you’ rained down from the Northam End.

It got no worse, though, and during the game it was tamer than many might have expected.

It was Lovren who seemed to bear the brunt of the backlash, though, being booed far more vociferously during the game than the former Saints captain.

There was a huge cheer as the defender, who forced through a move to Anfield for £20m last summer, unintentionally booted the ball out of play early on, while the crowd delighted at seeing him shown a yellow card for a high lunge on James Ward-Prowse.

The boos for Lallana, who admitted in the build up to the game that he regretted the way he left Saints, were fairly muted, except for when he was substituted in the 62nd minute.

As time passes, he will no doubt hope that the jeers will subside and the better years will return to the forefront of the minds of those who watched him for so many great seasons.

How Lallana would have loved the hero's welcome that one of the other returning ex-Saints received here.

Cries of “There’s only one Rickie Lambert” echoed around the stadium before kick-off, while the striker received a standing ovation from the crowd as he departed towards the tunnel after his pre-match warm-up.

Lambert acknowledged the affection of the Saints fans by applauding all sides of the stadium.

He would not get onto the pitch, however, finishing the day as an unused substitute, meaning there was no chance for the crowd to pay a fuller tribute to him.

It is a day he will no doubt remember fondly, however.

For Saints, though, it was an afternoon to forget, with plenty to jeer, but simply not enough to cheer.