Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa: Reds dismantle Villans at Anfield to end losing run | OneFootball

Liverpool have ended their four-game losing run in the top-flight with a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa at Anfield.

The Reds broke the deadlock minutes before the interval through the efforts of Mohamed Salah, who scored his 250th goal for the club and became only Liverpool’s third player to do it.

Ryan Gravenberch increased his side’s lead on his return from injury, while Giorgi Mamardashvili earned his first clean sheet for Liverpool, ending Aston Villa’s four-match winning run.

As it happened

Aston Villa were attacking the Kop in the first 45 and created the first opportunity of the game. Morgan Rogers received the ball from Ollie Watkins and curled his effort into the far corner, hitting the right post.

Down the other end, it took Liverpool nearly fifteen minutes to extract their first shot, as Dominik Szoboszlai found an opening on the edge of the box and fired low past the left post.

Andy Robertson made his return to the starting line-up ahead of Milos Kerkez and suddenly found himself in a centre forward position after a gentle header by Szoboszlai, his shot blocked by Pau Torres, who averted the danger.

However, it was the Villans who had the first effort on target, as Matty Cash’s powerful drive deflected straight into the top corner off Virgil van Dijk. Only an outstanding save from Mamardashvili kept the score level, with the Georgian getting a strong hand and tipping the ball onto the crossbar.

The former Valencia man was certainly the busier keeper in the early stages, as Rogers hit the target from outside the box once more, but was again denied by Liverpool’s stopper.

Villa had the early advantage, but Liverpool looked menacing with their high press, which almost paid dividends for Szoboszlai. The Hungarian international won the ball back inside Villa’s half and ran through on goal, but saw his left-footed shot fly straight into the hands of Emiliano Martínez, who dived to his right to collect it.

The Reds then got an opportunity from a free-kick following Evann Guessand’s late challenge on Cody Gakpo just outside Villa’s box. Szoboszlai stepped up, having been Liverpool’s most active player of the half, but saw his shot beaten away by Martínez.

Arne Slot’s men gathered momentum in the final 10minutes of the half, with Gakpo being the next to shoot from distance, albeit way over the bar.

The attacks continued flowing for the hosts, and they thought they had broken the deadlock in the 42nd minute. Szoboszlai delivered the ball into the penalty area, where Hugo Ekitike headed past Martínez, but the goal was ruled out for offside after a quick VAR review.

However, Liverpool’s disappointment was extinguished in the first minute of stoppage time, and it was history in the making for Salah. The Egyptian intercepted a loose pass from Martínez inside Villa’s box and slotted the ball into the empty net, becoming only Liverpool’s third player, after the legendary Ian Rush and Roger Hunt, to reach 250 goals for the club.

Conor Bradley’s shot over the bar on the fourth minute of stoppage time was the last of the half, with the Reds heading for the break with a narrow lead after capitalising on an Aston Villa error.

Liverpool dominated possession after the restart and soon created another opportunity. Gakpo lifted the ball behind the back line towards Salah, who flicked it towards Bradley, the latter firing straight at Martínez with the flag going up regardless.

Gravenberch’s return from injury pleased all Anfield supporters, and soon he got in on the act, doubling Liverpool’s lead in the 58th minute. The Dutchman received the ball from Mac Allister and drove towards the edge of the box before seeing his shot wrongfoot Martínez and fly into the back of the net after a fortunate deflection of Torres.

Villa were back on the front foot through substitute Ross Barkley, his long-range shot landing comfortably into the hands of Mamardashvili.

Donyell Malen came on together with Barkley and had an equally good opportunity, but his right-footed strike flew wide of the right post and hit the side netting.

Barkley kept finding useful areas, but the conversation was lacking for the Englishman, as the midfielder received the ball in the box from substitute Jadon Sancho and fired over the bar.

Sancho himself had an opportunity, though, like his teammate, he missed the target from outside the box.

Liverpool didn’t look likely to concede in the closing stages and earned their first clean sheet in eleven games across all competitions. And more importantly, they returned to winning ways in the Premier League. It’s a blessed relief for Slot, whose eyes will now be directed at the small matter of Real Madrid in the Champions League.

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